Taking Away the 5-Paragraph Security Blanket

[Kayla Crowe Stover]

What would happen if we told students to write in any form they wanted? We've all seen praises and protests over the five-paragraph essay, but Jenn challenged us to think differently about loosening the grip we have on format and allowing the students to decide what is best for their paper. By looking at how the professionals structure their essays, we were able to see the creativity that can come with organization. This demonstration not only gives teachers an approachable lesson to help students organize their writing, but it give choice back to them- the kids.