Teaching Powerful Personal Narratives

Every year, high school English teachers are bombarded with requests for advice on how to write successful college application essays. Often, they wonder if they are really offering the most effective assistance. Mary Jane Reed divides the components of good narrative writing into different chapters (discovering a topic, voice, the importance of details, revision) that you can use to help your students with the skills that they need to focus on. But she also gives information vital for helping you help your students write essays that will get them into the schools of their choice. Much of the information is tailored specifically for teachers with students who are working on college-application essays, but all of it can be customized to help any student with their narrative writing.