Should I teach the 5 paragraph essay

[SparklyUnicorn]

Sigh.  I never even heard of the 5 paragraph essay until reading TWTM forums.  

 

I graduated in 1981, and I took Advanced Comp in high school, but somehow the 5 paragraph essay was not part of our instruction.  

 

Same here.  It was just called an essay.  LOL

[GrammarGirl]

I think it's just down to terminology. I was always taught 5PE and "thesis paper" as sort of interchangable terms. I very much agree with most of the reasons that people are against teaching it. It's why I like the later term much better. Or just "essay." But this...

 

 

...is something I've also seen in some sources - throw out all conventions! don't bother with any structure at all! reinvent wheels at will (during a 30 minute timed essay no less)! - as a sort of alternative to the so-called 5PE and that I find laughable and absurd. A good essay has a sense of structure that the reader can follow. And if the structure isn't intro, supporting points, conclusion, I'd really like to know what it is. I think - thank goodness - in this thread, we're all talking about using that basic approach. But there is a sense in some of the literature of test prep these days that you should not use that approach. You should forge your own path. It honestly makes no sense to me.

Yes, thesis paper or just essay are what I think of as well. A good teacher will not demand 3 body paragraphs if the argument lends itself to 2 or 4 paragraphs. It is the logical approach to structure that is most important.

 

I think the reaction against structure on AP/SAT tests is merely symptomatic of an overarching philosophy that rejects conventions and standards in all of life. It's the same philosophy that rejects Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's brilliant use of meter in favor of free verse. It's the philosophy that ignores the fact that Picasso studied artistic conventions and moved onto abstract art *after* he'd mastered them. There is almost always a philosophical reason behind methodology (and if there isn't a philosophical reason, we're probably dealing with someone who has no business teaching.)

[Farrar]

I don't think we're in disagreement either, 8. :)

 

I will say... when I taught middle school writing, I spent a lot more time unteaching the bad rules teachers had made up for essays than anything else.

 

I think I see two basic paths to really learning how to write a great essay. One is to begin with voice, good writing, good sentences, logic, etc. and funnel that into various structures. The other is to begin with structures and slowly learn to hang new and better writing, logic, sentences onto that structure. I think the latter is very much the IEW approach. I don't think either is right or wrong per se. I have taught it both ways according to the needs of the student. I think a huge portion of it is the quality of the teacher and the presentation. Building up from a formula can be fine - especially for the right student - as long as it's continually emphasized that the goal is to start coloring inside the lines and slowly learn to break outside the box and draw your own pictures. Starting the other way, you don't have to worry about learning to break free of the rules as much, but I have seen this method produce kids who write meandering, pointless essays with too many ideas or no focal point or simply no real organization. So either approach has its teaching challenges.

[Tsuga]

I think of the five-paragraph essay as the expository equivalent of the couplet. You have to learn structure through example, and structure is important. First you start simple, then you move on. A five-paragraph essay is the simple version of exposition.

 

If you have time to think up your own or to teach two or three (i.e. if you're homeschooling and not teaching five sections of ninth-grade honors English as well as tutoring after school) then by all means go for it, show them ten different structures from the beginning and practice each one.

 

The five-paragraph essay is the start of high school, when there are still a lot of people who will never, ever write a really original expository essay. For those people, learning the five-paragraph essay is a great way to give them one structure to fall back on when they write their one newspaper article for the local paper 15 years hence, to explain their point of view on the new city park.

 

It is not meant to be the beginning and end of expository writing.

[lea_lpz]

I learned that in about grade 3 & 4. IMO you should already have taught that. My dd is in 2nd and she can write a paragraph. I definitely anticipate her work up to a 5 paragraph essay by the end of grade 4 independently.

[nukeswife]

Ok, let me be as clear as possible here.  My CHILDREN CAN WRITE A PARAGRAPH.  I didn't start this thread to ask if I'm a sucky teacher. Just because I haven't taught the 5 paragraph essay doesn't mean my kids couldn't do one if I told them what the heck it was and what it should have in it. The only place I've noticed it was really a big deal was on the writing portion of standardized tests.  They don't plan to do those.  

 

My question was about whether the very formulaic version was absolutely essential or if general essay writing was sufficient.  

 

I have now remembered why I stopped asking questions here, and have gone to other sources. 

[Tsuga]

Where do you ask questions that you get genuinely thoughtful, kind, and understanding answers every time? Because I would like to go there... I find this board one of the nicest on the Internet!

