The School Essay Manifesto: Reclaiming the Essay for Students And Teachers

by Thomas Newkirk

"In his provocative and enlightening discussion, Thomas Newkirk helps us to see how thesis-control essays can smother the very thinking that the act of writing should feed. This is not neat and tidy book of strategies, but an impassioned plea to adandon our misguided reverence for formula and mind-controlling structure." ~Vicki Spandel, Author, Creating Writers and The 9 Rights of Every Writer

Genres: Professional Development, Nonfiction

87 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2005

About the author

Thomas Newkirk is a teacher and author who worked for 39 years at the University of New Hampshire.

Reviews

[Jason Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief but powerful push to transform the thesis-controlled essay to something much more flexible and personal. As a teacher, this book made me cheer. As a teacher, however, it kind of breaks my heart. So many students are being force-fed writing strategies that give them no sense of the freedom true writing can bring. Is writing rapturous and joyful? Usually not. But is it transforming? Almost always. But the "schoolified essay" is constricting and suffocating to real creativity.

This book is a powerful movement against such restrictive writing. Every teacher should read this.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some really great points on deconstructing the 5 paragraph essay. I agree with Newkirk’s points, especially when talking about thesis statements. The problems with writing thesis statements was something I had never thought about before, but it makes sense. Thesis statements block that writing creativity, it funnels the process instead of letting it wander. Overall, I think these were great points.

Only gave this 3 stars because I didn’t mesh well with Newkirk’s writing. Some parts I had to read a few times before I understood what he was saying.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful, quick read, on what the school essay has become. Newkirk makes sense when he discusses how it kills an essay and thought (which is what writing is..thought) when one is forced to put words into a certain closed format. Also, that it makes no sense to tell someone the ending before they know the beginning. He argues that we should be able to see the writer's real thoughts, journey, and questions throughout the piece to really understand. We should be left questioning, not with an answer at the end. My question now is...how do I get away from the 5 paragraph essay?

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book affirms that it's okay to be the only teacher in my school to resist the formula of the five-paragraph essay. For practical ideas about how to teach essay writing, read Reviving the Essay by Gretchen Bernabei. I've been using it with seventh graders this year and it has flexible uses for middle and high school. I'm happy to see how much my students are growing as writers.

[AnneKristine Norris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was troubled by the ideas in this book. As a writing teacher of elementary kids, I feel the need to teach them structure so they can attack the writing test that they are required to take. At the same time, I want to produce good writers who can explore ideas in their own ways. I guess I'll just have to try it both ways.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good look at the essay and its discontents as a school-assigned form. For those familiar with the National Writing Project, this is familiar territory, but it is so brief as to be digested in a single sitting. Pre-service language arts teachers would be well served by encountering this before entering the classroom.

[Bill Littell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a passionate appeal to educators to abandon the staleness of the 5 paragraph essay in favor of real exploration and discovery in writing.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a couple of 5-star ideas in this 3-star book.

[Vanessa Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short! Really enjoyed this!