BONUS STEP: CONDUCTING AND USING RESEARCH

I’m going to start at the beginning with this, since, in my experience, finding good research is a major stumbling block for students. Even though most of my students are incredibly technologically literate and spend a lot of time online, it is a mistake for teachers (or students) to assume that this is the same thing as conducting research.

This is the final entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link.

STEP 9: REWRITING, REVISING, EDITING

Many students see the process of revision as an unnecessary bother, and rarely do more than correct a few spelling errors. I get it. There comes a point where you just want to turn in the paper, but the truth is that every paper can use some serious rewriting. I personally love this process, because it allows me to move the paper closer to how I imagined it and communicate more clearly.

This is the sixth entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link.

STEP 7: BODY PARAGRAPHS

Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence. A topic sentence has the same function for the paragraph that the thesis has for the whole essay: it clearly defines exactly what that paragraph will be about. This helps you identify what information to include in the paragraph, and also ensures that the information connects directly to your thesis statement.

This is the fifth entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link. 

STEP 5: OUTLINING

Outlining is the process of taking the information from your brainstorming list and organizing it so you can present it in the most logical and effective way.

Start by taking your brainstorming list and identifying ideas that go together. I like to use a numbering system, but you can also use symbols, highlighting in different colors, or whatever works best for you. The important thing to remember is that your essay should be organized based on ideas.

This is the fourth entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link.

After identifying similar ideas, decide how to categorize them. What is the best way to describe this subtopic? How do they directly support your topic and ultimately your thesis statement?

STEP 4: THESIS STATEMENT

A clear thesis statement is key to writing a good essay. It’s not easy, but it is necessary.

This is the third entry in a series concerning the writing process. You can review the entire series at this link.

The point I’m going to make about thesis statements is very similar to the point I made about essay topics, but this time I have some fun illustrations.

STEP 2: CHOOSING YOUR TOPIC

The second step in writing a good essay is choosing the right topic. Your topic determines what you will write, so choose wisely.

This is the second entry in a series concerning the writing process. Make sure that you read Part 1: Reading the Prompt before reviewing this article.

Choosing the right topic for your essay can be tricky. Usually, there is flexibility built into a prompt, so that you have a choice of which part of the question to focus on.

INTRODUCTION

Writing essays is challenging and intimidating for many students. This is understandable, especially for students who have never written an essay before. It’s stressful trying to produce a longer piece of writing.

Dear Students,

In my recent Internet lurking I came a tumblr post or tweet by a student that said something like this

“I don’t know how people plagiarize on purpose. I’m terrified that I will fail because I accidentally used the same wording as a 16th-century manual on toasters.”

Dear Students,

Plagiarism is a topic that is always discussed in specific ways. It’s outlined in school policies, and teachers explain the consequences and moral implications. The messages we as teachers convey about plagiarism by setting out the rules are important, but they are also incomplete. This open letter format is my attempt to continue the conversation with openness and hopefully some humor.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Loss comes in many forms and for many reasons. Certainly we experience loss when a person we love dies, but loss can also occur when a friendship or romantic relationship ends, when we lose a part of our life that defined us, or when a drastic change in lifestyle (positive or negative) causes us to change our previous environment and habits.

Dear Students,

Most of you don’t have cause to know this, because most of you do your best not to plagiarize, but I am very strict about plagiarism. I take plagiarism seriously because I believe that as a teacher it is my job to prepare students for their futures, and I know that academic dishonesty, and really any deceptive behavior, can create huge problems for students in school, in college and in the workplace.

As we drove into Igoda, I could hardly believe my eyes. When I left in 2011, most of these houses had grass roofs. A motorcycle was still a novelty, to be exclaimed over by children. Little one-room shack shops had just started to pop up along the main road.

This little village in the mountains of Tanzania had undergone a transformation. Now, signs of new affluence were in evidence everywhere: new buildings, new tin roofs, new beautiful, big shops selling fabric, fresh fruit and even toothpaste. And there were cars, CARS parked in front of houses.

