Reviving The Essay: How To Teach Structure Without Formula

by Gretchen Bernabei

In his foreword to Reviving the Essay, Thomas Newkirk praises Gretchen Bernabei's fresh approach to teaching essay writing. Loaded with student examples and reproducible forms, the 30 lessons in Reviving the Essay will "supercharge" your students' minds with patterns and ideas that will transform their esays from lockstep, generic assignments to well-considered opinions offered in authentic, creative voices.

Genres: Teaching, Writing, Nonfiction, Professional Development

183 pages, Paperback

First published February 4, 2005

Reviews

[Bryan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some excellent pointers, exercises, and student models in this book to help move teachers and students away from the five-paragraph essay that most Language Arts teachers I know dread having to read because, well, they're just not that interesting or authentic.

[Erika Reynolds · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn’t what I was expecting, so maybe this review is unfair, but I feel the description is misleading. The book is supposed to provide 30 lessons, but those 30 lessons are the same activity over and over again. The only difference is the skill, but it’s taught in the same way. There are definitely some things in here I plan on using, but I was very disappointed in the repetitiveness of this book.

[Joah Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introductory essay is just great.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful, if a bit muddled. Bernabei's books are generally good: practical, useful for a wide range of writing teachers, accessible. This book contains four sections, one of which she greatly expands in Text Structures From the Masters: 50 Lessons and Nonfiction Mentor Texts to Help Students Write Their Way In and Read Their Way Out of Every Single Imaginable Genre, Grades 6-10. Her ideas for organizing essays by looking at mentor text is solid and can really help students compose successfully. Her sections on revision are less sharp, although still useful.

Hard to believe this is ten years old. Worth revisiting.

[Jason Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an English teacher, I am always looking for fun ways to teach writing to my students. I received this book at a workshop a few years ago and I was immediately hooked. The exercises in this book are fun and, most importantly, they take students beyond writing thesis-driven essays and foster their creativity in ways a "too-focused" essay could not. Bernabei is a passionate, witty, and brilliant teacher herself who is willing to share her simple-but-effective lessons with you. This is a must have book for all teachers who want their students to write essays that are alive and full of personality. I guarantee you'll fall in love with this book.

For more fun, check out the companion CD, Lightning in a Bottle.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the practical ideas here for teaching students to write fresh, original essays without resorting to the tired 5 paragraph formula. I have only dipped my toes in this year with my students, but I plan to use it as the center of my essay-writing instruction next year with seventh graders. We are trying to develop writers and thinkers, not kids who can fill in the blanks and crank out a meaningless bit of prose that no one, including the teacher, would ever want to read.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every ELA teacher should read this book. I cannot wait to implement the kernel essay this week. The strategies are fantastic for middle school students, but can work for elementary and high school as well. If you want to look forward to reading student essays instead of dreading it, I highly suggest reading this book!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of good ideas, but the book is very repetitive, and I didn't love the student example writings (there aren't many that I would copy/show as mentor texts). I liked the idea of getting away from a standard 5 paragraph essay, but this seemed to just give structures for 5 paragraph narratives/memoirs.

[Christine Engelbrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about different strategies for teaching the essay, veering away from the standard five paragraph essay. The book uses "kernel essays" as a strategy to practice essay writing skills. Several lessons are aimed at late elementary instruction but can be adapted for secondary students as well.

[Kami · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students are producing more interesting and personal essays thanks to this book. I recommend it for language arts teachers!

[AnneKristine Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now, this is a book that I can use in class. It has great ideas that I feel like I can start using the first day of school.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm using many of her strategies this year for my Writing classes.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good resource full of ready-to-go ideas.