Excerpt
It was in this setting that I decided I wanted to use writing to build a sense of community and to provide a forum for students and parents to express fears, anxieties, and concerns.
I wanted to keep track of what happened when parents and children wrote about the same subject. It was my belief that through writing a teacher can include those families who might otherwise feel alienated from the school; it’s a way for parents to stay involved in their children’s education. I was also interested in what effect, if any, the parental writing might have on the children. This was another form of communication for the children, the parents, and the teacher.
