This I Believe Personal Essay: Introduction
For this assignment you will write a personal essay entitled, This I Believe. A personal essay is focused on a belief or insight about life that is important to the writer. This will be a challenging assignment, but we will work together to guide you through the process.
Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when writing the essay:
Tell a story: Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life. Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think of your own experience, work, and family, and tell of the things you know that no one else does. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny—but it should be real. Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs.
Be brief: Your statement should be between 400-800 words. That’s about three minutes when read aloud at your natural pace.
Name your belief: If you can’t name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about belief. Also, rather than writing a list, consider focusing on one core belief, because three minutes is a very short time.
Be positive: Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe, not what you don’t believe. Avoid speaking in the editorial “we.” Make your essay about you; speak in the first person.
Be personal: Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to speak. We recommend you read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your belief and the way you speak.
Official Website: thisIbelieve.org
Featured Essays: http://thisibelieve.org/essays/listen/classic/
This I Believe: Essay Essentials
1. An introduction to you. Who are you? Where do you live? What do you do?
You can also try one of these strategies
Question:
“When was the last time you went without a meal?”
Quotation: (from someone famous or from someone significant in your life)
“Be careful were the last words my father said to me each time I left the house.”
Strong statement (that your essay will either support or dispute)
“If you eat enough cabbage, you’ll never get cancer.”
Metaphor:
“The starlings in my back garden are the small boys in the playground,
impressing each other with their new-found swear words. The crows all belong to the
same biker gang. You need to know their secret sign to join their club.”
Description (of a person or setting):
“Michael once mowed the lawns around Municipal Hall wearing a frilly apron, high heels, and
nylons, with a pillow stuffed under his sweater where he looked pregnant.
2. Your Belief Statement. Explain what your belief means.
3. A Quotation - Explain how your quotation relates to your topic.
4. An experience that led to your belief
Should Include
Vivid, Colorful, Specific details about the experience
Details about how you felt during that experience
Sensory Details/Imagery - Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
5. A restating of your belief statement in different words
6. Conclusion - How this belief continues to influence your life
This I Believe: Grammar requirements.
Your "This I Believe" Essay must include the following grammatical structures:
Adjective Clause
Noun Clause
Adverb Clause
Appositive Phrase
Infinitive Phrase
Gerund Phrase
Participial Phrase
Adjective Clause
Noun Clause
Adverb Clause
Appositive Phrase
Infinitive Phrase
Gerund Phrase
Participial Phrase
Assignment 1: This I Believe Student Examples from Last Year
Due: Friday, May 23
1. How does the author introduce themselves and their topic?
2. What is the author's belief statement and what does it mean to them?
3. Who does the author quote? How is the quotation related to their belief?
4. Describe the experience that led to their belief?
5. A restating of your belief statement in different words
6. How does this belief continue to influence the author's life?
1. How does the author introduce themselves and their topic?
2. What is the author's belief statement and what does it mean to them?
3. Who does the author quote? How is the quotation related to their belief?
4. Describe the experience that led to their belief?
5. A restating of your belief statement in different words
6. How does this belief continue to influence the author's life?
Assignment 2: This I Believe - Values Associations
Due Date: (10B) Friday, May 23h IN CLASS; (10A) Tuesday, May 27th IN CLASS
1. Choose 1 of the values below.
2. In 4 separate blocks, write down as many items as you can associate with these values: words, experiences, people, stories for the word. The more the better.
1. Choose 1 of the values below.
2. In 4 separate blocks, write down as many items as you can associate with these values: words, experiences, people, stories for the word. The more the better.
Honesty:
Integrity: Compassion: Love: Empathy: Respect: Faith: Knowledge: Wisdom: Freedom: Creativity: Dedication: Loyalty: Success: |
Self-Control:
Leadership: Confidence: Skill: Sincerity: Reliability: Patience: Flexibility: Responsibility: Hope: Charity: Prudence Cooperation: Enthusiasm |
Assignment 3: This I Believe - Belief Essay Exploration
Due Date: Tuesday, May 27th IN CLASS
1. Choose one of the values you chose in the earlier assignment.
2. Click on “Browse Essays” and find 3 essays that deal with your value.
3. For two of the essays, write a summary (100 words or less) on a piece of paper to be submitted on Tuesday.
a. What is the central belief in the essay?
b. What is the story/experience that led to this belief?
(State in your own words - don't copy/paste)
c. Write down the sensory words: Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch - that the author uses to describe their experience.
d. How does this experience continue to influence their lives?