 

Also, I hope my answer wasn't interpreted as too lecture-y. I tend to come off that way, and if I did here, sorry!

[8filltheheart]

Ok, let me be as clear as possible here. My CHILDREN CAN WRITE A PARAGRAPH. I didn't start this thread to ask if I'm a sucky teacher. Just because I haven't taught the 5 paragraph essay doesn't mean my kids couldn't do one if I told them what the heck it was and what it should have in it. The only place I've noticed it was really a big deal was on the writing portion of standardized tests. They don't plan to do those.

 

My question was about whether the very formulaic version was absolutely essential or if general essay writing was sufficient.

 

I have now remembered why I stopped asking questions here, and have gone to other sources.

Just to affirm you, there is essay writing and there is academic essay writing and the 2 really have nothing in common.

[nukeswife]

Where do you ask questions that you get genuinely thoughtful, kind, and understanding answers every time? Because I would like to go there... I find this board one of the nicest on the Internet!

 

Also, I hope my answer wasn't interpreted as too lecture-y. I tend to come off that way, and if I did here, sorry!

 

No your post didn't come across that way,

 

But when people who's oldest homeschool child is younger than my youngest, and who's oldest child over all is only a year older than my youngest, come to a post and say things like, "IMO, you should have already taught this, my second grader can..."  

 

That comes across as rude and really condescending.  

[idnib]

. 

 

[nukeswife]

Sorry if I piled on. I'll just reiterate my response that I don't think it's necessary if you don't plan to do standardized tests for which it might be needed. Plenty of college students arrive from elsewhere with no background on this format and do well in higher education. If the students are asked to do it, a two-second Google search will tell them what to do.

 

Nope, wasn't you.  I appreciated your response, and thought it was a good question about what non-US schooling's approach to this is. 

[lea_lpz]

I'm sorry! I thought you meant a basic essay. I did not read the whole post and was brash and jumped to conclusions :(

 

Ok. So would I teach my child to be able to respond to an essay question with a 5 paragraph academic essay? Absolutely! I would want them to know that before heading to college. I learned that in AP Euro sophomore year and it really helped me prepare for college and know what was going to be expected of me. So yes, I would. But that's just me :)

 

I also would hope my kid by the time they graduate could ---

-Write a 5 page research paper in MLA

-Take notes on a lecture well

-Keep a planner and break down large assignments into doable chunks

-Be familiar with class syllabus and how to use it for their benefit

[Farrar]

I'm sorry if my posts came across as somehow insulting. I'm not totally sure where this thread went wrong. I thought we were just discussing the terms, the goals of essays, whether formula should come first... I really didn't mean it as directed at the OP at all. I don't think anyone was directing any negative thoughts toward the OP. I think we were just all off in discussion land. 

[nukeswife]

I'm sorry if my posts came across as somehow insulting. I'm not totally sure where this thread went wrong. I thought we were just discussing the terms, the goals of essays, whether formula should come first... I really didn't mean it as directed at the OP at all. I don't think anyone was directing any negative thoughts toward the OP. I think we were just all off in discussion land. 

 

I thought your discussion was quite helpful and appreciated it. 

[MariaT]

Hi--

 

I wish there had been another option on the survey, such as, "it's useful but not absolutely critical."

 

I did not teach my oldest two kids to write the 5 paragraph essay. My oldest DS had a wonderful AP lang and lit teacher in our coop who hated the 5 paragraph essay. DS is definitely a humanities kid. But when he was 16 he applied to some prestigious summer programs and was rejected and or waitlisted. His writing was passionate but all over the board. He had so many ideas he couldn't focus his thoughts and bring them to conclusion-- this was a big problem in his applications, which were all essay-related. So he took a summer lit class that focused on formulaic essay writing. He hated it, but the cool TA from Swarthmore convinced him to work at it. And once he figured out the formula, he could write circles around others. That fall the first essay he wrote for his CC class was nominated by the professor for the school's academic journal of best student writing  (no, he didn't use the 5P form, and his paragraphs were looooonnnng.) The next summer he was accepted into two summer programs-- one was the Stanford Humanities Institute and the other was Telluride Association Summer Program. And, as he did not have the best test scores, his acceptance into his first choice school wholly depended on his application essays, which rocked.

 

What he really needed at that time was someone other than his mom or a friend of his mom's telling him how to organize his writing, Writing is a reflection of how you think, and it is almost like someone telling you how to think. He needed someone cool telling him how to improve himself.

