John Richter, the Youthful Offender Program Coordinator at the Orange County Corrections Department in Florida, writes to Robert Cormier about his Literature-N-Living class. He describes the class and the work students do including discussion, essay writing, and reading comprehension quizzes.
Richter also describes the value of We All Fall Down to this population's need to understand the victim's perspective. He states the students also learned about trust, thoughtful communication, perseverance, and leadership. Leadership was particularly important to Richter because many of the inmates were incarcerated because they are followers that bend to peer pressure.
The class also read Tunes for Bears to Dance To, and in their study, they focused on racism, prejudice, false testimony, and forgiveness. Richter states the book helped inmates think about how they will be perceived upon release and how they will have to present themselves in the face of prejudice.
Constance Cormier's reply to John Richter
John Richter's response to Constance Cormier
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation A - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation C - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation J - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation E - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation H - Tunes for Bears To Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation K - Tunes for Bears to Dance To
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation H - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation A - We All Fall Down
A participant in the Literature-N-Living class presents his thoughts on We All Fall Down to an audience of peers and their family members. He talks about how he used to be like Harry Flowers, thinking that he could get away with anything. He also speaks to his own will to persevere after giving up on himself. He thanks his supporters, especially his family and Mr. Richter.
John Richter's letter to Robert Cormier
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation H - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation A - We All Fall Down
A participant in the Literature-N-Living class presents his thoughts, based on a reading of We All Fall Down, to an audience of peers and their family members. He speaks of the pain his crime caused others, especially his family and he asks for forgiveness. He talks about using his time in Corrections to reflect on why he is incarcerated and gather resolve. He shares his regret, pleads to his girlfriend to persevere, and thanks his mother and Mr. Richter.
John Richter's letter to Robert Cormier
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation I - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation B - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation D - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation G - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation F - We All Fall Down
Literature-N-Living Oral Presentation A - We All Fall Down