Bound for Success
SAXONBURG — English teachers assign essays and, for most, the job ends with grading the paper.
But Patricia Schuster of Knoch Middle School has come up with a way to give her students a lasting memory of the essays they worked so hard to create. Schuster binds her students' essays into a book.
The seventh-grade English teacher has been working at the school for 10 years and came up with the idea for the book four years ago.
“I am just so impressed with the talent that these kids have, I want everyone to see it,” Schuster said.
Schuster assigns her students a series of essays and poems throughout the school year.
The collection includes poems, persuasive essays and informative and personal narratives.
Schuster said, “I like all of the assignments. I think the color poem offers the most opportunity for creativity. I am very impressed with what some of these kids come up with for the color poem.”
Schuster's “Book of Fame” did not start out as a book at all but a collection of stories hung on the chalkboard in order for the students to take pride in their work.
“It started out with the Wall of Fame. I would choose 10 to 15 essays or poems, whatever we were working on. I would ask those students if they wanted to be on the Wall of Fame,” Schuster said.
Students asked to participate in the Wall of Fame have the opportunity to revise their work before it is displayed.
“I would take the essays down to make room for the next unit and paper clip them together.” Schuster said. “Then the next year I decided to keep them up and have a Wall of Fame archives.”
Finally, she decided that making a book out of the archived work would be best. It was a way for her to have examples for her future students.
“When I first started I looked into how much it would cost to have it professionally published, and it is outrageously expensive,” Schuster said.
The company she got a quote from wanted $500 to bind 30 books. Schuster said, “That's when I figured 'You know what, I can do it myself.'”
Schuster binds the books at the school and is able to order the materials in bulk from the school's supplier.
“We have one of those thick hole-puncher machines that does the side, then I just put them together. It takes a while, but it's worth it for the kids to have,” Schuster said. “I wish I would have thought to start it years ago.”
The students get to choose if they want to be in the book or on the wall. Schuster offers the opportunity for all of her students. The book will include the works of 30 to 40 students.
Sean O'Donnell, also a seventh-grade English teacher at Knoch Middle School, said, “I think it's a pretty awesome thing that she does. The kids that are motivated can show it.”
