I first conceived of this assignment as a way to get students to truly see the details and inter-connections of the details in everyday surroundings. I wanted to encourage students to examine closely things they normally took for granted or, worse, did not notice at all. By doing so, I hoped students would think about their places in the world (universe, community, physical location, etc.) and see the integral part that they play in the world, as well as the influences and forces that help mold them into the people they are—their bundles of nerves, beliefs, understandings, ideas, emotions, etc.

In this assignment I ask students to collect a sampling of logos from products in a single category such as cars, food, or fashion. What image are the logos trying to convey? What consumer “buttons� are the logos trying to push? Do the logos seem related to the product itself (for example, the Chiquita banana logo for the Chiquita banana company), or does the power of the logo depend upon the associations the viewer must form between product and logo?

A cricket hat, a conch shell and an orange... Those are the images my students use to understand how to create a visual framework for writing, beginning with the element of theme.

Since I teach in an International school with children from Trinidad, the West Indies and all over the world, I believe it is important to use images in music, art and literature that relate to all students and reflect various cultural experiences including Caribbean culture. I also try to use students’ work when teaching concepts.

I have my students write a personal narrative of 3 pages or so (at least 600 words) about a place that has had some special meaning in their lives. In addition to providing specific detail about the place, the essays should attempt to reveal a “story� the students hadn’t realized was there.