Gilmore Chapter 2

The Revision Cone on page 9 is useful. You could even do a lesson where you talk about revision, and then have students create a giant revision cone to hang up in class. This might help remind them what to focus on while they are peer editing or even working on their own papers. 

I like that this chapter addressed the issue of the audience in essay writing. I can relate to Aditi's dilemma. For example, in my communications class, I must write an essay for my teacher, as though she doesn't know any of the concepts. But I have to cover ten concepts in three pages using definitions from the book and lecture, and then relate the concepts to specific situations in my life. Three pages! Are you kidding me? I'm at the end of page two right now! 

I had another teacher who told me to make sure that each of my paragraphs had five sentences. Really? I didn't do it. I told him that I didn't want to just make stuff up, and that I thought I could get my point across in three good sentences. But if I was in high school, I would have done it, and I would have been confused about essays. Let's talk to students about essays, and not just assume that they understand the definition just because "essay" is a common word.