Student Voice Teacher's Special: 100 Teen Essays + 35 Ways to Teach Argument Writing

from The New York Times Learning Network

22 September 2020

Description

Help your students craft convincing arguments with award-winning mentor texts written by teenagers and companion teaching guide.

This bundle includes one copy each of Student Voice: 100 Argument Essays by Teens on Issues That Matter to Them and Raising Student Voice: 35 Ways to Help Students Write Better Argument Essays, from The New York Times Learning Network.

At a time when examples of “student voice” are everywhere, from Greta Thunberg to the Parkland students to the teenagers in the streets of Hong Kong, the argument writing that students study in school is still almost entirely written by adults. It is a wholly different experience for teenagers to study the work of their peers. It’s relatable. It’s relevant. And it doesn’t feel like an untouchable ideal.

In this new collection of 100 essays curated by The New York Times, students will find mentor texts written by their peers—13-18-year olds—on a wide range of topics including social media, race, school lockdown drills, immigration, tackle football, the #MeToo movement, and COVID-19. For any teacher who feels that students write better when they have some choice over the topic and form, when they write for an audience beyond the teacher and a purpose beyond a grade, and when they get to sound like themselves, this anthology is an invaluable resource to accompany any composition text.

In the companion teacher’s guide, Katherine Schulten—a former teacher and writing coach herself—provides teachers with 35 strategies and classroom-ready activities for using these peer mentor texts with their students. Raising Student Voice also includes 500 writing prompts, a “topic generator” with questions to help students decide what they’d like to write about, and a sample essay annotated with the comments of Times judges.

Reviews

"It is no secret that The New York Times Learning Network, and Katherine Schulten in particular, have long been a friend of the classroom teacher. This newest offering is no exception—providing everything a teacher needs for robust, authentic instruction in argumentative writing. The powerful essays provide vision and inspiration for student writers, while the instructional guide gives teachers step-by-step guidance for amplifying student voice and taking student writing to new heights. Simply put, this work is a gift." — Rebekah O’Dell, author of Beyond Literary Analysis and Writing With Mentors, and cofounder of MovingWriters.org

"However hard I try to devise engaging writing topics, my ideas routinely fall flat. Why? Because they are mine. Katherine Schulten suggests a more effective approach—asking students to write about issues they care about—for example, why we should all eat more bugs. If you are suffering from the five-paragraph essay blues, these student essays offer fledgling writers models of what’s possible in persuasive writing. They demonstrate how risk-taking pays off." — Carol Jago, high school English teacher, past president of the National Council of Teachers of English, and author of The Book in Question: Why and How Reading is in Crisis

"I think it’s safe to say that many—if not most—of us teachers are always trying to figure out better ways to assist our students in becoming better writers. Katherine Schulten’s two books are the best resources that have come along in years to help us do just that! They’re filled with exceptional instructional strategies and marvelous examples and mentor texts. What’s not to love?" — Larry Ferlazzo, high school teacher, author, and Ed Week teacher advice columnist

"The essays in Student Voice loudly proclaim what young writers are capable of: insightful opinions, thoughtful argument, compelling evidence, and—most importantly— lively writing. They will inspire young writers everywhere. And for teachers who hope for writing like this in their own classrooms, Raising Student Voice provides them with a teaching companion to help them along." — Elyse Eidman-Aadahl, Executive Director, National Writing Project

"Mentor texts from students are essential, and yet it is really hard to find good ones. The essays in Student Voice are marvelous, especially in regard to their voices, accessibility, range, and diversity. And the 35 points made in the teacher’s companion, Raising Student Voice, are wonderful; I love the voices of teachers, students, and argumentation experts." — Matthew Johnson, author of Flash Feedback: Responding to Student Writing Better and Faster—Without Burning Out

Paperback

9781324016472

160 x 218 mm • 208 pages

£27.99

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