our three words

As an English teacher, I spend a lot of time discussing and analyzing the power of words with my students.  I try to get them to understand that sometimes, when it comes to conveying an important message, less is more. You simply have to choose the "just right" words as your vehicle. Easier said than done, right?

Many years ago, while teaching a lesson on word choice,  I saw a segment on Good Morning America (am I the only one who's bothered by the missing comma after 'morning'?) called "Your Week in Three Words."  Each week, people sent pictures and videos that summarized the major life events from the previous week in three words.

So I started thinking. What if I had my students develop a "three-word message" to the world?  Something that conveyed their thoughts and feelings in JUST three words. And thus, "Our Three Words" was born.

My students and I made these videos for many years, and it was always a highlight. You can really learn a lot about kids (and adults) when you ask them to pare-down their most important thoughts into just three words.  

It's been a few years since we've made one. When Common Core and testing began knocking on my classroom door, things changed. Sure, it only takes a few minutes to create the video, but those were valuable academic minutes I couldn't afford to lose.

Well friends, nothing makes you re-evaluate the power of a minute more than the realization that they'll soon be gone. Deciding to leave changes everything. So with that in mind, we made a video this year, smack-dab in the middle of testing week.

While I was explaining the process, a student raised his hand: "So, you want us to come up with this 'message' to the world, but it's not like the whole world will actually see it, right?"

He had a point.

But then, I thought, what if?  What if we could use the power of social media to share the messages of these 80 amazing kids with the world?  Is that possible? Could it be done? (Ellen?)

So here's my plea, friends: Watch this. You'll be impressed with their depth. I promise. Our future is in good, good hands with these kiddos. And if, at some point, you're touched by one of the messages, will you share it with someone? Will you share it with lots of someones? Can we really take their messages around the world?

58 days left.