Before we get to the reading part, allow me to pause for a hot second at the writing part. Specifically the student essay. (Apologies, dear adult book club friends, as this might be more for the teachers among us. But we’re getting to more book-related good stuff soon!)

I am very passionate about the essay writing process being an amazing, if not critical, way to engage with the big questions in a good book. To put structure to thought is to make sense of the jumbled up ideas in our own brain, and that is the point (one of the points) of an English class. To say nothing of the practice practice practice needed finding and applying evidence to a worthy thesis; just think what a difference that skill could make in our world if all adults did the same in other contexts . . . but I digress.

Now, will assigning an essay instead of a unit exam take more class time? Yes. By the end of the stack will you the teacher likely be bribing yourself with pee breaks just to get through it? Oh yes. But the essay is the point. We’re not checking items off the “Good Reader” list to say we did; we are rewiring our brains to think deeply, even if there might maybe possibly be a few teenagers that would, to quote the scrivener, prefer not to. After all, ultimately, an essay should be a reflection about life as well as about the text. It’s all worth it for that one essay that makes you set down your pencil, sit back, and just marinate in an idea for a moment before it’s time to continue your way down the pile.

On that note, might I suggest a few ground rules when teaching and grading an essay?

• A minimum of two, and ideally three, days brainstorming and starting the essay in class. Writing is so very much more enjoyable when there is no hobby, or snack, or life activity competing for the time it takes. I prefer students to do this with pencil and paper as I think the process of thinking on paper can look different, but, I like to think, I’m old school. While students are working, the teacher is meeting with students informally, workshopping primarily the thesis statement as that is where the magic happens. A good thesis is a good essay. As an added benefit, this all may mean fewer plagiarism-related headaches down the line.
• No Reader Response nonsense. These are strict formalist essays, rooted in evidence. If you can’t prove it with the text, it doesn’t fly.
• Be kind. Grade with a pencil, not a red pen. Engage with the ideas, not just the mistakes. Ask questions. Be generous with how much you engage with the good stuff.
• I highly recommend offering optional rewrites. Without fail, students will learn way more from a rewrite (especially if they choose to take it on themselves for the incentive of, say, the two grades being averaged) than they will from even the most thoughtful notes. Typos and easy fixes are not allowed. Only substantive retooling of concepts, analysis, and evidence.

This is all well and good, you say, but what about the actual nitty gritty of writing an essay? You were hoping for a handout or two so you didn’t have to type it all yourself. You got it! All essay writing goodness linked below.

Proper Essay Structure: The 5 Paragraph Essay and Beyond

To Write a Thesis

Body Paragraphs and Analysis

Incorporating Literary Criticism

A handout to support writing an Outline

My favorite Essay Rubric