Literacy Autobiography - “Ms. Taylor, this is Math class, not English”, said Davis.

“Ms. Taylor, this is Math class, not English”, said Davis.

Davis, a taller and bigger than usual football player sat in my Math 3 class every day, and complained nearly every day.  “Ms. Taylor, this is Math class, not English”, said Davis.  This is the response I would get every Wednesday during a class event we call “Writing Wednesday”.  Writing Wednesday is an opportunity to present a topic to the students, whether content related or not, and allow them to write about it.  I would always read their writings, and reply.  

Not only was he against reading, but Math wasn’t his favorite subject.  I would turn to him and say “the purpose of the assignment is to collaborate different content areas; plus, you need to know how to read and write to know Math.  Although you may think otherwise, I care about what you think and feel; and that’s what you’re telling me in your assignment”.  He would listen and do the assignment, but still hated it.  As long, drawn out and serious as my response may have been, I still didn’t get through to Davis.    

As a beginning teacher, I knew I would plan some things, and kids would immediately shoot it down!  That’s almost a given.  But I wouldn’t let his outbursts or negativity towards writing hinder me from given the assignment.  I vividly remember a Wednesday in October where I had cancelled the Writing Wednesday assignment to do review for an upcoming exam.  Not surprisingly, the students were excited, not for the review, but because they didn’t have to do a writing assignment.  

As the class was coming to an end, Davis came to my desk and handed me a folded paper.  Judging by his posture, he was either upset or sad.  I opened the folded paper, and read the title, Free Write.  Davis had just lost a family member due to gang violence.  Unfortunately, it was someone he was really close to, and didn’t know how to respond to the hurt he felt.

I didn’t know how important Writing Wednesday was until I didn’t extend the opportunity.  When I responded to Davis writing, I nearly cried because he was the kid that hated the assignment but still did it when it wasn’t assigned.  Davis writing ended with “let me know what you think” because he knew I would respond, creating a dialogue between two people that could trust each other.  At this moment, I realized how important literacy was.