 

I agree with PPs who compared the 5P formula to a recipe. It's just another tool. If you really hate it, don't teach it, stick with the essay writing that works better for you and your kids. Even STEM kids will have to do some writing in college. We have a friend whose son is in Engineering at Case Western, and the physics tests require the students to not only give the correct numerical answer, but also to explain why they got that answer and which principles were involved. They don't need to write a 5PE, but they need to express themselves clearly. As long as students learn to write in an organized way that expresses what they are trying to say, they should fine.

 

Good luck!

Maria

[Reefgazer]

I found the second link particularly enlightening and helpful; thanks for posting.  I learn so darned much on this board!

I didn't really know this was such a contentious topic among universities and teachers. Following on Farrar's comments, I did some googling. As someone who has never taught my kids a 5 paragraph essay model, I find no appeal in the methodology. But outside in school-land, it is apparently a hot topic. Guess that is why so many people are eating cupcakes. ;)

Anyway, Nukeswife, I found a couple of links that might affirm your decision to not teach the 5 paragraph essay since you really don't want to. I am linking them for anyone who is interested in not feeling compelled to teach the 5 paragraph style. For those that love the methodology behind the 5 paragraph essay, I encourage you to NOT follow these links. You need to to teach in a way that you feel comfortable teaching and follow your own convictions, The last thing I want to do is undermine anyone's confidence in teaching writing. Many find it daunting to begin with, so stick with what works for you.

http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/3940(this is an hr long interview with women who did research on the effects of teaching the 5 paragraph model. In full disclosure, I read a couple of articles reviewing their book, but I didn't listen to this interview.--- Ok, I listened to a portion, I would skip this. It is different than the articles I read.)

http://www.csun.edu/%7Ebashforth/406_PDF/406_Genre/00Sep_EJ_IllEffects5ParaEssay.pdf(This is an article discussing how students have ingrained the 5 paragraph model and the effects it has on their writing.)

 

[Dmmetler]

I think part of the problem is the bias that the only colleges that count are on the coasts. The fact is, in the flyover states, it can be hard to even find a place that offers the SAT more than once or twice a year, and most colleges accept it, but would prefer the ACT. Most schools have their own writing exams if they want it. Formal writing for purposes of a high test score is almost unheard of.

 

If your kid wants to stay close to home and you're in an ACT state, there really is no reason to stress about the SAT essay.

[almondbutterandjelly]

I think part of the problem is the bias that the only colleges that count are on the coasts. The fact is, in the flyover states, it can be hard to even find a place that offers the SAT more than once or twice a year, and most colleges accept it, but would prefer the ACT. Most schools have their own writing exams if they want it. Formal writing for purposes of a high test score is almost unheard of.

 

If your kid wants to stay close to home and you're in an ACT state, there really is no reason to stress about the SAT essay.

Not to derail this thread, but thank you for this info.  I had not even thought about my dd taking the ACT since I thought the SAT was "what you have to do," but I am now looking at my state and see the ACT is certainly acceptable and might even be a better fit for my kid.  So thanks!

[8filltheheart]

Not to derail this thread, but thank you for this info. I had not even thought about my dd taking the ACT since I thought the SAT was "what you have to do," but I am now looking at my state and see the ACT is certainly acceptable and might even be a better fit for my kid. So thanks!

not only is the ACT acceptable, it may reduce the number of standardized test scores that are required for submission.

[FairProspects]

Yes, this article is brilliant and I finally understand what y'all are arguing about!  As the author states, you can teach kids to write an introduction, a body, and a conclusion, and teach them about the rhetorical purpose of each "unit" of the essay, which gives them an effective means of planning and structuring their essay, without teaching the "5 paragraph theme" the way she describes it, which I would have assumed was a caricature of what kids are actually being taught, but apparently not.

 

 

 

Interesting. This is exactly how I was taught and I always assumed I was taught the 5PE and I would have argued for its inclusion since I have found the structure so helpful all the way through graduate school. Some of us may be arguing around semantics and variations.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Interesting. This is exactly how I was taught and I always assumed I was taught the 5PE and I would have argued for its inclusion since I have found the structure so helpful all the way through graduate school. Some of us may be arguing around semantics and variations.

 

I suspect you are right.

[8filltheheart]

I suspect you are right.

Define your terms. Argumentation 101. :)

 

If a 5 paragraph essay is simply an essay (introduction, supporting argument, conclusion) that happens to be 5 paragraphs long, then I would agree that teaching it is essential bc essay writing is the backbone of academic writing.

