Purpose
I wrote this unit for my many students who feel helpless and threatened in the face of unwanted change. As their teacher, I, too, can feel powerless. I can’t re-shape the opportunity to attend a middle school across town if their families need them to be home. I can’t bring back fathers. What I can do is remind students of the depth of resources within themselves. I can offer chances to strengthen their identity so they can navigate these changes and the inevitable future disappointments.
No one is exempt from unwanted change. Humans of all ages deal with sudden job loss, illness, death, family changes, and other tragedies, yet the unit feels particularly pressing for a high-poverty context like mine. 100% of my school participates in free-and-reduced lunch. My students don’t have the luxury of money to cushion the blow of change. An affluent parent who loses a job, for example, can draw on other economic sources to keep their child in the same school. In my community, a job loss may mean sleeping on a relative’s couch across town and tearfully switching schools.
Especially in difficult moments of change, identity support is crucial for academic success.2 The student who missed a chance to get into his choice middle school risks disengaging with academics in the wake of his disappointment. The student with a deported father needs support just to lift his eyes for instruction.
This unit is designed to be taught late in the first semester. Due to the personal nature of identity work, I think it’s best if I’ve formed some relationship with students before launching into the unit. Although designed to last eight weeks, unit pacing will vary based on student reading lexiles.
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