Far too often the middle school curriculum is elusive, overly full, and irrevelent. Occasionally we hear about a teacher who has worked out the nuances and delicate balance among standards, school district requirements, and the reflective questions that young adolescents desperately want to answer. When those elements align, something magical happens; and that is exactly the case in this very inspiring and instructive resource for teachers and students.

Through this unique writing program, Voices of Teens: Writers Matter, this teacher has given his students voice to share, question, reflect, ponder, argue, and listen to each other. As you read the voices of the students at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School, you will be touched by their stories, saddened by what they have endured in their young lives, but ultimately proud of the way they are growing into adulthood.

This unique resource by teacher Michael Galbraith and university professor Bob Vogel is written as both an instructional tool for teachers and as a classroom resource by students.

For more information on the Voices of Teens program, read the 5-part series In their Own Words published in the Philadelphia Inquirer