I am developing a modular essay-writing course for student writers, working title: Essay Accelerator.
Over years of teaching, I’ve found students from all backgrounds struggle with understanding what an academic essay requires, and how to craft it.
My observation is that teachers (myself included) assume too much knowledge. We assume someone else has taught the fundamentals, and charge ahead without asking our students if that’s true.
This leads to frustration, apathy and poor outcomes for students and educators.
At every grade/educational stage, we need to remind ourselves that writing is a complex task that requires explicit instruction, practice and actionable feedback.
The Essay Accelerator assumes no knowledge. The aim is to build a path of steps that any student, regardless of prior writing experience, can follow and arrive at the end goal of a cohesive, coherent, cogent essay.
If I may be pardoned for stating the obvious, this is harder than it looks. Full disclosure: I started playing with this idea 18 months ago. The fact there is not yet a finished course illustrates the difficulties.
That I find myself avoiding the task is instructive: it puts me in the mindset of my students who would rather be doing anything than puzzling over the pieces of an essay.
Their struggle is my struggle is our struggle.
But the progress we want lies on the far side of hesitation and procrastination, so we must go on.
In that spirit, I’m sharing this draft of one of the modules on thesis statements. It needs some tweaks but gives a general idea of the tone, pace and structure I am for in the lessons.
Love it? Hate it? No idea what I’m babbling about? Please let me know! Feedback is most welcome.
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