Celebrating the Hearts Behind the Writing and the Community that Grows From It
Pauline Baird an English teacher at ICT.

 This semester, students in the 2nd Year reading and writing class interviewed people who inspired them to write a Profile Essay. Several students wrote about family members, took field notes, and drafted profile essays. The writing process itself was valuable; however, the most meaningful insights emerged during the “Writer’s Celebration” at the end. As students shared their work on bulletin boards for the entire school to read (in English and in Japanese), I began to see how family-story writing opens a unique window into students’ developing identities as writers and thinkers.

 The celebration showed that students can naturally use narrative, in English, to explore personal values. As the students shared stories about grandfathers, mothers, and fathers, common themes appeared—kindness, resilience, leadership, creativity, and emotional strength. One student described how a grandfather’s small act—an umbrella given on a rainy day—touched him deeply. These stories were more than childhood memories. They were lessons passed across generations, told in the students’ own voices. Reading them reminds us that writing is not only about grammar or structure. It is also about understanding what matters and why.

 During the celebration, students read comments by teachers and others with pride. They had ownership of their writing because it came from their lives. Many discovered that they could tell a meaningful story, and their classmates discovered how much we all have in common. For example, a student’s reflection on her mother’s positive mindset might echo another student’s story about his father’s compassion. It is not often that all students get to see other students’ writing. Thus, these shared moments make writing public and build a sense of community in a school that no worksheet can create.

 For teachers, the celebration offered a rare window into how students think, feel, and make decisions. We learn what our students value—friendship, hard work, kindness, and family—and this helps us shape future lessons. A writer’s celebration turned a simple assignment into a shared human experience. It reminds us that when students tell their stories, they learn to see themselves as writers, and we learn to see students a little more clearly, too.

[Writer’s Celebration]
Generally, it is an event that celebrates achievements and efforts in writing, where writers encourage one another. The purpose is to publish student-writing to maintain motivation, reinforce learning, improve writing skills, and enhance the sense of accomplishment by sharing joy with peers and the school community.

Pauline Baird