Gaining our voices

In the 3 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have a short unit on speeches in sophomore English. The unit is called "Gaining a Voice." Our focus questions are 1) What can a voice achieve? 2) How should I use my voice? and 3) What does silence mean? Below are student journal responses.

What can a voice achieve?

"A voice can achieve a lot of things in life. Martin Luther King Jr. had a voice and he basically ended segregation. If you speak up and say everything that you think, people would like you or will hate you but you'll always be true to yourself. A voice is basically everything about you in life. Without a voice, how are people going to feel what to say?"

"A voice can achieve anything. Just like Obama achieved to be the 1st black president. A voice can achieve a better life. A voice can achieve anything in life."

"A voice can achieve great things like changing the mind of a bad person, giving speeches, and more. Martin Luther King Jr. achieved great things and achievements with his voice. He changed many people about their kind and give hope to his kind. A voice also solved many problems like arguments between countries, conflicts between people who hate each other. A voice also makes historic announcements like the boycott of Alabama. A voice can achieve many great things and also solve small and huge problems without violence."

"A voice can achieve many great things. It can make someone do something or stop doing something. It can make you seem brave when you're really terrified inside. It can be used to express deep feelings. It also could just make someone's day better."

How should I use my voice?

"I should use my voice to speak clearly. I should use it to change. I should use it to save and change the future."

"People should use their voices to stand up for what they believe in, to fight for equality and peace, and last but not least use your voice to stop bullying. For what you believe in can cause you to not be afraid of anything; it's your voice so use it to fight for your beliefs. You use your voice to make everybody feel loved and equal. Lastly, use your voice to stop bullying; doing this one thing, using your voice can prevent heartache, pain, and feeling left out/lonely."

"I should use my voice to help better this world and help people. I should use my voice to stand up for people who don't speak for themselves. I should use my voice to enlighten situations no one talks about. My voice can help myself and everyone else. My voice can also hurt me if I use the wrong words of choice. 1. Speak up for homeless people in Africa. 2. Use my voice to help people whose families are affected by cops. 3. Speak up for homeless people without clothes or food."

"I should use my voice to represent a happy tone. It shouldn't be filled with bad words, because it's not right. I should use my voice as a voice for young people, and for African American girls everywhere."

"When using my voice I always try to speak clearly for the people to understand. I use my voice for respect and for standing up for what's right. I use my voice to defend the children and the people I care about."

What does silence mean?

"Silence shows more action than words do. Because it expresses the words that you can't express just using words. It shows more emotion than words do."

"Silence is when there is no sound heard or made by any person, animal, or object. It is the absence of any form of audible sound. There are lots of people in the world that are facing world problems like domestic, physical, verbal, child, and even animal abuse, yet many of them live in silence because they are either afraid or ashamed."

"Silence can mean many things, some people are naturally quiet. A lot of people speak less, but in cases, some are afraid to open their mouth and speak up. In some reasons silence is good, some people can just sit in silence and still have a full conversation with each other. I guess silence is kind of mysterious."

"Silence is the absence of sound. It is the only true peace. Silence cannot be heard, nor seen, yet everyone understands what it is. It is the one thing everyone wants, but no one can handle. Silence makes mad men happy, and it makes happy men mad."

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I have no idea what I'm doing with my life, but for now my voice is in my classroom here in Memphis. My complete silence would probably get me fired, so not really an option, but what I chose to address and what I choose to let go everyday is my choice. May I choose my battles and stands well. May we all.

Happy Advent!
Anneke