 

If the 5 paragraph essay is "a classic five-paragraph theme introduction: it goes from the general to the specific, and it introduces the three points that will be the subjects of each of the three body paragraphs" with the conclusion summarizing the three points again, no, I do not think it is necessary to teach it, especially to kids who have strong writing fundamentals (and I am not referring to gifted writers. I mean your avg student who knows and who has mastered basic writing skills: paragraph formation, logical sequencing, transitions, etc.) This latter definition of the 5PE is what universities are protesting against.

[nukeswife]

If the 5 paragraph essay is "a classic five-paragraph theme introduction: it goes from the general to the specific, and it introduces the three points that will be the subjects of each of the three body paragraphs" with the conclusion summarizing the three points again, 

This is the 5PE that I was asking about.  Seems I should have clarified that.  Sorry for any confusion.

[Korrale]

I agree with this. I guess what we're hitting is just a terminology issue. I was taught - perhaps this is unusual - that the "five paragraph essay" doesn't have to have five paragraphs. It's just a name for the basic essay structure. And that five is just a starter, so to speak.

 

So when people say that students should not be writing 5PEs on standardized testing, do you interpret that to simply mean that they should not feel like they need to adhere to five paragraphs specifically, not that they shouldn't use the basic structure of an intro, paragraphs with supporting/elaborating points, and conclusion?

I actually had to google a five paragraph essay, and the hamburger model. I learnt it as the 3 part essay. Introduction, body, conclusion. And frankly it is exactly the same thing by the looks of it. The 5 paragraphs are not a solid given. So I agree it is not an obsolete thing.

 

Edit: Okay I can see that there is a little more specific to a five paragraph essay. I guess I would teach it. But I would also teach other less restrictive essay formats alongside it.

[Farrar]

Interesting. This is exactly how I was taught and I always assumed I was taught the 5PE and I would have argued for its inclusion since I have found the structure so helpful all the way through graduate school. Some of us may be arguing around semantics and variations.

 

Ditto. Both my undergrad and grad school theses were basically big, long many more paragraphs 5PE's... by the way I was taught though. So yeah. Semantics and all that.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Another thing I find confusing is that isn't an essay in the strictest sense a very specific thing?  Yet it seems to get applied to various forms of writing.  In school all the writing was called composition as the generic term.  I don't even recall hearing the term essay all that often. 

 

 

[8filltheheart]

Sparkly unicorn,

I don't know the exact definition, either. I would never refer to elementary level writing as essays. I mentally think of an essay as taking a POV/or researched position and defending it in a persuasive piece with evidentiary support and is typically under 7-10 pages in length. I doubt that is an accurate definition, but it is the way I approach it in our homeschool and it has been effective. ;) they have all been more than adequately prepared for college level writing.

[Korrale]

Another thing I find confusing is that isn't an essay in the strictest sense a very specific thing? Yet it seems to get applied to various forms of writing. In school all the writing was called composition as the generic term. I don't even recall hearing the term essay all that often.

If I recall correctly (which may be wrong, I have a lot to learn before my son is older) we did either an essay or a report. I hated all that formatting with Roman numerals.

And there were many types of essays. Compare and contrast essays were very popular. And they essays all have to have a voice. Informative, persuasive or propaganda.

We also had creative writing. But that was different. Essays were done in many classes, creative writing was just part of a writing class.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Define your terms. Argumentation 101. :)

 

 

 

 

Exactly!  I propose a sticky with the following definitions:

 

The Essay

The 5-Paragraph Essay

The Book Report

 

;)  :D

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well I was using The Lively Art of Writing.  It is about one very specific type of thing.  It says it is about "the" essay.  So all the other types aren't really essays. 

 

Not that this is a huge deal, but I find it confusing because if someone says essay I'm not sure how they are defining essay. 

 

This is why I like math.  And oddly I thought math was going to be the thorn in my side. 

 

edited: Lively...oops 

[Reefgazer]

Interesting; I had no idea that it was mainly the schools on the coasts that wanted the SAT (grew up and now reside on the East coast).  All these years, I thought the SAT was *the* test to shoot for and thought very few colleges wanted the ACT.  'Ya learn something new everyday here!

I think part of the problem is the bias that the only colleges that count are on the coasts. The fact is, in the flyover states, it can be hard to even find a place that offers the SAT more than once or twice a year, and most colleges accept it, but would prefer the ACT. Most schools have their own writing exams if they want it. Formal writing for purposes of a high test score is almost unheard of.

If your kid wants to stay close to home and you're in an ACT state, there really is no reason to stress about the SAT essay.

