As I mentioned, I gave my students their first essay assignment last week, based on the "This I Believe" theme, one to two pages. This weekend, I've been reading and grading them. I've graded many essays before, having been an active reader at the junior college for the last 5 years. It is different though, knowing that I set the boundaries and expectations now!
Overall, they are good. Most of my students followed the prompt and samples well. Here is the actual assignment:
_____________________________________________________________________________
Due at the start of class, Thursday, September 1, 2016.
Read the
attached sample "This I Believe" essays, then craft one of your own. Make
it a topic that you connect with, that you are passionate about, no
matter how small it seems. I don't care if it is something huge, or
tiny, or even something you might think is silly, but it has to be
something you believe, and follow the same general format as the sample
essays. I will not be grading this essay down for grammar, or
misspellings, though if I see a lot of errors, I may take the time to
address some skills we should work on.
Please aim for one full
page, and no more than two pages! This essay will be turned in directly
to me (typed, please), though future essays may be uploaded through
Moodle.
_____________________________________________________________________________
My favorite one by far, and which followed the samples most closely, was one on ice cream. I did learn a lot about my new students through this essay -- one has parents that have taken in a couple hundred foster kids over the last 20 years. Another coached Little League for four years, during high school. Two of them wrote about the importance pf music, and playing instruments.
I feel overall, this was a good start to the semester, as far as assignments. Not high stakes, plenty of freedom within it, and I feel I know them a little better!
No comments:
Post a Comment