my teacher wanted to be the hero...

I've recently been teaching my students what it means to add voice to their writing. I got this idea from my colleague and needed to share the outcome.

At the beginning of writing on Friday morning I gave each student a blank piece of paper, told them to write their name on it (a direction that is still CONSTANTLY needed) and proceeded to tell them for the next thing to work there was to be no talking, and no laughing. I walked behind my desk, pulled out a bag of fudge stripe cookies, opened the bag and started eating one in front of them. I was sure to let them know how delicious the cookie tasted and smelled. I then went back to the bag and grabbed another cookie. By this time I have some students turning their backs on me, others pleading (without saying anything) with me to give them one. I believe I became even more obnoxious with the second cookie, letting them know how great it was.

After finishing the 2 cookies I closed the package and returned it to my desk drawer. I then instructed my students to spend the next 4 minutes writing about what had just taken place.

After those 4 minutes had passed I gave them the chance to share what they had written. I thought you'd enjoy reading some of their responses:

"She didn't share. We wanted some good chocolate chip cookies and I bet they were delicious!"

"You made me feel like I wanted to explode!"

"It made me mad and angry. I will just take the cookies and hog them all!"

"Mrs. George ate cookies in front of us to make us really hungry. Mrs. George also described that they were good to make us even more hungry"

"She didn't even stop to give us one, not one single crumb! I love these kind of cookies! I felt really jealous because I don't usually get them!"

"I turned my back so I did not have to think about it!"


There were many other great responses, but on with the story :). I then went back to my desk and grabbed the bag of cookies. Upon giving the "no talking" direction again I placed one cookie on each students' desk. Their faces lit up, they were so excited...until...I informed them that they couldn't eat it. I gave them another few minutes to write again:

"My teacher wanted to be a grinch!"

"My teacher wanted to be the hero of saving us from hunger. But it's not fair she gets to eat one and we can't. I'm soooooooo made at my teacher. If I had a cookie I would rub it in her face too. I would say aha you can't have any! That's what you get! Now she's not the hero."

"This really does not bother me because I have these cookies at home all the time so when I go home I'll just have some."

"We finally got a cookie (yay!) and we can't eat it (aw man!). If you ate it why can't we eat it?"

"You are sharing with us, you are the best teacher. Except now we can't eat it! I am through with this, I am going to eat it anyways!"

"When you turn your back I will eat all the cookies in one second!"


Don't worry, I let them eat their cookies and their stories quickly changed back to my being a good teacher :) They understood my reason for our activity and now recognize the voice in their own writing! Mission accomplished!