I guess I am the only one surprised that my Writing Workshop at Bishop Maginn High School will be extended to the Spring, or to put it more bluntly, through the school year.

“Of course you will,” says Maria.

My class is sandwiched into the lunch hour, so it is short, and there are now 12, possibly 13 students. If we want to get their stories published into a book, which I do, there needs to be time for a lot of talking, a lot of editing, a lot of one-on-one dialogue. And a lot of writing.

I’m happy with it. I feel entirely at home at Bishop Maginn; it took several years for me to find just the right place for me; it’s another argument for perseverance.

I guess I’m an adjunct teacher now.

Much of the school has tied up in SAT testing today; there were four students in my class. I took some portraits today, and I want to write about the stories we are working on and share their portraits.

I’ll do it one at a time and take a group portrait when they are all there.

I told the students today that we all have stories to tell, they are all important. I said I believe everything I write should be a gift to others, in that I hope what I experience is useful and relevant to them.

They were listening. I told my students that good writing was not about grammar and spelling, it’s about feeling and honest and self-awareness.

Gabe Silverstein is in the class; he’s a senior eager to pursue a career in science. His father died when he was very young, and that, he believes, is one of the reasons he became obsessed with how the world works.

He is one of the best students in the school and has several different scholarship offers from colleges. He wants to pursue science to do some good for the world.

He and I are patching together an outline and narrative for his story, which he may also use as a college admissions essay.

I have always taught in the belief that because I have been so fortunate as to be someone who made a living writing for all of my life, I ought to give something back.

Teaching is what I have to give. The students are wary of me still, perhaps afraid of me. They’ll get past that, they always do. Gabe has a compelling story to tell, and I’m pleased to be able to help him tell it.

Gabe is impressive, bright, and thoughtful, and reflective. I believe he has an excellent story inside of him. My job is to help it come out.

We all have stories to tell; all of our stories are important. I’m hoping to share their stories so that you can follow them and learn from as well. Their stories are rich and deep and surprising.