EMULATING WRITERS OF YESTERYEAR

The Amityville Memorial High School library was recently transformed into a writers’ salon to mimic the writing forums of yesteryear. The event was called Portfolio Share Day, and as the students entered the library, classical music filled the atmosphere, with healthy snacks on a designated table for everyone to enjoy. The students then divided themselves among the tables and settled in to share their portfolios of writing.

“All of the great writers came out of salons, where they would discuss and critique each other’s works,” Amityville Memorial High School English Director Judith Riordan explained to the students. “There is a whole world out there that still appreciates writing, and I hope you appreciate the geniuses that may be among you.”

The Amityville Public School District Literacy Team, comprised of teachers from all academic departments and the school librarian, has been discussing ways to aid students in acquiring full literacy in writing and reading with renowned literacy consultant Dale Worsley. The team decided to implement the portfolio share day in the high school, where students in grades 10-12 English classes come together to share their writing and post constructive comments. Additionally, the literacy team is planning on implementing the portfolio system throughout the district’s prekindergarten through twelfth-grade levels in the near future.

The students have been extremely receptive to the idea of portfolio sharing. Tenth grader Daniel Parks commented that he read some great pieces of writing. “It was fun reading other people’s work and seeing whether they decided to write a poem or story,” he stated. “It was also interesting to see how other students followed through on writing assignments.”
Tenth-grade student Haley Jacobsen also remarked about the benefits of Portfolio Share Day. Haley stated, “Reading other people’s work can give you new ideas for writing.”