Sonder

One of my friends who is currently a classroom teacher told me about a website that the Tennessee Department of Education hosts called the Tennessee Classroom Chronicles.  One article on the site is written by Reagan Homen, an 11th grader at Ravenwood High School: http://tnclassroomchronicles.org/student-voices-love-write-much-needs-documentation/


In the article, the writer mentions a made-up word that her AP English III class encountered while reading This is Water by David Foster Wallace. “Sonder: The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.”

This really made me think of the Golden Rule and some other favorite quotes of mine:

  

 

To be honest, I had never heard of David Foster Wallace or his work This is Water.  I learned that this work was part of a commencement speech he presented in 2005 to Kenyon College.  Though probably not appropriate for middle school students, this is an interesting and appropriate read for college students and adults.  I challenge you to watch this!