Welcome to S3 Returnee Writin

g!
OFFICE: 1ST

MS. PRASAD
FLOOR IN KOKUSAI ROOM
OFF FRIDAYS

MS.SHARLENEPRASAD@GMAIL.COM
WWW.S3RETURNEEENGLISH.WEEBLY.COM

Me!
Born in Edmonton, Alberta

and grew up in Vancouver.

Went to Sarah Lawrence Co
llege in New York.
Studied Liberal Arts (Englis
h Literature, Music, Ancient
History).
Spent the last eleven years li
ving in Los Angeles, New Yo
rk, Peru, and three years in
Japan.
Love yoga, traveling (20 cou
ntries!), and reading.

Your Turn!
Do you all know each other?
Please fill out the interview sheet. We can discuss it a

nd anything else youd like to tell me during our first

conference.

What Well Cover Today

Conference schedule
Course outline and textbooks
Essay writing
Goals
Plagiarism

Conference Schedule
In university, you will most likely be assigned an advisor

who you will meet with regularly. This professor is there

to help guide you in your first year.
Were going to have a similar system, in which you will c

ome to see me once a week. We can talk about your writi

ng, your college applications, or anything else that you w
ant to talk about. Of course, you can come see me anytim
e, but this way Ill be sure to see you at least once a week.
Please sign up for the time that best suits you!

Course Outline
No midterms
Final exam is during test period (as far as I know)

Year Plan
Term 1 Plan 18 classes

Textbooks
You should have a copy of:

Barrons Writing Workbook for the New SAT

1100 Words You Need to Know

You will also receive materials from:

The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing

Writing an Outstanding College Application Essay
They Say / I Say

Essay Writing Questions

Why do we write essays?
Why do colleges want you to write essays as part of you

r application process?
What makes an exceptional essay?
What makes an exceptional writer?
Why are you here? (in this class?)

Essay Writing My Ideas

Why do we write essays?

Essays bring together the best of two worlds; one for the write
r, and one for the reader.
The structure and organization make an essay instantly recogn
izable and easy to process for the reader, while the writer can e
xpress their ideas creatively and fluidly.
Essay writing is a difficult, but valuable skill, because you have
to learn how to write gracefully within the confines of an accept
ed system.

Essay Writing My Ideas

Why do colleges want you to write essays as part of yo
ur application process?

When admissions officers look at your applications, they dont ju

st look at numbers and grades. Simple statistics dont tell the sto
ry they want.
Universities are diverse and unique institutions that are proud o
f who they are. They accept students who will fit into their stude
nt population and uphold their values.
What they are really looking for is you who you are and wheth
er you will be a good fit for their school. Essays are a great way t
o get a sense of the applicant in a familiar format.

Essay Writing My Ideas

What makes an exceptional essay?

Organization
Structure

Fluidity

Passion
Creativity

Essay Writing My Ideas

What makes an exceptional writer?

Organization
Passion
Creativity
Introspection
Honesty
Authenticity

If your writing does not look like this now, thats okay! T

he best part about writing all the time is that it helps you
learn how to write like this.

A Side Note
Creativity + Honesty Plagiarism
I do not accept plagiarism, ShibuMaku does not accept plagiar

ism, and whatever university you go to will definitely not accep

t plagiarism.
The consequences of plagiarism at university include failing gr
ades, suspension from school, and expulsion.
Academic dishonesty is considered a crime in the workplace.
Dont do it. Its not worth it.

Essay Writing Answers My Ideas

Why are you here? (in this class?)

Writing has always been a way for me to express myself in a mor

e eloquent and passionate way than I can handle on a regular ba
sis.
Writing has helped me learn a lot about myself.
I may be a bit like you, in that Im from more than one place and
think of many places as home. I was a little lost when I was ap
plying to university, unsure of who I was and what I wanted. Thr
ough sheer luck, I ended up at a university that was well-suited t
o who I was and who I wanted to be. Im hoping to help you find
the same kind of place.

Goals
My goal is to help you understand and articulate who

you are now, what kind of person you want to be in u

niversity, and what kind of school will help you be th
at person.
What are your goals for this class? You can share the

m in class or on your interview sheet.

Journal Assignment
As an exercise to learn more about ourselves and get co

mfortable expressing ourselves on paper, we are going t

o write daily journals.
Each day, you will write one page (or more) in your jour
nal about anything you want.
Nobody will read this journal. I will check each class tha
t your pages are full of writing, but I will not read a singl
e word.
Feel free to write about whatever ridiculous, crazy, secre
t things you want to. Just remember to not leave it lying
around

Homework
Complete personal interview and bring it to your con

ference with me.

Sign up for a conference with me! Then come to it!