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.

From early childhood I earnestly sought to follow the path God has for me. Like many young Christians, I pictured this path as a singular direction, a “destiny”, which I had to find. When I graduated from high school, I was ready to find that destiny. I asked myself sincerely, “What is the will of God for the rest of my life?”

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.

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” (Psalm 100:1, KJV).

Music holds an important place in the lives of most people, whether they are musicians or music appreciators. Many consider music to be an integral part of their identity. This is by design—God’s design. In Psalm 139:14 King David reminds us that our gifts are unique and intentional, saying, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” David himself was a musician and used his talent to sing praises to God. Each person has been given unique talents by God.

Enlightium Academy student and musician Emma Segnini is a singer-songwriter currently living in New York. Segnini says, “My family and I have always believed that God puts you in this world for a reason and that everyone has a mission in this world.” Asked how music plays a role in her faith, she says, “I believe that God sent me to this world to learn from others and to help people with their problems and just with simple things like opening a door for someone, and to touch people with music, to say things through melody and music that people are afraid to say. My goal is to one day be able to inspire people the way that other singers and composers (like my mom) inspire me.”

“I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, who will be with you forever. This Companion is the Spirit of Truth”

(John 14:16-17).

In the early days of the Christian church certain days of the year were considered significant due to the events that had occurred on or near those days. Those days came to be days of celebration, of feasting and festivities. Today many of those days are still part of the church calendar, but are not celebrated by all denominations. One such day is Pentecost.

Understanding Pentecost and the importance attached to it can be difficult for Christians who did not grow up in a church that observes Pentecost celebrations. Yet, Pentecost commemorates an important event in the church: the day when God fulfilled a promise that Jesus made to his disciples. Understanding Pentecost increases our understanding of the God we serve, the God who exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

If you’re a student, you’ve been told that note-taking is a valuable and important skill. Also if you’re a student, you may not have received much instruction on how to take notes, beyond basic outlining.

Unfortunately, in education there is a tendency for teachers to give instructions without explaining why something is important or how to do whatever it is well. It’s not surprising that some students fail to see the value in taking course notes.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands”

(Psalm 19:1).

Though Spring is tardy in some areas of the country, warmer weather is on its way. Are your children getting restless doing lessons inside? Why not take a nature day and make school fun again for your young naturalists? Spending the day outside on a hike is not just good exercise, it is also an invaluable opportunity for your children to discover the wonders of God’s creation and find a new perspective on their science classes.

A day trip into nature presents many occasions to teach children through actions. These moments start with preparation and continue beyond the day of the hike. Help your children get excited about nature and science by taking them on an expedition to collect samples in the field.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

In the first verses of the first book of the Bible, we see how God lovingly created the earth and everything that lives on it, from plants to animals to people. After He was finished, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

It can be easy to take the incredible gift of God’s creation for granted. It is even easier to forget to be thankful and mindful. While Earth Day is a secular holiday, it is a perfect opportunity to take the time to appreciate God’s gift, to teach our children about creation, and to consider how we can be mindful of and live in a way that helps to conserve the beauty and wonder of creation.

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.