Introduction
Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.
--George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones)
Most adults can immediately connect with the angst and euphoria that accompany memories of high school. Those formative years during high school provide a forum for students to develop their identities, challenge their preconceived notions about other identities, and create personae. Teen angst, rebellion, and other behaviors often emerge as they struggle to “find themselves”. Developing self-esteem, crafting an identity, and finding one’s voice are especially challenging for the outliers, those students who feel disenfranchised from the mainstream. My students are not those poised to inherit the bounty America can offer. My students are those destined to struggle to find themselves and their place in this country. They are first and second generation immigrants who don’t feel secure due to the undocumented status of themselves or family members. They face challenges due to their race and socioeconomic status, and are often straddling two cultures. In a time where the modern marketplace is nothing but conflict, my students must create their unique identities and learn the power of self-advocacy and exercising their rights in a democratic society.1 There is power in self-knowledge and I want my students to be able to navigate the world with grace. As Maya Angelou stated: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
Teachers are uniquely positioned to help foster the identity development of their students, and I hope this unit provides them with the confidence to approach this complicated process. My six-week unit is specifically designed to be appropriate for my sophomores and to consistently approach the topic in a positive and respectful manner. My focus is specifically on non-fiction texts, explored through the lens of names, speech, and being a teenager--lenses which should be inclusive of all of my students. By providing supports such that students develop increasing mastery and analytical skills, it is my intention to foster increasing independence while simultaneously promoting a positive self-image. Students will consider the characteristics one is born with, how they are shaped by culture, how they are formed by choices, and how they are perceived by others. The rigor will increase as they master specific skills through a process of examining each piece, with special focus on point of view, form, and tone, and considering what the effect of those choices is on the selection. This will develop student expertise and authority while addressing the Common Core State Standards.
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