Lifting Voices in the City

Jason,¹  a 6th grader in an inner-city middle school, regularly reminded his teacher that he did not write. On the few occasions when he managed to scratch out a few lines, his pencil markings were almost invisible, his handwriting illegible, and his spelling incomprehensible. More troubling, Jason did not communicate clearly through speaking, either. Because of a speech impediment, Jason's stuttering voice sounded louder than he liked, and he generally refrained from speaking in class.

Jason's self-proclaimed identity as a nonwriter and his resistance to speaking in class could have been interpreted as signs that he did not have much to say. On the contrary, Jason had strong, thoughtful opinions unusual in 11-year-olds. But instead of using language effectively, he communicated through unpredictable outbursts, intense stares, and thoughtful gazes. Not surprisingly, those around Jason often misread his intentions. Jason might have eventually given up trying to communicate at all and taken a self-destructive path had he not begun to tentatively find his voice as a writer halfway through his 6th grade year. The transformation occurred when Streetside Stories, an independent, nonprofit writing workshop, came to work with students at Jason's school.

Empowering Students Through Writing