Personal Essay Writing & Short Stories for the Scholastic Writing Contest
This 10-week course prepares students to write compelling personal essays and short stories for the National Scholastic Writing Contest. Students will study mentor texts, learn writing techniques, and develop their unique voice.
Beth Fehlbaum, M.Ed.
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(12)
What's included
10 live meetings
15 in-class hoursAssignments
1-2 hours per week. Students will have a weekly assignment as well as a due date for having it submitted in order for me to be able to give line edits and feedback prior to the next class.Grading
I do not grade assignments; rather, I give feedback and suggestions for growth and other ways they could consider writing their ideas.Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Beginner - Intermediate Level
This 10-week course prepares students to write compelling personal essays and short stories for the National Scholastic Writing Contest. Students will study mentor texts, learn writing techniques, and develop their unique voice. My class is structured as follows: We start with discussing the assignment that will be the focus of the class, i.e. "Where we are going." I always start with the homework assignment. Then I progress to the presentation, which is like the foundation for the class and has materials the student can go back and reference if needed. We move to the mentor text for that class, identifying what we are looking for in the text for that particular lesson. We then move to applying the skill for that lesson to student writing. At all times, I am patient, supportive, and generous with praise and feedback.
Learning Goals
Common Core Standards
Writing Standards (W)
Text Types and Purposes (W.6.3)
* W.6.3.A - Write narratives using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences
* W.6.3.B - Develop real or imagined experiences using narrative technique
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)10 Lessons
over 10 WeeksLesson 1:
Week 1: Introduction to Personal Essays
- Mentor Text: "The Day I Got Lost" by Singer
- Topics: Story structure, personal voice
- Assignment: Write a 2-paragraph personal memory 90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Week 2: Setting and Description
- Mentor Text: "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros
- Topics: Sensory details, showing vs. telling
- Assignment: Descriptive scene from your life 90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Week 3: Character Development
- Mentor Text: "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes
- Topics: Character traits, dialogue
- Assignment: Character sketch of a family member 90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Week 4: Emotion and Mood
- Mentor Text: "The House on Mango Street" excerpts by Sandra Cisneros
- Topics: Emotional expression, tone
- Assignment: Draft personal essay introduction 90 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
Having worked with diverse learners over 27 years, I have the tools to support kids with ADHD and Dyslexia. I reteach, read aloud, and provide writing support such as taking turns writing sentences with students.
Parental Guidance
1. Academic Integrity:
- No AI writing tools or generators allowed
- All work must be 100% original
2. Content Guidelines:
- No violence or cruelty in stories
- Age-appropriate themes
- Focus on finding your authentic “voice” as a writer
Pre-Requisites
Students should have the ability to navigate Google Classroom and Google Documents.
Supply List
Computer, access to the internet.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
I use Common Lit and Scribd resources as mentor texts, all of which are listed on my Syllabus.
Joined October, 2020
5.0
12reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Texas Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from Texas A & M-Commerce
Bachelor's Degree in English from University of Texas at Arlington
I am an English teacher of 27 years, remote instructor/tutor since 2020, and a freelance book editor.
As an educator/tutor, I specialize in working with college students, college-bound high schoolers, At-Risk populations, struggling learners, and people for whom English is a second language.
I began teaching online during Covid, found that I love it, and I have been teaching various writing classes remotely for the past five years, in addition to being a 9th grade English teacher.
I recognize the need for those I work with to understand the “why” behind the corrections I suggest, and my experiences as an educator and author makes me both easy to work with and incredibly thorough in both line-editing and developmental notes. Since 2008, I have experienced the gamut of publishing outlets: traditional, hybrid, and self.
I utilize my grammar-goddess-like skills to provide caring, knowledgeable feedback to students, always balancing suggestions with praise. I always reinforce to students that they do NOT have to accept the storyline changes I suggest, although I strongly recommend they listen to me when it comes to grammar. I emphasize that this story is THEIR story, not mine, and it does not hurt my feelings if they do not want to use my suggestions to their story.
I am the author of the YA novels Find the Moon, Big Fat Disaster, The Patience Trilogy (Courage in Patience, Hope in Patience, and Truth in Patience), and co-author of the creative non-fiction book Trauma Recovery: Sessions with Dr. Matt (Ayni Books).
Authenticity and finding one’s voice are frequent themes in my work, and they are absolutely essential themes in my life, as well.
I have a B.A. in English, Minor in Secondary Education, and an M.Ed. in Reading. At the end of the 2024-2025 school year, I am retiring from the public school classroom and embracing remote teaching full-time! :)
Reviews
Live Group Course
$72
weekly1x per week, 10 weeks
90 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-17
2-6 learners per class
