One of the questions — or conundrums — that I ask myself when teaching writing is: How can I help students see that their words matter beyond the classroom?
This guided my Grade 6 Language class’s performance task, persuasive writing, interlinked with environmental sustainability. As part of their Social Action Activity, students visited a fellow La Salle school, De La Salle University–Dasmariñas (DLSU-D). Recognized as one of the Philippines' leading green campuses, DLSU-D provided an avenue for learners to observe initiatives firsthand and reflect on how schools and universities can contribute to environmental sustainability.
Back in the classroom, those observations became the starting point for a Challenge-Based Learning experience. Rather than writing about environmental issues as a general concept, students were asked to consider how our own school community could become more environmentally sustainable. From there, they explored topics such as waste management, green spaces, responsible consumption, sustainable transportation, and campus animal welfare, specifically, how cats in the campus are cared for. Using their observations and reflections, students developed their performance task, i.e., a persuasive essay addressed to an authentic audience, in this case, our own school community.
Noteworthy was the shift in students' thinking. Case in point, the question “What should I write?” rippled into “What change would make the biggest difference?” Here, students’ writing became less about completing an assignment and more about communicating ideas that they genuinely cared about.
THE CHALLENGE
To set the scene, the learning experience was guided by the question: “How can we help create a more environmentally sustainable school community while living out our Lasallian core values of faith, service, and communion?”
Deeply connected to relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), students reflected on the sustainability practices within our own school vis-a-vis what they observed during their exposure visit to DLSU-D. From there, they looked at existing programs, identified opportunities for improvement, and proposed realistic solutions that could contribute to a greener and more sustainable school campus.
THE LEARNING PROCESS
ENGAGE
Students began the performance task by exploring environmental issues that affect schools and communities. The Social Action Activity provided an authentic context for learning, allowing students to observe sustainability initiatives in practice and consider how similar efforts can be adapted within our own school environment. In and of itself, the experience gave students a common point of reference for discussions about environmental responsibility, making subsequent classroom discussions more meaningful and grounded in real observations.
INVESTIGATE
Apart from their exposure activity at DLSU-D, students gathered information from their observations, classroom discussions, and independent research (with online safety in place). As they explored possible solutions, learners had the choice to utilize Freeform to jot down ideas, organize their thinking, and gather evidence before drafting.
Throughout the inquiry process, students considered different perspectives, examined environmental challenges, and reflected on how individual and collective actions can contribute to positive change. Moreover, they were encouraged to think critically about both the benefits and possible implications of their proposed solutions.
ACT
Students developed persuasive essays that presented a clear stance and practical recommendations and programs for improving sustainability efforts within our school community. Pages served as a space for drafting, revising, and refining their work as they supported their opinions with facts and incorporated teacher’s feedback.
As students gathered and organized evidence effectively, they progressed through the stages of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. This process helped them recognize how actions within a school community can contribute to broader global efforts. On my end, the emphasis remained on helping learners communicate their ideas clearly and persuasively to an audience that could potentially act on their recommendations.
IMPACT ON LEARNING
The authentic and pressing nature of the performance task made a significant difference in student engagement. Since learners were able to connect classroom learning with a firsthand experience, they approached the writing task with firm purpose and commitment. The exposure visit provided concrete examples of sustainability in action, helping students move beyond abstract ideas and develop more feasible recommendations. Many learners demonstrated greater confidence in expressing opinions by supporting claims with evidence, thereafter, proposing solutions that were both realistic and achievable. Most importantly, students began to see persuasive writing as more than an academic requirement. Instead, they recognized it as a way to participate in conversations and advocate for positive change within our school community.
While the performance task was an integrated one between Grade 6 Language subject and the Social Action Office, this learning experience can be adapted across grade levels and subject areas. Apart from environmental sustainability, issues such as digital citizenship, access to quality education, and promoting health and well-being, to name a few, can be front and center using the same framework.
It is important to note that the technology involved in this performance task was flexible and supportive rather than prescriptive. Freeform provided a space for brainstorming and organizing ideas, while Pages supported drafting and revision. All the same, the focus was on giving learners a meaningful and timely challenge, a relatable audience, and opportunities to propose solutions.
REFLECTION
In a nutshell, meaningful writing often begins with meaningful experiences. When students are given opportunities to investigate real issues, reflect on what they observe and experience, and find their voice to communicate their ideas, writing becomes more purposeful and engaging.
Empowering student voice fostered an environment marked by critical thinking, purposeful writing, and the ability to contribute to positive change. More than a persuasive essay being the final output, the deeper outcome amplified learners who live out their identity as Lasallian achievers for God and country for the transformation of society.
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