College Essay Bootcamp: Day 1

Class 3/4 Final Charter Discussion

My morning class, as per your request, will spend 15 minutes expanding on the ideas you came up with yesterday.  For each practice, try to come up with the WHY (both how does this relate to sustainability AND what is the primary goal of the practice?).

Then we need to choose our 2-3 reps.

Class Business

A note on in-class essay feedback: I'm reading 5/day. Marking some comments on the google docs, and then giving summative feedback on the rubrics.  Will try to pass those rubrics back by the middle of next week.  I am giving some back today, however, so I can begin conferences with students in class.  If you get your rubric back, please sign up for a conference with me!

Class Charter Reps: Report to Tina Hott's classroom at 2pm today to meet as a group. Check your email for further instructions.

Bears Ears Payment: I'm missing payment for the Bears Ears trip from many of you.  PLEASE get that in asap.  That will allow us to eat and sleep on our trip.  

Mark your calendars! There are two make-up events for those of you not attending the trip.  For those who ARE attending our trip and are interested, let me know if you'd like to join!  Limited spots available for the 9/19 Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park tour:
1. September 19th, ALL SCHOOL DAY: Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park Tour.  
               ​For those who want to come, we'll have limited spots available and it will be first come first serve basis.
               Whomever gets their permission form (which I emailed to all seniors) to me FIRST, is in!  See below for beautiful photos from Ashley's tour
               in April.
2. October 16th, EVENING, at the Discovery Museum: A short film about the Bears Ears followed be talks by Friends of Cedar Mesa and yours truly, Ashley Carruth.

STARTER: Welcome to College Essay Boot Camp ​

Preface:  Independence!
One of the themes of this year for me, for you, is increasing independence.  As such, I’m putting you in the driver’s seat for much of this process. In college, it’s unlikely that your professors will have interim deadlines for papers and projects.  You will have to plan your time, hold yourself accountable, and seek the help you need. So let’s practice that with this project—there’s some symbolic resonance, no-- i.e. writing college essays, embodying college-level independence?

Read this document closely: College Essay Boot Camp 
Then answer the following starter prompts in your starters:
​
Starter Prompts (answer these questions....)

1. What does success look like for you in this project?  How will you measure if you’ve achieved it?
2. What is a potential obstacle to success, and how do you intend to overcome it?
3. Look through the tips of dos and don’ts.  Which of these will be most helpful to you?  Which of these might you have difficulty with?  Why?

​AGENDA

​1. Sample Essay Read-aloud.    
Choose one of the sample essays linked above in blue to read out loud in your group.  Non-readers should follow along with the paper in front of you. As you read look for the following four things.  When the read aloud is done, discuss:

1. Personality- where does it come from (use of story, written word, other?)
2. Favorite sentences/essay moments
3. What are the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the essay?
4. Would you want this person in your college?  Why/why not?

2. Where Are You?
The corners of the classroom have been labeled with numbers 1-4.  Go to the corner that best represents your current status in regards to college essays.  Use the following criterion:
​
Which phrase best describes your current situation in regards to college essay writing?

1. I haven't started yet, and don't have a clue what the outcome might look like.
2. I have a prompt and have started writing, but I'm nowhere near done.
3. I have finished at least one essay, but it would benefit from some more refinement
4. I have mostly finished my college essays, but still have a few more and/or supplementary writing I can work on and refine.

3. Support Groups
Pick a group of 3 students from your corner  and form a support group.  You will be working in/with your support group for many of the remaining College Essay Boot Camp tasks.  After your group is formed, go to the link for Support Group Scheduling.  MAKE A COPY of this document, and work with your group to fill it out. You'll run through the following tasks:

As a group, you'll create a schedule using the Support Groups handout and resources on the handout.   

4. Deadlines and Resources

1. Review deadlines (see Support Group handout linked on DP if you were absent!)
2. Review resources- tons of helpful stuff on the docs page of my DP!  Explore them, use them if you get stuck!

5. Start Writing!
Start work on brainstorming for your college essay draft!