When I was 13 years old, a big change took place in my life: my family moved. Suddenly I had to adjust to a new home, a new city, and a new school. It soon became clear that the public school I was enrolled in was not a good fit for me. The classes were not at an appropriate level for my abilities, and I had difficulty making friends. So I came up with a plan: have my parents homeschool me for 8th grade. I devoted months to convincing my parents and it worked. At that time, the only option I considered was traditional homeschooling, as cyber school education was still a new development in education.

At a conference last year I heard Eric Metaxas, author of the bestselling books Amazing Grace and 7 Men, speak about the fact that our country needs to remember and venerate its heroes. Heroes give young people someone to look up to and emulate. They teach students that they can have a positive impact on the world around them when they use their God-given talents. Finally, they teach us all that greatness in the pure unselfish sense is something worth striving for. This does not mean we should focus only on their greatest accomplishments. Instead, we should accepted that the whole life of a hero or heroine is part of their legacy.

One of our greatest national heroes is indisputably Thomas Jefferson, who will have his 273 birthday on April 13th. Jefferson’s face is familiar to most americans. After all, it was famously carved into Mt. Rushmore, and is, perhaps less famously, printed on the 2 dollar bill. Jefferson accomplished much in his life, both in his career as third President of the United States and beyond. Perhaps the most interesting fact about Jefferson is that he apparently did not consider his presidency as his greatest achievement.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Loss comes in many forms and for many reasons. Certainly we experience loss when a person we love dies, but loss can also occur when a friendship or romantic relationship ends, when we lose a part of our life that defined us, or when a drastic change in lifestyle (positive or negative) causes us to change our previous environment and habits.

In this fallen world, loss is a daily part of life. I say “fallen world”, because loss was not a part of God’s original plan for the world. In Genesis 1 and 2 we see a picture of the completeness and wholeness that God intended. Loss entered the world with sin and has become part of the human experience ever since then. However,God has not left us to deal with loss alone; we can find comfort in Bible verses dealing with death and loss.

I have always had trouble investing in the idea of Valentine’s Day that is promoted by stores with pink confetti, chocolates, expensive bouquets, and fluffy teddy bears. On the other hand, I am a huge fan of expressing affection and appreciation for people close to me, whether they are friends or family. John 13:34-35 says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” One active step in following this commandment is to express your love to others with intentionality.

One of the challenges for online students can be maintaining a healthy social life and finding homeschool connections with their peers. I remember struggling to find a social arena when I was homeschooled, and I hear my students echo this difficulty in their essays and assignments.

Home-based learning can present a unique challenge, because it can be difficult for online and homeschool students to find the right spaces to connect with their peers. It is difficult to find a balance, because some homeschool students are choosing to learn at home because they have had difficulties with their peers in the past. At the same time, we know that it is important for online students to connect with their peers, to have the opportunity to make and maintain friendships and to talk with other students their age. With this goal in mind, I would like to suggest four ways for online students to connect with their peers.

New beginnings present a chance for renewal and a reminder to make a fresh start. Still, New Year’s resolutions can be intimidating, especially for students, who often feel that their lives are already full of assignments and commitments. Some make the mistake of making resolutions so monumental or complicated that they give up before they even start. A New Year’s resolution for Christian youth needs to be simple enough to succeed, while maintaining a strong foundation in the Word of God.

We encourage students to use this opportunity for contemplation and to consider some simple resolutions that they can meet and that will benefit them throughout the year.

Here are 3 simple resolutions for Christian youth who want a fresh start in the New Year:

As an avid reader and lover of books I can testify to the fact that there are many benefits to reading. Not only does reading expand the brain’s capacity to think creatively and use language, but it also opens up a world of adventures and imagination.

After I finish a good book, I invariably want to discuss it, and when I find someone who also loved it, I discover new details about the book through our conversation. I have spent so much time discussing books with my friends that we might as well start a formal book club. For this reason I have put a lot of thought into book clubs and choosing book club themes.

One of the advantages that homeschooling families have is the ability to design a learning space for their students in their own home. Social media sources like Pinterest and online blogs are full of ideas for homeschool organization. These sources often emphasize the importance of designing a learning space that fits the needs of your family.

Today, I would like to take this idea one step further and suggest that the ideal learning space may not be the same for each family member. What is seen as ideal by a parent may not in fact be ideal for a student. What qualifies as an ideal learning space may even differ from child to child.