Moment Two
Teaching Notes
A Note on Reading Personal Narratives
Of note, unlike most forms of writing the personal narrative is written to tell a story. The author’s personal narratives tell their stories to recount events as they actually happened. When reading personal narratives, it is often helpful to try and identify the author’s purpose in the telling of their story. Major narrative events are often told in chronological order as they unfold from first to last and typically have a beginning middle and end. Personal narratives seek to engage the reader emotionally in their stories through multiple modalities that may include such rhetorical appeals as ethos, pathos, and logos.
A Note on Reading for Understanding
Researchers identify three common practices found in reading for understanding (Keys to Literacy) First ask students to engage in active, purposeful, reading. Next, have students engage with the text itself instead of just learning the content through other modalities. Finally, reading for understanding asks students to work with the text with active, supportive, purposeful tasks.The narratives contained within the In|Dignity exhibit are factual stories as they unfolded in the lives of the individual story teller. The stories make clear both the persistence of inequalities and biased normative standards in our communities – often in subtle and unintentional ways – and their impacts on individual lives.
Please Prepare Your Students
We recommend that you read the following statement to your students before they enter the exhibition: “This exhibit addresses heavy topics such as racism, discrimination, abuse, and sexism. The purpose of the exhibit is to learn about people’s experiences but, in doing so, you may feel a range of emotions including sadness, anger, and frustration. Taking some deep breaths and stepping away for a period of time may help. If you experience a strong reaction to the content, please notify your teacher. Counselors are also available, should you wish to talk to a professional about your feelings. Speaking to a counselor can help you make sense of your experiences. You may find yourself feeling upset in the days or weeks following the exhibit, even if you do not experience a negative reaction right away. If you experience discomfort at any time, let your teacher know and he or she will put you in touch with someone who can help.”