College Essays

I have had the chance to read drafts of about a dozen college essays so far and I have talked to several other teachers about them, too.  As a result of these conversations, I want to extend the due date to Monday (for those of you who would benefit from the extra time). 

Here is the main point I want you to consider:  Treat your narrative essay as a job interview.  You are trying to get the school to essentially hire you. This means that you want your chosen story to convey that even despite any setbacks or challenges, you are someone who keeps learning and evolving, and that you have characteristics which will allow you to succeed in college and beyond.

So in short, be careful about oversharing, and if you do talk about serious challenges or mistakes, don't dwell on the problems and challenges for too long.  Mention the problems and challenges rather briefly, and then write about how you overcame them, really emphasizing your problem solving skills, courage, and ability to adapt and grow.

You can each decide whether to hand in your essay now, or wait until Monday. FYI... Those who hand them in first will also get them back first.

Now, today we will continue with The Happiness Prescription.   

Draw a double-entry journal. On the left-hand side, take notes about things that seem interesting or thought-provoking.  Then, every eight to ten minutes I will stop the video, and have your write a reaction to one of the points that Chopra made and you commented upon.  We will pair and share our observations and then share as a whole class, too.

The Happiness Prescription

Homework: 
Bring a book for independent reading (IR): The first 20 minutes of class on Monday will be for IR. 

Last day to hand the college essay in and have it be on-time (unless a student has had a due-date extension approved by me, late papers are subject to up to a 10% penalty per day).