(750-1000 words)
Together, we have read essays by Mike Rose, Stephon Hobson, and José Olivarez, narratives about the writers’ experiences with education (both inside and outside of a school setting). Now it’s time for you to write an education narrative of your own. What is a particular event (or several events) that had an impact on the way you view education and school? Note that the essays we read include many specifics: the authors recall books they read, interactions in class, conversations on city blocks. In your essay, you want to bring in similar illustrations of scenes with a lot of details.
You will have the option of focusing on a single transformative event in your educational experience, or discussing several. Body paragraphs could therefore develop and expand upon one particular memory and story, or articulate a series of significant experiences. Whichever approach you choose, you will want to fully develop your ideas with rich details, quotes, further explanation, and connections with the class texts. Incorporate at least 2 relevant references to one of the education pieces we read for class. In the course of your essay (perhaps the conclusion), consider how your current educational endeavor (college) fits with the rest of your experience.
Note that this assignment should be honest; you are not being asked to praise the educational system or say it transformed you in a positive way. You are being asked to think about how a particular aspect of your educational experience (including outside of school) affected you and shaped who you are today.
Evaluation Criteria Checklist
- An overarching point about your educational experience(s)
- Main ideas (one particular event or a series of events) that support your claims
- Rich details that illustrate your claims and paint a picture for the reader
- Narrative progression and sequence that makes sense
- Clear sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation
Recent Comments