Losses of any size or kind are significant and become a part of our personal stories. We can take stock of and honor these losses while at the same time celebrating triumphs, acknowledging personal growth, and looking ahead to the future. In this activity, students will participate in a guided discussion in which they reflect on the present and their hopes for the future while honoring losses they have experienced in the past. Students will begin the exercise by examining a curated selection of personal stories shared to PBS American Portrait. Students will respond (either out loud or in their journals) to critical analysis questions in order to deepen their understanding of key themes and build connections to their own experiences. To culminate, students will create a multimedia project depicting an aspect of their own experiences with loss and identifing what they have gained or discovered by reconciling their loss.

Objectives:

Students will aim to…

• Identify the relationship between loss and triumph.
• Participate in a guided discussion about loss and growth, examining select stories shared to the PBS American Portrait platform as inspiration.
• Create a multimedia presentation depicting their experiences with personal triumph in the face of loss.
• Present finished product.

Note to educators: As you approach this lesson, we encourage you to support students through the sensitive nature of the discussion. Talking about loss may be triggering for some; the personal experiences of each student and their varying degrees of comfort having these conversations should be honored. In an effort to maintain a safe and comforting classroom environment, we have provided several resources, under support materials, to aid in planning for what will be a challenging but enriching discussion for you and your students.

About the Authors: 

Cynthia Booker (she/her) is a high school digital video production teacher at Cleveland Heights High School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Cynthia brings more than 20 years of television broadcasting experience to the classroom, helping nurture the next generation of media professionals. As a two-time Emmy Award winning journalist, Cynthia shares her up-close and personal experience with students. Her Emmys include interviewing Susan Smith, the S.C. mother, convicted of killing her sons and a documentary on a grassroots organization’s month-long trip to Sub-Saharan Africa to help AIDS patients. Cynthia views teaching as a ministry, of which she is honored to answer the call.

Coral Bachen (she/her) is a 9th Grade English Teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with past experience in both elementary and middle grades, covering all subject areas. She has taught struggling learners as well as high achievers and has earned recognition as a Florida High Impact Teacher. In addition to the traditional classroom, she also works for Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes, using their programs with students of varied abilities and exceptionalities. Creativity, enthusiasm, and cultural relevance are found in the lessons she delivers to her classroom community. Coral loves nothing more than to share her passion for teaching and learning with others and is incredibly grateful to be an educator.

Jalissa Pollard (she/her) has taught secondary education in public, private, and charter school in Louisiana. Jalissa is an English instructor for Louisiana State University and Baton Rouge Community College’s Upward Bound program, a historic federal program for first generation college students. In her time serving as a member of the National Council for Teachers of English, Jalissa has hosted read-ins to promote African-American literature and literacy and serves as Louisiana K-12 Policy Analyst. Jalissa has been recently selected as a recipient of the 2015 NCTE Early Educator of Color Leadership Award. Jalissa is the author of the children's book "My Grandma Is A Lady," earning Amazon's #1 New Release in the categories of Christian Children's Values Fiction and Children's Christian Fiction People and Places. Her work has also appeared in Can I Teach That? Negotiating Taboo Language and Controversial Topics in the Language Arts Classroom published by Rowman & Littlefield July 2016.

Kezia Gilyard (they/them) is a nonbinary educator, facilitator, and curriculum creator. Currently, they serve the students, employees, and families of Broward County Public Schools as the LGBTQ+ Coordinator. Their areas of specialization include facilitating conversations and building courses which allow participants to examine the experiences of students who have been marginalized by various and intersecting systems of oppression. Kezia has trained both pre-K-12 and post-secondary educators across the country about the importance of approaching queer and trans equity through an intersectional lens. They’ve spent nearly a decade providing guidance, mentorship, and leadership opportunities for queer and trans youth in South Florida and beyond. Kezia was recently selected as one of South Florida Gay News’ “Out 50”, a distinguished list recognizing openly LGBTQ individuals who make an impact in South Florida. Kezia is also a recipient of the Bishop S.F. Makalani-Mahee award for Trans Equality for their work supporting transgender youth and was a finalist for GLSEN’s Educator of the Year award in 2020.