Do you ever catch yourself saying these things after reading a student’s essay?
- He could have …
- If she would only …
- I saw such potential …
At Wow, we find ourselves there too, but we quickly recover. Do what we do:
- Stop and Ask Yourself: Whose essay is this, anyway?
- Reflect: Remember that the final essay reflects the student’s willingness and ability to complete the task; it does not reflect on the counselor who guided them.
- Remind yourself: The student made editorial choices. It’s ok if we don’t agree with all of them.
Here’s what Shannon Yarbrough, one of our writing coaches, said during a recent discussion about when to let go of imperfect essays:
I remind myself that I am accountable to the student, more than I am to the essay. The essay is not a product. My job as a coach is different from being an editor. An editor is accountable to the essay. But as a coach, we’re accountable to the student and their learning process. I ask myself, ‘Is this next draft to support the student or is this next draft to support what I think should be their final essay?’ That question helps me determine when and how to keep moving.
I share Shannon’s feedback because before she joined Wow, she had many years of experience using different methods as an independent essay coach. Shannon is a beautiful writer and a talented teacher. I hope her advice helps you too.
Did you know that we are intentionally small? That our coaches support one another and share advice in weekly staff meetings? We are small on purpose – it keeps us nimble, focused, and available to our clients and one another. Our coaches train professionals through our College Essay Experience training, offering the same custom, personalized attention we give our students.
My parting advice to you: Follow a process. Try the ten-step Wow Method if you’re not already using it.
- Step 1: Understand the Prompt
- Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas
- Step 3: Focus on Theme
- Step 4: Freewrite for Details
- Step 5: Write Draft 1 (content only)
- Step 6: Review Prompt and Theme
- Step 7: Write Draft 2 (content plus structure)
- Step 8: Review Content and Structure
- Step 9: Write Draft 3 (polish)
- Step 10: Final Review and Proofread
Trust the process. Trust yourself. And trust your students.
This article appeared in another form in Link for Counselors.