 

[Reefgazer]

How come this is so?  How does the ACT reduce the number of test scores?  (Question from someone who took the SAT and hasn't a clue about the details of the ACT).

not only is the ACT acceptable, it may reduce the number of standardized test scores that are required for submission.

 

[Reefgazer]

Do you also consider "research papers" to be essays?  I'm just trying to work out what exactly to teach my kids in the near future, and this thread has been enormously informative.

Sparkly unicorn,

I don't know the exact definition, either. I would never refer to elementary level writing as essays. I mentally think of essays as persuasive pieces (as in taking a POV/or researched position and defending it) with evidentiary support that are typically under 7-10 pages in length. I doubt that is an accurate definition, but it is the way I approach it in our homeschool and it has been effective. ;) they have all been more than adequately prepared for college level writing.

 

[8filltheheart]

How come this is so? How does the ACT reduce the number of test scores? (Question from someone who took the SAT and hasn't a clue about the details of the ACT).

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/ask-dean-topics/1143078-does-act-replace-both-the-sat-i-and-sat-ii-subject-tests.html

 

"A number of colleges that require Subject Tests, including Yale, will accept the ACT plus Writing test in lieu of BOTH the SAT I (Reasoning Test) and SAT II (Subject Tests). However, Princeton and Harvard still require Subject Tests from students who have taken the ACT with writing in place of the SAT I."

[8filltheheart]

Do you also consider "research papers" to be essays? I'm just trying to work out what exactly to teach my kids in the near future, and this thread has been enormously informative.

I asked my ds what the long research type papers he wrote in high school are called at his college and he said "research essays." I don't have my kids write a pure research paper like I did in high school which was more like a research report.

[Korrale]

For me a research paper could be an essay with a million footnoted citations. Which is what I would have done in History class. Or it could be a report with all the indented Roman numerals. The latter was more common for legal studies or psychology.

 

I don't even know what I was doing in literature classes! In one class I reveived an A+ For good work and a D because I completely missed the mark.

Same grading teacher.

[SparklyUnicorn]

For me a research paper could be an essay with a million footnoted citations. Which is what I would have done in History class. Or it could be a report with all the indented Roman numerals. The latter was more common for legal studies or psychology.

 

I don't even know what I was doing in literature classes! In one class I reveived an A+ For good work and a D because I completely missed the mark.

Same grading teacher.

 

I never did anything with indented Roman numerals.  I was a psych major.  The magical number seemed to be 25 pages.  They just called it a paper. 

[nukeswife]

Now I'm wondering if people would change their vote if I had phrased my question as 

 

Is the 5 paragraph Essay essential, with this being the definition of the 5PE...

 

The 5PE is an Essay which has
A short (no more than 3 sentences)  introduction paragraph in which you state the 3 proofs you're going to cover in the body of the essay, followed by 3 body paragraphs, of no more than 5 sentences in each, with each to cover one of the proofs stated in your introduction, and wrapped up with a conclusion paragraph of (no more than 3 sentences) where you restate the key points of the introduction.  

 

That's what I meant by 5 paragraph essay.  I wasn't meaning it to mean any essay that happens to be 5 paragraphs.  Somehow everything I was reading was using the very narrow definition above when talking about the 5PE.

[nukeswife]

I also never wrote any reports or papers with indented roman numerals

 

[Korrale]

I never did anything with indented Roman numerals. I was a psych major. The magical number seemed to be 25 pages. They just called it a paper.

They kind of were formatted like the link below. But rather than A B C it would often be (i) (ii) and so forth. There had to be a contents and appendices page too. So finicky. I dropped a college class (without penalty) because I could not figure out how to format it. And the best response I could get was to just write a report.

 

http://woqanavimu.freewebsite.biz/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/42824-how-to-make-a-good-paper-outline.jpg

 

http://www.professays.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Researh-paper-outline-sample.jpg

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs1Aenj3KzQ/VDtTJYKLJRI/AAAAAAAADRo/lCNY-iy_7fE/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-10-13%2Bat%2B12.20.25%2BAM.png

 

This site compares a report and an essay.

http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/reports

And a sample of a report. I vaguely remember using the numbered headings too.

http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/report/1.xml

[texasmama]

Now I'm wondering if people would change their vote if I had phrased my question as 

 

Is the 5 paragraph Essay essential, with this being the definition of the 5PE...

 

The 5PE is an Essay which has

A short (no more than 3 sentences)  introduction paragraph in which you state the 3 proofs you're going to cover in the body of the essay, followed by 3 body paragraphs, of no more than 5 sentences in each, with each to cover one of the proofs stated in your introduction, and wrapped up with a conclusion paragraph of (no more than 3 sentences) where you restate the key points of the introduction.  

