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Navigator Week 7:Your Personal Statement

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Welcome to Week 7!Important Dates and Deadlines:• Date #1• Date #2Last Week, We:Took an inventory of our activities and experiencesCreated a resume, summarizing our experiencesChose 3 references to ask for letters of recommendationThis Week We Will:Define personal statement and evaluate examplesReview the writing processFree-write and goldmine to identify a guiding ideaWrite a first draft of our personal statementUpload a draft to CSNav (milestone)

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Imagine you have been asked to provide a recommendation for one of your

classmates.

Use the “madlib” on Navigator page 84 to

write a letter, sharing a story about your

classmate’s strengths.

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Think It Through:

What makes stories so powerful?

STEP 1: List the qualities that powerful stories share.

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STEP 2: Define personal statement and review the conventions of personal statement writing.

Successful personal statements have:A strong, central guiding ideaDemonstration of one or two personal strengthsWord, phrases or sentences that add heartbeat

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STEP 2: Define personal statement and review the conventions of personal statement writing.

Why write a personal statement? Think about

transferrable skills!

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STEP 3: Evaluate a series of personal statements to identify the guiding idea, personal strengths, and heartbeat in each piece

Author’s Name

Guiding Idea Personal Strengths Demonstrated:

Pinpoquin

Kpondon

Dale

Rachel

Directions: Read each personal statement on pages 88-91. Underline the “heartbeat.” Then, fill in the chart on page 87.

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STEP 4: Review the steps of the writing process

the writing processBrainstorm to find a guiding ideaWrite a first draft to express personal strengths

Revise to add heartbeat

Write a second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) draft

Edit to fix mistakes

Publish a final, polish draft

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STEP 5: Free Write about a meaningful activity, experience, or topic

FREE WRITE RULES:1. Put your pen or pencil on the paper.2. When your teacher tells you to, start writing.3. DO NOT STOP WRITING, NO MATTER WHAT.4. Even if you don’t know what to write, keep writing. Write, “I don’t

know what to write.” But don’t stop.5. Let your mind wander, don’t stay on the topic. Write anything and

everything.6. DON’T STOP TO READ OVER WHAT YOU’VE WRITTEN. DON’T

STOP FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER.7. When time is up, put down your pen or pencil, crack your knuckles,

and know that you’ve accomplished something great, even if it doesn’t look like it just yet.

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STEP 6: Collaboratively goldmine a classmate’s free write to pull out “golden nuggets”

“Goldmining” is a metaphor. When we “goldmine” one another’s work, we are looking for “golden nuggets” just like old time gold miners did when they “panned for gold” during the Gold Rush.

We want these kind of “golden nuggets”, not chicken nuggets…

…because we want to help one another choose the right golden nugget to turn into “gold” – their perfect personal statement.

Yes! No!!

1849

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Author - Read your free write aloud, slowly and clearly.

Goldminers - As you listen to the free write, take notes. Listen for:• Heartbeat• What makes you laugh?• What makes you cringe?• What seems important?• What is strong?• What needs more explanation and thought?• What do you like about what they’ve written?• What words or phrases do you feel are particularly interesting?• What are the major ideas that come through?• Which ones do you like best?• What stories or events are mentioned or alluded to? Can you choose one you like

best?

STEP 7: Goldmine your free write in a small group or with a partner to identify a guiding idea for your personal statement.

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Author – Ask yourself:• Of all the golden nuggets you heard from your classmates, which are you most

interested in writing more about? Why?• What are the personal strengths you want to demonstrate in your personal

statement? Why?• What will be your guiding idea that you will weave through your whole personal

statement?

STEP 8: Articulate your guiding idea

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STEP 9: Write a first draft of your personal statement.

the writing process Brainstorm to find a guiding idea

Write a first draft to express personal strengthsRevise to add heartbeat

Write a second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) draft

Edit to fix mistakes

Publish a final, polish draft

try to: Tell a story that relates to your guiding

idea. Tell only one story, from beginning to end. Include all the information the reader will

need to understand your story. Include details which demonstrate YOUR

personal strengths.

try not to:Tell your life story. Focus on one event or incident, not your whole life.Assume the reader knows where you come from and understands your culture and

community. It’s great to use specific details of where you’re from, just be sure to explain their meaning.

Tell someone else’s story or demonstrate THEIR personal strengths. If you are writing about your mother or grandmother or a best friend, be sure the focus is on how they helped YOU become a better person, not on how great they are.

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Week 7 SummaryThis Week We: Defined personal statement and evaluate examples Reviewed the writing process Identified a guiding idea Wrote a first draft of our personal statement Uploaded a draft to CSNav (milestone)

Questions for Discussion:• Which of the personal statements we read this week do you think was the

most powerful? Why?• Do you consider yourself to be a good writer? Why or why not?• What is good or bad about writing about yourself?

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CSNav How-to:

Personal Statement Milestone

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First, type your personal

statement in Microsoft Word,

or another editor.

Save your personal

statement, and remember where you saved it.

Microsoft Word

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Logon to CSNav to upload a draft of your personal

statement.

Quick Links:

Personal Statement

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The Quick Link takes you here.

Click on “Upload a draft personal

statement.

Your Portfolio > Your Profile >How You See

Yourself

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Click “Browse” to open a pop-up

window

Upload a draft personal

statement

Find your document and click “Open”

Be sure to click “Upload and save” to get your

checkmark!

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After you click “Upload and

Save,” you will see the name of your document

here.

You will now receive a

checkmark for the milestone.

Your Profile > How You See Yourself > My

Personal Statement

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To see your checkmark, go

back to “Home” by clicking on the icon on the top of the page.

Then, click “Your Planning

Milestones” to see your

checkmarks.

Your Planning Milestones