Episode 165 | The Stories Only Your Students Can Tell

Every day, teachers ask students to write. But how often do we ask them to write the stories that only they can tell? In this solo episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán reflects on a question that emerged while preparing for a workshop on poetry, identity, and place: What stories are we inviting students to preserve? Too often, writing becomes an exercise in compliance—responding to prompts, meeting standards, or completing assignments. But writing can also become an act of remembering, honoring, and preserving the people, places, and experiences that shape who we are. In this episode, Roberto explores how educators can move beyond asking students to write about content and begin inviting them to write from their lives. This conversation is an invitation to rethink writing, not simply as an academic task, but as a way for students to discover themselves and leave something meaningful behind. Click Here for More Resources! Key Reflection "Our greatest contribution may not be the lessons we teach, but the space we create for students to tell the stories only they can tell." Teach in Truth.Lead with Courage.Belong to a Community That Gets It.