改变的信：低年级学生学习有说服力的信的艺术

今年春天，六年级的学生们纷纷写信：一封给教育部长詹姆斯·佩瑟（James Peyser）的信，要求为马萨诸塞州的公立学校提供更多的艺术资助；一封给NBA总裁亚当·西尔弗（Adam Silver）的信，要求提前播放NBA季后赛，以便年轻的东海岸球迷可以观看；还有一封给州长查理·贝克（Charlie Baker）的信，要求为高死亡率动物收容所提供政府资助，以减少被安乐死的动物。 是什么激发了这种草根倡导？ 六年级的学生正在学习写一封有说服力的信的艺术。

 

一封优雅而有条理的信有影响力，但一封来自年轻人的清晰而写得好的信更有吸引力。 Sixth graders end the year with the “Letter of Change” writing project. 作业要求学生确定一个他们关心的地方或国家问题，研究它，并写一封有说服力的信给有能力实现他们所提议的改变的人。 “It takes writing outside of the classroom to make a true real-world connection,” says sixth grade writing teacher Lara Gleason. “It’s an empowering exercise as the kids realize that they can make a difference and that their voices matter.”

 

 

劳拉首先要求学生们集思广益，扩大影响范围，从家庭和学校到地方、国家和全球问题。 当学生们费力地解决他们所确定的问题时，他们会讨论哪些问题值得解决，并承认它们的复杂性。 也许一个学生真的想要世界和平，但他们会提出什么建议，他们会给谁写信？ “We often work backward to come up with an idea that identifies a similar issue within the local community,” says Lara.

 

学生们提出的问题范围非常广泛，今年也不例外，因为这些信件涉及的话题五花八门，包括枪支安全、贝博体育app的5-6田径运动、马萨诸塞州水域的过度捕捞以及无家可归者。 Of course, there’s always a student who just wants to convince their parents to get a puppy. “But it’s the kids who push them- selves to think about what’s happening in their community that find this assignment the most rewarding,” says Lara.

 

一旦学生们找出了他们想要解决的问题，他们就会研究这个问题，并确定他们的信件的收件人。 然后他们头脑风暴他们需要知道的贝博体育这个话题。 “To have a compelling argument, you need a good understanding of the problem and the possible solutions. Then you have to figure out the audience and how that person fits into the situation,” says Lara. 作业的这一部分提供了宝贵的公民课，因为许多学生必须浏览地方和国家政府网站，研究决策是如何做出的，并确定合适的人来接收他们的信件。

 

 

学生们在低年级的课程中写作。 他们写贝博体育阅读的分析性文章，解释他们在数学上的思考，以及对他们在科学课上的实验的解释性结论。 每种类型的写作都需要不同的技巧，需要练习。 “Writing needs time for direct instruction,” says Head of 较低的学校 Lainie Schuster. “Persuasive writing is especially important, and being able to articulate ideas, positions, and arguments is an important life skill.”

 

因此，在学生开始写信之前，他们会探索说服性写作的好例子。 他们学习如何写一篇强有力的引言，如何为读者量身定制一封信，如何用事实支持一个论点，以及如何预测一个反论点。 劳拉还强调了优秀写作的普遍要素，如良好的句子结构、有效的用词、正确的语法和引用的来源。 在这一点上，学生们投入到自己的草稿中，写作，编辑，提供同行反馈，修改，直到他们对自己的信件感到满意。

 

 

每年，学生们在学校的最后一周写地址并邮寄他们的信件。 Of course, it’s exciting to receive a response, but Lara prepares the students for the reality that many of them won’t. But does that mean their letters didn’t make a difference? “You’re not always going to know whether your actions made a difference, but that doesn’t mean that they didn’t,” says Lara, noting that many government offices like the White House may not send individual responses, but they do keep a tally of the number of citizens calling or writing to weigh in on certain issues. “I also believe that when adults read a well-written letter from a child, those are really powerful moments for those adults,” says Lara. “Based on the letters that we have received in response, our students are making a very strong impression.”

 

 

 

Nathan Kikonyogo ’21 is a big fan of the musical Hamilton, but he was frustrated that the show is not currently licensed for schools to perform. 因此，为了去年春天的“改变之信”项目，内森写信给托尼奖得主、《汉密尔顿》的创作者林-曼努埃尔·米兰达（Lin-Manuel Miranda），告诉他这部剧是多么有影响力和教育意义，并询问米兰达是否会考虑授予学校演出这部剧的权利。 “As I wrote it, I wasn’t thinking that I would get a response, but I decided to make the letter as good as I could,” says Nathan. “I did my research and did what I could to convince him.” 9月，内森从学校回来一周后，他收到了一封米兰达手写的信，感谢内森对这部剧的支持。 While Miranda said that he couldn’t grant Nathan’s request, it didn’t dampen the unexpected thrill of getting a personal letter from one of his heroes. “I feel like my voice was heard, and it felt good that he cared enough to send back a thoughtful note.”

 

 

Last year, Isabella Zhu ’21 learned that the U.S. government was planning to make changes to the Endangered Species Act, and she was concerned about reduced protections for the nation's most vulnerable wildlife. 她给马萨诸塞州民主党参议员伊丽莎白·沃伦（Elizabeth Warren）写了一封改革信，要求她公开反对拟议中的改革。 “I asked her to represent me and others who agree with me and to speak out about our perspective,” says Isabella. 大约一个月后，伊莎贝拉收到了参议员沃伦的回复，说她很高兴听到她对这个话题感兴趣，并承诺她会在下次会议上提出这个问题。 Isabella’s concerns and those of other citizens were clearly registered. 9月，参议员沃伦（连同其他32位美国参议员）联名签署了一封给美国内政部和美国商务部的具有说服力的信，表达了他们对《濒危物种法》拟议修改的强烈担忧，并敦促他们重新制定或撤销他们的提议。 “I think that this project was very effective, and the results of my effort showed,” says Isabella.

看看我们其他部门的情况吧！ Read about our writing programs in the 小学 and the 上学校。

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