In my publication classes, things can start off too fast; with five publications, we always have so much work to do. This letter assignment is a good reminder to myself to always slow down and get to know my students before we start our work together. This assignment helps me get to know my students as the complex, sweet and brilliant humans that they are. It also lets them know that I care about them as such. 

I have a lot of the same students semester after semester. My students who are returning do this assignment at the beginning of the year, at the end of the semester and at the end of the year. 

What’s amazing is that my students are using these letters as a way to remember who they were the first time they wrote a “Dear Tracy” letter. By the end of high school, many of them have over nine of these letters that recorded their mottos, their hopes, their struggles. Their voices change, their writing develops, their perspective matures. They are beautiful keepsakes for my students. 

The letters help me find connections with students, understand how I can best meet their needs as a teacher and even figure out what areas of interest can translate into journalism specialities. It’s nice that I get to read these letters, after all I am the person they are writing to. But, really my students are writing to their current and future self — and that is where the power is. 

Letter to Tracy

Dear Student, 

Please write me a letter about yourself. Tell me anything you would like me to know.  Here are some questions that can help you if you get stuck. However, you can also just start writing.  The goal is for you to put yourself on the page and for me to understand you better.  I don’t want you to answer all of the questions. Go deep on the ones that matter to you right now. If you have been here before, you know that many students look back on these letters and see their changes/growth over the years.  My hope is that as you write this you will also get to know yourself a bit better.  Writing has that power. 

• • How are you doing? 
  • What have you done over the past year that stands out to you? 
  • What has the past summer/year/years been like for you? 
  • How old are you?  What was your favorite age?  What does your age mean to you?
  • Whom do you live with? What should I know about your family? 
  • Who is important to you? 
  • What do you like to do outside of school? 
  • What are your favorite things to do inside of school? 
  • What is your motto?  Why?  
  • What is your greatest struggle right now?  
  • What is your greatest source of peace/happiness? 
  • Do you have any questions or concerns about this semester?  What do you hope to accomplish in our class? 
  • What goals (inside or outside of school) do you have for yourself? 
  • Do you have any habits that you want to get rid of or that you want to develop? 
  • How have you changed in the past year? 
  • What were you like when you were five? 
  • Pick an age in your future.  What do you want your life to be like when you are that age? 
  • What are a few things that you want to do in your life?  
  • When is a time when you have been proud of yourself? 
  • What makes you happy? 
  • What can I do to help you?  What do you need from me? 

There is an endless bank of questions in my head, but I will stop with these.  Feel free to come up with your own prompts too.  Please start it like a letter, which means, “Dear Tracy,”.  Thanks in advance for putting yourself on the page.  I can’t wait to read about who you are today.