1. Choose one of the values you chose in the earlier assignment.
2. Click on “Browse Essays” and find 3 essays that deal with your value.
3. For two of the essays, write a summary (100 words or less) on a piece of paper to be submitted on Tuesday.
a. What is the central belief in the essay?
b. What is the story/experience that led to this belief?
(State in your own words - don't copy/paste)
c. Write down the sensory words: Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch - that the author uses to describe their experience.
d. How does this experience continue to influence their lives?
Assignment 4: Brainstorming Your Belief
Due Date: Tuesday, May 27th IN CLASS
1. Create a list of 5 "This I Believe" statements ("I believe....")
2. Choose one belief from your list and use the "Fleshing out a Belief" chart given to you in class.
a. words and phrases that mean the same thing as the belief statement or are associated with it.
b. pictures or images that show your belief
c. clarify what the belief means to you
d. What are rules that govern this belief
e. What are misconceptions about your belief (what do people think about your belief that isn't true)?
f. Top 5 List for your belief
1. Create a list of 5 "This I Believe" statements ("I believe....")
2. Choose one belief from your list and use the "Fleshing out a Belief" chart given to you in class.
a. words and phrases that mean the same thing as the belief statement or are associated with it.
b. pictures or images that show your belief
c. clarify what the belief means to you
d. What are rules that govern this belief
e. What are misconceptions about your belief (what do people think about your belief that isn't true)?
f. Top 5 List for your belief
This I Believe: Inspirational Quotations
Think about your favorite quote that you consider to be "words to live by." Alternatively, you can search for a good quote based on a subject or theme here.
Be prepared to share them with the class on the due date. Think about times in your life where these quotes inspired you or helped you get through a hard time.
Assignment 5 - This I Believe Graphic Organizer and My Story Memory Chart
Complete the graphic organizer and memory chart and turn it in on June 3d at the beginning of class
This I Believe: Rough Draft
Due Date: Sunday night by MIDNIGHT
Name the document YOURCLASS (10A/B)TIBRoughDraftYOURNAME - 10BTIBRoughDraftJohnson.
Submit it to - http://dropitto.me/wardlandia - Password is SUIS
Review your essay to make sure it includes all the necessary elements.
Name the document YOURCLASS (10A/B)TIBRoughDraftYOURNAME - 10BTIBRoughDraftJohnson.
Submit it to - http://dropitto.me/wardlandia - Password is SUIS
Review your essay to make sure it includes all the necessary elements.
This I Believe: Rough Draft Peer Editing
Due Date: June 3
Name the document:
YOURCLASS (10A/B)TIBPeerEditYOURNAMEYOURPARTNER'SNAME -
10BTIBRoughDraftJohnsonHarry.
Submit it to - http://dropitto.me/wardlandia - Password is SUIS
Now that you have finished your This I Believe Essay, trade your essays with at least two of your classmates.
In a word document, two of your classmates should answer the following questions about your essay:
1. What is the central belief in the essay?
2. What is the story/experience that led to this belief?
(State in your own words - don't copy/paste)
3. How does this experience continue to influence their lives?
4. Is their story/experience that led to their belief clear?
5. Write down the Beginning, Middle, and Ending of the Story/Experience
6. Write down the sensory words: Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
7. Write down the specific words ("McDonald's" instead of "Restaurant")
8. Does the author use the grammatical structures we learned in class?
Name the document:
YOURCLASS (10A/B)TIBPeerEditYOURNAMEYOURPARTNER'SNAME -
10BTIBRoughDraftJohnsonHarry.
Submit it to - http://dropitto.me/wardlandia - Password is SUIS
Now that you have finished your This I Believe Essay, trade your essays with at least two of your classmates.
In a word document, two of your classmates should answer the following questions about your essay:
1. What is the central belief in the essay?
2. What is the story/experience that led to this belief?
(State in your own words - don't copy/paste)
3. How does this experience continue to influence their lives?
4. Is their story/experience that led to their belief clear?
5. Write down the Beginning, Middle, and Ending of the Story/Experience
6. Write down the sensory words: Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch
7. Write down the specific words ("McDonald's" instead of "Restaurant")
8. Does the author use the grammatical structures we learned in class?
- Adjective Clause - Y/N
- Noun Clause - Y/N
- Adverb Clause - Y/N
- Appositive Phrase - Y/N
- Infinitive Phrase - Y/N
- Gerund Phrase - Y/N
- Participial Phrase - Y/N