It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since September 11, 2001. I remember that day like it was yesterday. Unlike most college students, I took early morning classes, so I was up early getting ready for my classes. It was a beautiful, crisp soon-to-be-fall September day outside. As I was getting ready to walk across campus to class, my phone rang. It was my mom. She sounded panicked. She told me to turn the TV on. A plane had hit one of the World Trade Buildings in New York City. After about 5 minutes of watching the news in horror with my mom connected to my ear, the second plane hit the second tower. That sight chilled my soul. I decided to forgo classes that day and drive home to be with my parents. We were glued to the TV for the next three days.
Most of my students are 13 years old. Thus, they were a mere three years old on September 11th. For many of them, they do not hold the memories, the emotions, the connection that I do. How could they? With that in mind, Miss Cerney, Mrs. Mixon, and I decided to set aside several class periods devoted to September 11th. We held class discussions, watched interviews of first-hand accounts of the day, and analyzed pictures from 9/11.
I cannot even begin to express how impressed I was with the maturity and depth of discussion our classes engaged in this week. As a culmination activity, students were given two options:
1. Write a Point of View journal/diary entry putting yourself in the shoes of someone on 9/11/01
or
2. Interview a friend/family member about their experience on 9/11/01
I truly look forward to seeing the work my students will be turning in on Monday.
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