EDUA 5752 The Personal Essay: Knowledge
THE PERSONAL ESSAY: KNOWLEDGE, POWER, AND THE COLLEGE APPLICATION
A personal essay tells an illuminating story about its author, its central character in a narrative about self-discovery. Developing and writing a personal essay engages the writer in purposeful, critical thinking and creative writing. The writer analyzes herself as subject of a particular story, deciphering her behaviors and their consequences, in order to reveal character and growth. Therefore, it’s not surprising, that colleges require a personal essay for admission, as it provides a platform for the student to illustrate herself as a maturing and self-aware citizen of the world.
From this course, the teacher will learn best practices for facilitating the multiple steps of personal essay development, from inkling to idea and formlessness to formal drafts. Course activities introduce and reinforce strategies for helping students find and explore the right topics, extend their narrative-writing skills, embrace the necessity of multiple drafts, and be their own editors. By the end of the course, the teacher will be able to support students, those college-bound or otherwise, as they write rewarding personal essays.