I Will Always Write Back

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. When we talk about power and control in society, the word “privilege” often arises. How would you define “privilege” as a social science concept? What are the different types of privilege? What are some examples of how certain groups advance in life as the result of their privilege?

Teaching Suggestion: Students will likely have encountered the concept of “privilege” not only in their classes, but also in their everyday lives. For students who may have varied ideas on what it means, this prompt could be taken as an opportunity to create a shared understanding in order to better connect with the theme of Overcoming Privilege throughout the text. Students might display their definitions on the board to compare ideas and work on a collective description.

• This article from Arizona State University offers checklists designed to help students identify the types of privileges that confer power in society.
• This article from Dartmouth provides working definitions of thematically related concepts, including social identity, power, privilege, and social justice.

2. The COVID-19 pandemic brought attention to the inequities in the American education system. What are some examples of those disadvantages? How might these disparities have lasting effects on students?

Teaching Suggestion: Students will likely have some familiarity with the idea of Disparities in Access to Education due to the national discussion that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consider using this discussion as a platform to get students thinking about disparities in education on a global level. If COVID-19 highlighted inequalities between students in low-income areas in their country, how might it have affected students in countries that may not have access to the same resources?

• This article from The Harvard Gazette describes how remote learning exposed gaps in resources, funding, and technology.
• This article from Human Rights Watch details how the pandemic caused an unprecedented 1.4 billion students around the world to make learning adaptations and, in some cases, to lose access to education.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Consider a time when you made a friend or acquaintance who practiced a different religion, came from a different cultural background, or spoke a different native language. What did this person mean to you? How did they affect the way you thought about your own life and upbringing? Did you learn something new about yourself as a result?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt will get students thinking about their own experiences in relation to The Possibilities of Cross-Cultural Connection. It is generally accepted that cross-cultural connection enriches us as human beings and that it is beneficial to have friends from a wide range of backgrounds. This is one of the core themes of I Will Always Write Back, since it directly relates to the rewarding relationship between Caitlin and Martin.

• This article from the non-profit Centerstone outlines the importance of diverse friendships.
• This article from ABC Everyday explores how making friends from an array of backgrounds benefits ourselves and our communities.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students with minimal cross-cultural exposure, you might approach this prompt by first introducing the phrase “echo chamber,” which describes the deleterious effect of existing in an environment—usually online communities—where the only beliefs encountered reflect and reinforce the individual’s already established opinions. Why are “echo chambers” considered a negative thing? To enhance discussion, consider having students read GCFGlobal’s “Digital Media Literacy: What is an Echo Chamber?”