I began to hate writing, and I started to doubt myself
Failure affects not only grades but also identity and self-worth. Sometimes, failure does not allow people to really show who they are and turns them into being more isolated, which lets their voices be less heard.
I decided to quit trying so hard
The author feels exhausted after all the failures she is going through. Consistent failures lead to withdrawal. Failure should not limit people from what they are capable of.
Surely I would pass the next time
This displays the author's hope and disappointment with the current state, and shows her belief in doing better the next time.
Until that time, I loved writing just as much as I loved math
This shows early confidence and balance skills, and failure shifts her relationship with learning. I like how she is relating writing to math, and it is something she loves, which helps in motivating anyone to keep going.
The Indian kids crowd the classroom. Many are writing their own poems, short stories and novels. They have read my books. They have readmany other books. They look at me with bright eyes and arrogant wonder
This shows how Alexie becomes the mentor figure, giving others the opportunities he once fought for. Alexie wants people to fight for their education and save their lives.
I refused to fail. I was smart. I was arrogant. I was luck
This shows the author's determination, and I like how he used pride as a shield against failure and doubt. Also, this shows how the author has a great mindset, wanting to keep going and not letting failure stop him.
I read with equal parts joy and desperation.
This suggests that books were more than entertainment, but they are also a tool that gives hope and identity. Books help to motivate people to learn and shape their identity.
I learned to read with a Superman comic book
This shows how literacy can begin in unexpected ways, which connects to how kids today learn through comics, games, and Youtube. Everyone has a way that they are interested in that can develop their brains and help them in life.
The heart of the matter, what the learner learns, whatever the teacher teaches, is that human beings make sense of the world by telling stories about it—by using the narrative mode for constructing reality
Stories are a form of entertainment and a way we create reality. It made me pause and think about how every person's worldview is shaped by the stories they tell themselves and hear from others.
There has never been a more important time for children to become storytellers, and there have never been so many ways for them to share their stories”
Storytelling is more relevant today because of technology and social media. It encourages educators to see storytelling as a skill that prepares students to express themselves.
Teachers who value a personal understanding of their students can learn much by noting what story a child chooses to tell and how that story is uniquely composed in the telling.
This is important because it reframes storytelling as a tool for teachers as well as students. The stories students share reveal what matters to them, which helps the teacher connect better with the student.
“Storytelling involves a particular language and set of relationships; it is a body of knowledge and abilities that are activities only within its happening”
This shows storytelling as an active, living process. It is not just words, but it's a connection between the teller and the listener. This makes storytelling unique compared to reading and memorizing facts.
Allowing students to perform stories in their own, personal language can legitimize and honor their individual ways of speaking in a way school spaces usually don’t.
This line highlights the importance of validating students' voices in school. Also, it suggests that education should embrace students' authentic identities instead of correcting them. I think that schools should help students share their perspectives and learn from each other rather than trying to follow the instructions that might hide their voices.
Our brains seem wired for narrative, making us naturally receptive to it; we use stories to make sense of the world and to share that understanding with others
This line says that storytelling is a skill and a part of how we think. It is interesting that our brains are built to understand life through stories rather than just facts. This makes me wonder why storytelling is not used much in schools.