This one-time, one-on-one class offers students a flexible, customized way to write their own personal essays. The class was previously structured as a 6-week, 12-session course that met twice a week on the same days and at the same times each week. With this new format, students can sign up for one session at time, work at their own pace to accomplish as much as they can during that time, and determine how many additional sessions they will need to complete the project. With each additional session, we will pick up from where we left off the time before. I am happy to work with each family to arrange days and times that work for both of us. The more time students are able to devote to their essays between class sessions, the fewer sessions they will need to write a quality essay. Plus, with this one-on-one format, I can personalize the content to match students’ interests and passions. After each session, I will send a parent email describing where the student is in the process and explaining next steps.

Personal essays offer children an interesting, engaging way to learn the well-known 5-paragraph essay structure that features an Introduction, three body paragraphs, and a Conclusion. As a National Board Certified elementary school teacher with many years of training in the Teachers College approach to Writing Workshop, I have taught this unit several times. It’s always one my students’ favorites because they get to write about personally meaningful topics. The project begins when students brainstorm people, places, and things they care deeply about. They then determine the topic they want to focus on for the duration of the project. Next, we craft a thesis statement that conveys our main idea and find reasons that support the thesis statement. After “building” our body paragraphs with examples from our own lives, we move to the drafting stage in which we actually write our essays. Throughout these lessons students learn all the skills and strategies they need to write each paragraph. The class concludes with a focus on revising and editing. In addition to teaching specific writing skills, I will emphasize valuable writing habits, such as perseverance, pride, and paying attention to detail, and encourage students to enjoy the process and develop a passion for writing. I am brand new to Outschool, and I am very excited to teach this course!