What I See in Students' Personal Narratives

I discussed one of my own personal narratives in my last article. It was a short essay for a college application, yet the spirit reflected in that story has stayed with me. It powers my pursuit today. Now let me share with you the ones written by some of my middle-school students. 

One student wrote about the experience that taught her the importance of positivity. Her family moved to a new town during the pandemic and she felt lonely and miserable.   Her confidence was shaken when she didn’t get the grades she expected. She became overwhelmed by self-doubt.  Fortunately, she managed to fight her way out of those dark moods with help from her family and friends, and she learned to embrace positivity no matter the circumstances. 

As I worked with her on this personal narrative, we dug into every piece of her experience to make the writing compelling. She is a diligent student, but what stood out for me was her capacity for self-reflection.  At one point I asked her why positivity was so difficult for her during that period of time.  She thought for a moment and replied, “Because when you think in a certain way, it’s very difficult to change.”  

What an insightful comment!  She used such simple words yet she had captured the core of the challenge. Her perspective also explains so much of what’s been happening around us. I looked at her, knowing that not only would she grow into a confident and resilient person herself but her sensibility and understanding would also create tremendous value to others. “I’ve realized how much happier I’m now,” she spoke softly, making me smile inside and out. 

I always enjoy exploring students’ passions and motivations.  One student wrote about why he enjoys football, which wouldn’t be noteworthy if he had grown up in a family or community that loves football.  Of course, it’s quite the opposite, as many Chinese-American families consider football as “a violent game.” But he enjoys football because it has helped him build self-confidence and the courage to take risks.  Every time he gets tackled, he sees it as an opportunity to learn how to protect himself better. He wrote, “Football isn’t just a game, it’s a way of life. You fail, but you learn, so you can succeed. You fail again? Find out the pattern of what’s going on. It might take long; however, once you’re there, you realize how many mistakes you have overcome.” I can’t help but cheer for him. 

Moreover, he wrote about the thrill as he runs down the field with the ball in his arms, being chased by opponents in front of a large audience. It’s like “playing a risky game of tag,” he wrote. I can sense that he genuinely loves the fun of games and that, in contrast to many students, he thrives when he has the attention of a large audience! It’s both intriguing and exciting to think about how he may best channel such interests and natural talents.

For many students, writing about themselves takes a lot of work.  One student recently completed applications to a few private high schools. He had terrific interests and experiences, but he didn’t like those “why” questions that forced him to dig deep into his inner world: how he thinks, how he feels, and what drives him. He would not forget the long hours he spent writing essays over this past Christmas vacation. Now that it’s all done, I asked him how he felt about all that writing.  He said he was relieved, and then he added, “I feel proud.”  He was proud of what he saw in himself through those essays.  How wonderful!

It may sound cliche that every student is different, but that’s indeed the case. You may be doing the same thing, but why you do it, how you do it, and how you feel when you do it usually differ. Those nuances matter tremendously.  As I think about the trajectories of people I’ve worked with and known over the years, it’s clear that the earlier and the deeper we get to know ourselves, the better equipped we are to build a successful and fulfilling life.  The students in this article have discovered something genuine and powerful about themselves as they wrote their personal narratives. I know you will, too.