The Elegant Essay: Crafting Descriptive and Narrative Essays for Power and Punch
What's included
8 live meetings
7 hrs 20 mins in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Each week students will read a minimum of two essays to give background to the type of essay being taught for the week. Students will complete one to two short writing assignments per week to support the classroom work and also craft an essay per week. All work will be formally assessed with a nuanced written response and returned to students in a timely manner. Additionally, there will be optional assignments in grammar.Assessment
All student work will be formally assessed with written comments for maximum understanding and growth. Student work will always be returned in a timely manner prior to the next class so students will be able to absorb information to benefit their work and progress on the upcoming assignments.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 7 - 10
Advanced Level
Kindly note: This is an ESL friendly class, CEFR level — C1, C2 (Advanced) Please feel free to write me via Outschool email with questions. *** WRITE TO THE TOP! Each of us has our own strong opinions. Each of us has our own singular voice. What we need is what all writers need: the precise skills and the hard won confidence to communicate via the written word clearly and coherently, to write with passion, persuasion and power. The Elegant Essay is the first in a series of classes to introduce learners to all forms of the essay to give every learner the opportunity to become the writer they are meant to be, to in fact "write to the top." In this 8-week class, one session per week, we will master both the descriptive and the narrative essay forms. The Elegant Essay is limited to 6 learners to maximize attention that each learner receives in the classroom. Classes will involve both lecture and interactive student response to illustrative descriptive and narrative essays. Outside assignments will be given so each learner will also receive personal attention to their specific writing needs. Detailed responses to written assignments will be sent individually to learners after each session. The Elegant Essay classes have been created as a companion to my own Spar Lit Sr: Understanding Great Essays Through Speech and Debate Techniques. It is not necessary to take Spar Lit Sr prior to The Elegant Essay. The essay is the backbone of all persuasive writing — from the elementary school book report to the college essay to the flap copy on published books. This is the essential core skill of superb communication, one of the key building blocks of ongoing success. Learning to think and write well through the crafting of the essay is the cornerstone as one moves through middle school, high school and college— for Speech and Debate, for job interviews, and for the workplace. The Elegant Essay will teach each learner not just how to write well for a single essay, but how to write well for a lifetime. Once learned, this essential skill belongs to the learner for always. Moreover, I will show learners how to tap into and expand on the inner spark that belongs to each and every writer, to transform writing beyond the merely competent into the memorable and never to be forgotten. It time to learn to delight, to surprise, to persuade, and above all to communicate. It’s time for every writer to become the writer they are meant to be. In short, It is time to write. This class will do the following: We will examine the links between reading well and writing well, work with both reading and writing exercises to maximize comfort and skill level. There will be writing assignments both long and short all of which will work towards the weekly goal of crafting essays of style and elegance. Students will read a minimum of two essays per week which we will analyze together in class. Students will also write a complete essay per week and receive immediate personalized feedback on their work sent to them individually, Classes will focus on discussion and analysis of assigned essays: student work will be assessed via personal communication between teacher and student only. In addition we will cover: --Strategies for Reading --Responding to What You Read --Considering One's Purpose and Audience --How to Come Up With A Subject and Brainstorm Effectively --How to Draft --How To Revise With Skill --How to Edit and Proofread --How to Write Cogent and Clear Paragraphs --How to Give Your Own Writing Your Own Individual Style Possible essays for use in this class include: Holy the Firm by Annie Dillard, How I Wrote the Moth Essay--and Why by Annie Dillard, The Miss Dennis School of Writing by Alice Steinbach, Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle Once More to the Lake by E.B. White, Bracken County, Northern Kentucky by Grace Welte, In Case You Ever Want to Go Home Again by Barbara Kingsolver, Orange Crush by Yiyuan Li, The Sanctuary of School by Lynda Barry. Nobel Acceptance Speech by Toni Morrison Assignments will include: --vocabulary exercises --grammar exercises --creative writing exercises --essay writing assignments with prompts *** Syllabus Materials sent prior to class #1 Please have these essays read prior to class #1 Good Readers and Good Writers by Vladimir Nabokov Holy the Firm (also known as The Death of a Moth) by Annie Dillard Week 1: The Descriptive Essay Class 1—Strategies for Reading and Responding to What You Read In class essay to consider: Holy the Firm (also known as Death of a Moth) by Annie Dillard Homework: Annie Dillard Descriptive assignment (due by Class #2); Sentence Composing for College, essay to read for class #2: The Miss Dennis School of Writing by Alice Steinbach Class 2--Considering One's Purpose and Audience In class essay to consider: The Miss Dennis School of Writing by Alice Steinbach Homework: Sentence Composing for College, essay to read for class #3: Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle