Finding FLEX in Family

For over 30 years, I have worked with Freshmen on writing Family Projects. Stemming from a love of gathering my own family story, I've put that in my curriculum. But up to this year, I have never added a FLEX activity to it. This year we are trying a FLEX. It has been a painful journey!

One part of the written Family Project is an essay of thanks. Who is one person in your family that you are thankful for?  Why? That's the premise of the paper. This essay will be mailed to the person that is the topic of the Freshmen paper. I thought it would make a lovely gift, and it certainly is a real need for real people.

Draft #1: Shallow and poor writing. It disappointed me that they took this so lightly. It was just basically fulfilling the assignment without much thought or depth. So we went back to drawing table. I showed the picture of an ice berg and applied that to their writing. We talked specifics. I outlawed the phrase "there for me". Then I asked this question--If this person were gone tomorrow, what would you have liked to have said?

My deep hope is that they dig deep. I want them to be brave enough to write what this person means to them with detail and specifics. And of course I want it to be good writing, which is isn't right now. So stay tuned. Draft #2 is up to bat tomorrow.