What if I told you that there is a surefire way to get all of your students to hammer a thesis while doing so with spunk and pizazz?
Here's how to do it:
- Equip them with an accessible and workable template
- Bob Ross your instruction
The secret about every literary analysis prompt ever written is this ...
Each implicitly asks two questions:
- What is the authorial intent?
- How does the author construct meaning?
If students fully address these two questions ... they're flying out of the gate with blazing speed.
One thing I do to shore up how to write a thesis for literary analysis is to have my students do a ton of quick writes that have them analyzing Oscar Nominated short films.
I've spent the last few days making a number of videos that I would like to share with you.
The first features a wonderful dystopian film entitled "Being Pretty" by David James Armsby. Not only will students get a chance to practice their chops at writing a thesis while striving to achieve voice, rhythm, and flow - but this film is rife with possibilities in terms of introducing students to dystopian motifs and themes.
In my writing workshop video, I model for teachers and students how to construct the thesis while pulling out all the punches.
The second film I used is entitled "Hair Love" - a short piece adapted from Matthew A. Cherry's famous children's book. Yet again, I guide students and teachers through the process of crushing the thesis while striving to earn the elusive sophistication point.
And the third film is entitled "Lost & Found" - a piece that features a wild love entanglement gone awry between two crocheted stuffed animals,
If you like what you see and want to work more closely with me to learn these and other tricks, consider enrolling in my Teach It Write 5-Week Mastermind which is now being hosted by The National Writing Project.
Our next session will begin the evening of September 25th at 7 EST. The course will meet for five consecutive Sundays live in Zoom. Recordings will be made available.
The course, although we only meet for a total of five hours, offers a completion badge of ten PD hours awarded by NWP.
Feel free to reach out should you need anything.
Happy teaching and happy writing!
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