Introduction
Middle school, for many, is often a time of uncomfortable self-discovery and a yearning to fit into a socially acceptable group. Thinking back to this time in my life, I am reminded of the lyrics to "Walking in My Shoes" by the popular English electronic band, Depeche Mode.
Now I'm not looking for absolution
Forgiveness for the things I do
But before you come to any conclusions
Try walking in my shoes
You'll stumble in my footsteps
Keep the same appointments I kept
If you try walking in my shoes
As a teacher in an urban middle school, I often observe the social nuances that go on around me and wonder how our students survive in a technologically advanced environment filled with innumerable social media and networking sites. Decision making for our students is no longer centered on what outfit to wear for the day or what table to sit at during lunch. Instead, the decisions they are pressured to make have the potential to leave deep-rooted scars of vulnerability and judgment. I watch as my students struggle with being the center of judgment because of the decisions they choose to make, but then flip around and judge someone else because they don't agree with the decisions being made. I am often filled with stories of peer pressure, deceit, self-loathing, and heartbreak from students who just want to fit into the middle school culture.
August Boeger Middle School sits at the base of the eastern foothills of San Jose, California. The school houses grades six to eight, and has a population of approximately 75% Hispanic/Latino, 15% Asian, and 10% White or non-Hispanic. 74% of the population is socio-economically disadvantaged, with a comparable percentage of students being English Learners. The area around the school is known for increased gang activity between two rival gangs, Nortenos (northerners) and Surenos (southerners). In the past, August Boeger housed a larger population of Nortenos. With the change in economy and the transience of families, students from Sureno backgrounds have moved into the area, causing more tension and stress for the community. This social strain inevitably spills onto the campuses within the neighborhood, creating an uneasy environment for academic success.
I currently teach two sections of 7 th grade CORE (English/History). Every student in our district is required to take one hour of English Language Development (ELD) instruction a day. At the middle school level, that ELD instruction is either a part of the student's CORE class or taken as an elective. ELD instruction focuses on vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing. This type of instruction is successful in helping students break down word meaning, generate answers to basic comprehension questions, and write coherent simple sentences. However, due to differing ability levels and social backgrounds, students have difficulty analyzing a piece of literature and understanding the process a character goes through to make choices in order to resolve conflict, be aware of judgment from outside forces because of his/her choice, and accept outcomes of what the choices bring to him/her in the story.
This unit will encourage my students to analyze text in a way they have never done before. They will be able to take a piece of text and dissect the traits, personalities, and actions of a character and connect those factors to the choices he/she makes in solving the conflict. They will be able to analyze a better process for decision-making and apply that to major characters in a novel. Through literature, I also want my students to feel compassion and understanding in the choices that characters make and be able to apply that to real life situations amongst their peers. I hope my students recognize that strength in personal character will give them strength in making choices; that in the end, acceptance doesn't come from their peers, but comes from the confidence of living up to the outcomes of their choice.
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