4 Easy Ways To Make Point of View Relevant

Any middle grades teachers knows that understanding, or even thinking about, others' points of view can be difficult for students of this age. In an age of narcissism, where students are constantly engaging with each other at the most self-centered and shallowest levels through Snapchats, inane status updates, and endless selfies, it can sometimes seem as though our teens and preteens don't even remember that others have a point of view. So teaching this concept, though challenging, can serve students in their both their literary understandings and their daily interactions, if done right.

So how do we make point of view relevant for our students? Take what they know, and turn it upside down! Here's how I make point of view meaningful for my students:



1. Make differences in perspective concrete.
Point of view is a vague, intangible concept, especially as students transition from a childhood where everything is black and white. Point of view means that students may have to question their "truths," to wonder if the truth can come in more than one form or understanding in some instances. Given the developmental challenge of understanding this concept, I help students begin their understanding by giving each student a kaleidoscope. I ask them to focus on what they see when they face a specific direction (typically wherever I am standing) and just to observe for a moment or two (this can also become a great tool for mindfulness practice). 

Kaleidoscopes are a great tool for helping students begin to understand the lenses that affect how we see the world.

After students have taken a minute to observe me, I ask them to write in their journals, with as much detail as possible, what they saw when they observed me. Next, I ask them to share with their tablemates what they wrote. 

Then, I ask the question that leads to frantic conversation: Who at your table wrote the right answer?

Students enter a frenzy of conversation at this point, but some group always hits upon the point: there is no right answer. We all looked at something, we all observed something different, but no one was right or wrong. And thus, we begin our discussion of point of view, in which we discuss how the "lenses" we use to see the world affect what we believe and even what parts of things we see. We also take time to discuss what factors help create our different lenses (family, religion, politics, background, culture, geography, etc.). 

2. Give students real-world examples of why point of view matters.
This fabulous packet by Brain Waves Instruction not only includes notes and short, simple texts to practice with, but also includes a court case in which students examine multiple points of view in order to determine a ruling. Such an authentic use of a literary skill can be incredibly meaningful for students who may not always be motivated to participate in classroom activities. 

3. Use texts written from multiple points of view.
Using a text that describes the same event from multiple perspectives can be an excellent way to help students see how the truth can change from one viewer to another. My students have always enjoyed using these two short stories (written from the perspective of a fugitive slave and a Civil War soldier) to learn about point of view. The discussions we have afterward are always rich, focusing on how an incomplete picture can lead to a total misunderstanding of another's actions, and how we often may mistake others' intentions in our own lives. 



For a novel, I don't know that there are any books better than The Westing Game for discussing point of view. In this fabulous mystery, each character has only some of the information that will help solve the mystery leading to Sam Westing's inheritance; by following a single character, students can see how that person's point of view develops over time, but also how their limited knowledge continually affects their actions and ideas. 

4. Rewrite stories from a new point of view. 

 For the deepest understanding of point of view, students must learn to take another's perspective. This is a skill that will serve them in all their relationships, for the rest of their lives. To formalize this study, however, we rewrite short stories, often from the "villain's" point of view. In the past, both "The Friend Who Changed My Life," by Pam Munoz Ryan, and "The Poem" (included in this characterization packet) have worked beautifully for this task. In both stories, the reasons for the bullies' behaviors are left somewhat ambiguous, leaving room for creativity while also staying within the bounds of the story.

To prepare students for this task, we first map out what our alternative character was doing at each point in the story. Students are then able to fill in the blanks about their motives and actions not seen while still staying true to the original story. And this is also a great place for students to practice their "Show Don't Tell" skills!

Throughout our entire point of view unit, students engage in truly rich and meaningful discussion about the world around them; how social media affects our ability to understand others' points of view, why an understanding of others' perspectives can allow us to even understand the actions of a bully, and what steps students can take to begin exploring the minds and ideas of those around them. It is a unit that I hope leaves my students with a better idea of how to succeed in being a good friend, child, and person.

Happy learning!

Cheers,