 

That's what I meant by 5 paragraph essay.  I wasn't meaning it to mean any essay that happens to be 5 paragraphs.  Somehow everything I was reading was using the very narrow definition above when talking about the 5PE.

I would show my kids that definition and let them know many people refer to an essay as a Five Paragraph Essay, which is one methodology.  I would also expose them to the Hamburger model terminology.  I like for my kids to be aware of these terms so they aren't confused the first time they hear them.

[Arcadia]

If the 5 paragraph essay is "a classic five-paragraph theme introduction: it goes from the general to the specific, and it introduces the three points that will be the subjects of each of the three body paragraphs" with the conclusion summarizing the three points again...

That was what was taught in public school to my older boy and he loathe the rigidity of it.

 

The new SAT score is not going to be affected by writing so I am thankful since my older can be rebellious about "writing to the test".

[GrammarGirl]

Now I'm wondering if people would change their vote if I had phrased my question as

 

Is the 5 paragraph Essay essential, with this being the definition of the 5PE...

 

The 5PE is an Essay which has

A short (no more than 3 sentences) introduction paragraph in which you state the 3 proofs you're going to cover in the body of the essay, followed by 3 body paragraphs, of no more than 5 sentences in each, with each to cover one of the proofs stated in your introduction, and wrapped up with a conclusion paragraph of (no more than 3 sentences) where you restate the key points of the introduction.

 

That's what I meant by 5 paragraph essay. I wasn't meaning it to mean any essay that happens to be 5 paragraphs. Somehow everything I was reading was using the very narrow definition above when talking about the 5PE.

I voted yes, but this description does not at all describe the essays I've taught high school and college English classes for 12 years. Run from this type of rigidity!

[8filltheheart]

Another thing I find confusing is that isn't an essay in the strictest sense a very specific thing?  Yet it seems to get applied to various forms of writing.  In school all the writing was called composition as the generic term.  I don't even recall hearing the term essay all that often. 

 

I found this pdf that gives a good definition.  HTH

http://www.brown.edu/academics/college/support/writing-center/sites/brown.edu.academics.college.support.writing-center/files/uploads/Elements%20of%20an%20Essay.pdf

[Chrysalis Academy]

I found this pdf that gives a good definition.  HTH

http://www.brown.edu/academics/college/support/writing-center/sites/brown.edu.academics.college.support.writing-center/files/uploads/Elements%20of%20an%20Essay.pdf

 

Nice!  I will definitely be sharing this with my dd who is learning to write essays this year.  We've been enjoying Lively Art of Writing as well.

[Haiku]

I like cupcakes.

 

The 5-paragraph essay is not essential, but it is an easy way to teach students about the development of a thesis and how to support it and also give them practice researching and documenting sources.

 

My dd started writing them in 4th grade.

[...................]

At first I voted, "yes, it's essental" but then I realized that last year in 6th grade Calvert course my son had already gone beyond the five paragraph essay and in fact way beyond,

 

My only question is, why not start with the five paragraph essay? It's really easy to teach, easy to learn and can sort of be morphed and expanded to fit different writing needs and assignments. You could teach it, and turn out a paper in, like, two days, and then assign two per week for a month and then, move on. 😄

[nukeswife]

After thinking it over we're not doing it.  
The "Why not" is because honestly if I'm teaching them to write a well rounded essay does it really matter if it's 5 paragraphs or 3 or 7 or whatever length is needed to accomplish the task. 

 

The other "why not" is because I know my eldest son and he'll grab that very formulaic pattern and hang on to it like Golem with The Precious.  It won't matter if I say that sometimes it's not the best formula to use.  

 

I was also meaning 5PE in the strictest sense of the word. Intro laying out the thesis statement and how you'll use 3 points to cover it in no more than 3 sentences, 3 body paragraphs of no more than 5 sentences each which will cover the 3 points you mentioned in the intro, and a conclusion which restates your intro. 

 

ETA: my plan now has us using WWS, which doesn't use the 5PE that I've seen from looking through the Table of Contents.

[Reefgazer]

After reading this thread, I finally voted no in the poll because now I feel I understand the pros and cons and think I will just teach "essay".

[LucyStoner]

I have had to write 1 page type essays enough to random prompts to think it is an essential skill for a college bound student.

 

Many majors require an entrance exam. Many graduate school admissions tests have an essay in a testing environment requirement.