All Classes
Fall 2014
Essay 1: Educational Autobiography
Purpose
You will have the opportunity to show off what you already know and practice your skills in developing and
organizing your ideas and communicating those ideas clearly to a reader. You will also practice responding to
other people’s ideas in your own writing.
Required Readings
Prior to writing your educational autobiography, you will read and discuss:
 Carol Dweck, “Brainology”
 Rebecca Cox, Chapter 2 of The College Fear Factor
 Frederick Douglass, “Learning to Read and Write”
 Angela Duckworth, “Grit” (TED Talk Video)
Background
Much has been written about why some students succeed while others do not. Authors look at teacher
qualities, student motivation, and societal factors as they attempt to solve the puzzle of how to make sure all
students succeed. Angela Duckworth attributes student success to “grit,” Carol Dweck suggests that
motivation depends on a person’s beliefs about effort and ability, Rebecca Cox discusses obstacles college
students might face, and Frederick Douglass demonstrates how a highly motivated person can learn in spite
of tremendous barriers. As you read these, think about your own educational journey and how these essays
provide insight into your own experience as a learner.
Writing Task
In this ungraded essay, I will get a chance to get to know who you are as a person and a writer. I want to know
how your educational experiences—both positive and negative—have impacted the student you are today.
TELL ME THE STORY OF YOUR EDUCATIONAL HISTORY—THE JOURNEY
YOU HAVE BEEN ON, THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND HOW YOU HAVE FELT
ABOUT YOURSELF AS A LEARNER IN YOUR PAST SCHOOLING.
Some things I would like you to include:
 Describe one particularly good experience you had in your past education and tell me about why it
was good. (This might be in an English class or in a different subject.)
 Describe one particularly bad experience you had in your previous education and tell me about why
it was bad.
 Talk about how the ideas from the assigned readings relate to your educational experience (not just
in English classes).
 Please include some discussion of your past experiences with academic reading and writing. If you
like doing these things, why do you? If you don’t, why not? Do you feel confident in these areas? Do
you feel a desire for mastery? Do you feel a sense of purpose about developing these skills?
 Please close by bringing me up to the present: what do you want to get out of this particular English
class at West Los Angeles College? Is there anything you’d like me to know so that I can support your
learning? Anything you’re concerned about? Anything you feel excited about?
To give me as full and detailed a story as possible, please spend at least 90 minutes writing this. Remember
your time management. The draft you submit must be typed (double-spaced, please). It is due at the start of
class September 11.
Feel free to bring any questions you have about this assignment to my office hours on Monday, September 8
between 11:00 and 12:00.