At home essay to write due before class #3, Profile of Teacher inspired by Steinbach Week 2: The Descriptive Essay Continued Class 3--How to Come Up With A Subject and Brainstorm Effectively In class essay to consider: Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle Homework: Imitative Writing Assignment (due by Class #4) Sentence Composing for College, essay to read for class #4 Bracken County, Northern Kentucky by Grace Welte Class 4—Organizing and Drafting In class essay to consider: Bracken County, Northern Kentucky by Grace Welte Homework: essay to read for class #5: In Case You Ever Want to Go Home Again by Barbara Kingsolver, At home essay to write after class 4, due before class #5, Descriptive Essay inspired by Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle, grammar assignment Week 3: The Narrative Essay Class 5—How To Revise With Skill In class essay to consider: In Case You Ever Want to Go Home Again by Barbara Kingsolver homework: Essay to read for class #6: Orange Crush by Yiyuan Li, Mini-Narrative writing assignment due before class #6. Class 6--How to Edit and Proofread In class essay to consider: Orange Crush by Yiyuan Li Homework: essay to read for class #7: The Sanctuary of School by Lynda Barry, At home essay to write due before class #7, Coming of Age Narrative essay inspired by Orange Crush by Yiyuan Li., Glossary Terms assignment. Week 4: The Narrative Essay Continued Class 7: How to Write Cogent and Clear Paragraphs In class essay to consider: The Sanctuary of School by Lynda Barry. Homework: Essay to read before class #8: Toni Morrison’s Nobel Acceptance Speech. At home essay to write due before class #8, Narrative essay inspired by The Sanctuary of School by Lynda Barry, SAT Word List. Class 8: How to Develop Your Own Individual Writing Style In class essay to consider: Toni Morrison’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech. At home work: 40 Great Essays, Suggested AP reading lists. Essays on Writing ###
Learning Goals
*To gain confidence in both creativity and organization for the essay format
*Understand all the basic ideas of communication through essay
* To communicate effectively, think adroitly and respond fluently in writing
* Improve memory retention and organizational skills in crafting essays
* Expand vocabulary and word usage and phrasing
*To gain deeper understanding of the nuances of literature and the essay format
*To Improve basic grammar
Syllabus
8 Lessons
over 8 WeeksLesson 1:
Strategies for Reading and Responding to What You Read
In class essay to consider: Holy the Firm (also known as Death of a
Moth) by Annie Dillard
Homework: Annie Dillard Descriptive assignment (due by Class #2);
Sentence Composing for College, essay to read for class #2: The Miss
Dennis School of Writing by Alice Steinbach
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Considering One's Purpose and Audience
In class essay to consider: The Miss Dennis School of Writing by Alice
Steinbach
Homework: Sentence Composing for College, essay to read for class #3:
Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle
At home essay to write due before class #3, Profile of Teacher inspired
by Steinbach
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
How to Come Up With A Subject and Brainstorm Effectively
In class essay to consider: Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle
Homework: Imitative Writing Assignment (due by Class #4) Sentence
Composing for College, essay to read for class #4 Bracken County,
Northern Kentucky by Grace Welte
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Organizing and Drafting
In class essay to consider: Bracken County, Northern Kentucky by Grace Welte
Homework: essay to read for class #5: In Case You Ever Want to Go
Home Again by Barbara Kingsolver, At home essay to write after class 4, due before class #5, Descriptive Essay inspired by Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle, grammar assignment
55 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Possible essays for use in this class include: Holy the Firm by Annie Dillard, How I Wrote the Moth Essay--and Why by Annie Dillard, The Miss Dennis School of Writing by Alice Steinbach, Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle, Once More to the Lake by E.B. White, Bracken County, Northern Kentucky by Grace Welte, In Case You Ever Want to Go Home Again by Barbara Kingsolver, Orange Crush by Yiyuan Li, The Back of the Bus by Mary Melbane and The Sanctuary of School by Lynda Barry. All of these essays are aimed at sophisticated readers, special note for the Once More to the Lake by E.B. White which touches on mortality, Back of the Bus by Mary Melbane which deals with race relations, The Sanctuary of School by Lynda Barry which is based on on the subject of child neglect. Sensitive questions that may arise from the issues presented will be explained as literary devices essential to the overall understanding and meaning of the essay. If you have questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to me.
Supply List
A syllabus with listing of all lectures/assignments will be provided at the first session. No book purchase is necessary for this class-- all reading assignments will be sent via either link or pdf prior to each session.
3 files available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree from The University of Michigan, 1982 Honors in The History of Art, Does not Expire
In my longtime work as both tutor and teacher of both middle and high school students, and as a former book publishing professional, I have guided writers of all ages and abilities to give each communicator the skills to think deeply, to cultivate an individual voice and style, and ultimately to discover true confidence to write well now and for always.
Reviews
Live Group Course
$225
for 8 classes1x per week, 8 weeks
55 min
Completed by 74 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-17
2-6 learners per class