Essay Writing ideas by Jennifer Tsay, Omega Teaching
I have a friend Jennifer Tsay who owns a tutoring business in Menlo Park CA, OmegaTeaching. We share ideas and thoughts about how to help our students reach their goals. Jennifer runs writing workshops; following are some her thoughts on writing a personal essay.
Jennifer wrote:
I have started to develop my own techniques to help kids w/ the personal essay. In general, I have found essay writing advice was too vague.
I started to use literary techniques that students already study, but don't always consider adapting for their writing. One technique is Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey. What is your transformation as the hero at the end of your story? Or what is your epiphany? to borrow the language from short story literary analysis.
I still think that students should consider how "transformation" is really the plot line aka The Hero's Journey. A good memoir doesn't just relate a story, but shows how the character in the story is transformed -- and transformation can be subtle, perhaps just greater insight and understanding of who they are. In short story analysis this is the epiphany.
I also found a terrific book on tips for magazine writers that gives specific examples of introductory hooks and leads as well as conclusions; Don McKinney, Magazine Writing that Sells. Your personal essay will essentially be an article about yourself.
Showing not telling is a classic journalism technique but for kids, you have to give them examples and specific techniques.
I tell them to describe the 5 senses, use dialogue and quotes (this comes naturally to journalists, but not a typical high school student who has spent last the 4 years writing the standard 5 paragraph persuasive snoozer).
For further polishing, Harry Noden has a book called Image Grammar that shows specific techniques to establish flow (for example -- use participles as adjectives -- recent cognitive science and linguistic research is showing how this makes writing more vivid). His book confirms recent fMRI scans showing that visual imagery and literary imagery light up similar parts of brain.
Below is advice that Jennifer sent to a student on how to prepare to write her personal essay.
As a writing prompt I have come across two related to goal planning and introspection. [You] could also consider these as ways to approach [your] college admissions applications.
1. Write a resume of your current skills. Or write one for your "dream job." This helps students "backwards" map and really think about what education and skills they need to get the career or life they want.
2. Write your obituary. This is decidedly more morbid, but it is the same goal. How do you want to be remembered and what will you accomplish with your life? (Note: This advice comes from Stephen Covey's book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.)
If only some forward-thinking teacher had given me these exercises when I was 16!
[You] can also consider how the particular college and its offerings will fit [your] goals and needs.
Another interesting website that contains short personal essays is "This I Believe." They broadcast these audio essays on NPR and have curriculum for middle and high school students. You can listen to those that spark an interest.
The essays are also available in print form and I find them a good place to hear "voice" in writing. Writing is becoming more personal and informal than even 5 years ago.
Thank you Jennifer for sharing.
1. Write a resume of your current skills. Or write one for your "dream job." This helps students "backwards" map and really think about what education and skills they need to get the career or life they want.
2. Write your obituary. This is decidedly more morbid, but it is the same goal. How do you want to be remembered and what will you accomplish with your life? (Note: This advice comes from Stephen Covey's book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.)
If only some forward-thinking teacher had given me these exercises when I was 16!
[You] can also consider how the particular college and its offerings will fit [your] goals and needs.
Another interesting website that contains short personal essays is "This I Believe." They broadcast these audio essays on NPR and have curriculum for middle and high school students. You can listen to those that spark an interest.
The essays are also available in print form and I find them a good place to hear "voice" in writing. Writing is becoming more personal and informal than even 5 years ago.
Thank you Jennifer for sharing.
