It has become very clear to me that when students have a personal connection to what they are writing, they are more likely to want to write about whatever that topic is. This is why I think having students write about something that they know well in the first two writing units is a great way to start the first two marking periods of the school year.
When we ask students to write personal narratives, we are asking them to share themselves. They are going to write about a person, place, or thing that is important to them. This is the first writing unit of the school year, and it is going to help them share something personal about themselves with the class. We will all get to know the students in the class a little better. We will be able to see a snap shot into their lives that maybe would not come up in normal conversation every day.
The second writing unit is also asking the students to share more information about themselves. They get to decide on their topics. I do not necessarily know anything about their topic: they are the experts. They get to share the information that they know, and it might not be information that anyone else knows. The personal connection that the writers will have to their work will make them feel confident about their writing abilities.