Miss Lucas' Assignments Blog: "This I Believe" Essay Ideas

1. a. Idea--what it's like to come back to Hoggard as a "new" teacher; what it's like after 25+ years of teaching to feel like I'm starting over

b. Possible Anecdote(s)--My anecdote--the personal experience that will show the point of my essay--is my move from Ashley to Hoggard. Details to include: leaving "my" corner classroom that housed my classroom library books, a cozy reading chair, lamps, great view, students I loved, teachers who felt like family and moving/returning to a school where I used to call home and feeling like a nomad, pushing a cart from class to class in a sea of unfamiliar faces; include how I felt those first few weeks of not knowing anyone and missing my Ashley friends, students, classroom; details about the Ashley/Hoggard volleyball game and the surprised feeling I had when I saw Hoggard students in the forum as I left; include anecdote of opening window and screaming to Hannah Kate and the conversation with bicycle boy after school that day; include details about hearing "Miss Leslie" in the hallway from Rett and Morgan; include talking with #5, Mell; include importance of certain texts I've locked on my phone.)

c. So What?--
Ask yourself "so what?" periodically as you write your essay.   If you can hear the reader of your essay asking "so what does this matter?" then don't include it.
For example, so what if you like pretzels better than chips? What difference does that make in your life? If the topic of your writing doesn't address the way you uniquely see the meaning of living and if you aren't able to show how you reached an epiphany about yourself and/or life, than your idea isn't essay worthy.   If you don't know more about yourself or life after you finish writing your essay than when you started, you haven't written the kind of essay that is required for this assignment.
Another example--you are writing about how you believe in a certain sport. Don't describe the sport or go through a play by play account in a way that everybody else would describe it. For example, lots of people like to play football.  Your essay doesn't need to be the same old reasons why everyone likes it. You need to include anecdotes that only you could include. You need to show the epiphanies you've had about yourself and life by playing your sport as only you could.

My epiphanies so far:
I'm discovering that it's not the decoration of a room or owning my own space that makes me feel at home in a classroom. It's about relationships. I need to show through anecdotes how in the past I've been so caught up the aspects of teaching that don't have anything to do with the most important part of teaching--"being" with my students.
Writing this has helped me to discover that in the past few years I've been more about me and what I wanted and what would make me comfortable instead of taking risks and growing. I'm discovering that it takes being scared and uncomfortable to make me grow. I want to show how I'm rediscovering the meaning of teaching by feeling like a freshman along with my freshmen.

d. My Belief Statement: I believe this change was the most dreadful, painful, and precious gift.

e. Possible Title: Coming Home To What I Believe

(Because it took me at least twenty minutes to really reflect on what I'd like to include to support my belief, I'm asking that you include your anecdotes for only one essay idea. Include items a-e for one idea on your blog today.)

2. Idea--my relationship with Amie and Mallory, my nieces

3. Idea--differences between my two cats (Oh, no. I'm an old maid school teacher writing about my cats!)

4. Idea--why Fuzzy Peach is one of the top five ideas in the whole wide world

5. Idea--compare and contrast Ashley and Hoggard
6. Idea--my best teaching moment this year; my toughest teaching moment this year
7. Idea--my daily thanksgiving list
8. Idea--why I teach--Possible Title: My Top Ten Reasons For Teaching