Introduction Essay
Essays have:
 An introduction
 A thesis--something you prove (this is your promise to the reader)
 Evidence that backs up your thesis
 Transitions to organize and keep your writing moving
 A conclusion
That's it. Your first assignment is to write an essay that introduces you to me. Your goal
is to let me know as much about you as you feel comfortable. It sounds strange, but the more I
know about you and your interests, the better chance I have of making sure what we learn
interests you. My favorite part of Language Arts is the requirements don't tell me what we have to
read or certain writing assignments we must produce. Instead, you will be reading a variety of
poetry, short stories, novels, essays, vignettes, and plays. In addition, we will be writing all the
time. When I discover what your interests are, I am able to connect your assignments to your
passions.
Some of the questions that you might want to answer include:
 What classed do you like the best and least? Explain why.
 What classes are easiest and hardest for you? Explain why.
However, I am typically more interested in the following types of questions:
 What do you do outside of school?
 What extra curricular activities do you participate in?
 What type(s) of music do you listen to?
 What are you most proud of?
 What have been your biggest challenges?
 Who do you live with? What are they like?
 What do people not understand about you?
 What are your dreams?
 What is important for me to know as your teacher?
So to turn this into an essay, all you have to do is write an introduction that tells me what
you are going to write about--you and your interests, etc. Then write several paragraphs that
explain, and, finally, write a conclusion. We'll talk more about conclusions later on, but the
easiest style of conclusion is probably going to be a "Look to the Future" conclusion.
If you're still not sure what to do, take a look at my example on the back, come get help
before school, during lunch, or after school.
Turn your essay in this Friday; it's worth thirty points.
My name is Charles Sanderson, and I teach Language Arts at St. Helens Middle School.
I'm writing to introduce myself to you, so you know a little bit more about me. Some people say
I'm crazy because I love working with middle school students, but I love my job, especially
teaching writing, trying to convince every student that she or he is super smart and capable of
brilliance, and making sure student voices get heard by a wider audience. However, being a
teacher isn't the only thing in my life. I love books and stories, traveling, and, of course, playing
the greatest sport in the world: Touch Rugby.
The best part of my job is teaching writing. It's the only time in school where what
students think and feel matters most. I love reading about crazy roosters and drag racing riding
lawn mowers down the highway. I love reading about the triumphs but also the failures. Most
importantly, I love helping students tell their stories with power and purpose, convincing them
that their experiences, stories, and lives are worth putting down on paper. Everything they need to
be a great writer is right here in Columbia County. One of my favorite parts of each year is when
we publish our annual literary journal. It's amazing to see students get high fives for their
metaphors and poems and the proud smiles of family and friends when we unveil the journal on
the first Thursday of May.
While my job is important, it's not the only thing in my life. I've always loved stories. I
love to read them, tell them, listen to them or watch them on the big screen. Books allow me to
meet new people, explore new worlds, and escape my own reality. Some of my favorite writers
are people like Nikki Giovanni, Sandra Cisneros, and most recently Junot Diaz. I like young adult
writers too: Chris Crutcher and Markus Zusak are my favorites because they write stories that
seem like reality. They write about kids that I feel like I know. They aren't afraid of speaking the
truth--even if it is filled with the ugliness that some of my students experience.
Sometimes words on a page aren't enough. That's when I pack the backpack and hit the
road or hop on a plane. I've been lucky to explore Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa, Norway,
Scotland, and Italy to name a few. When I travel, I like to hunker down in a town or
neighborhood, eat the fiery chili-filled noodles from a street vendor, wake up three hours before
dawn to climb a volcano and watch the sun rise, and wander through a local park with some
gelato as I get a see how people in other places live. I don't just learn about them; however, I
learn about myself, realizing it is the little things in life I cherish the most.
Finally, the one time in my life where everything else stops is when I play Touch Rugby.
It's an amazing sport where teammates are family. We've got players from New Zealand,
Australia, England, Fiji, Hawaii, South Africa, France, and even Egypt. Through hard work and
dedication, I've been able to play at the most elite level in the sport, winning National
Championships, being named Most Valuable Player at the National Tournament, and twice
representing the United States at the Touch Rugby World Cup. Most recently I played in
Scotland, scoring more touchdowns than anyone in the eleven teams in our division while coming
in second in the MVP balloting. The greatest honor, however, was being selected as the flag
carrier for our entire USA delegation.
I'm a person that believes in hard work. I'm someone who believes everyone is brilliant in
his or her own way. I'm a teacher who has high expectations of all my students and know that
without a doubt that they all can be incredibly successful. I'm hoping this school year will be the
best I've ever had, and I am going to work incredibly hard to make that a reality. Hopefully, it
will be a great year for every student who sits in my classroom as well. I know there will be
challenges and I'll make mistakes, but making mistakes has always been how I end up learning
the most. By the end of the school year, more than anything else, I want each student to know that
they are brilliant and their genius is worth sharing with others.