Hands-On Essays | Frequently Asked Questions

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What is Hands-On Essays? Hands-On Essays is a curriculum designed to help students master the essay and prepare for the written portion of the SAT.  Return to top

Why is it important to master the essay? Essays contain key elements that are found in many other types of writing. A student who can write a great essay will find it easy to transfer those skills to other writing assignments. In addition, essays lend themselves to the development of a personal writing style. Students can infuse their personality rather than simply following a generic formula. Return to top

What is the format for Hands-On Essays? The curriculum consists of a DVD and handbook that work in conjunction with one another. For an explanation of how the program works, click here to watch the author explain it in detail.  Return to top

Who is the intended audience? Hands-On Essays is designed for middle and high school students and it is written directly to the student.  Return to top

How many lessons are included in the curriculum and how long is each DVD lesson? The curriculum has 16 lessons and the DVD portion of each lesson averages about 5-10 minutes in length.  Return to top

Where can I see a sample lesson? Click on the media page to view sample lessons from both the handbook and the DVD.  Return to top

How fast does the student move through the curriculum? Hands-On Essays is a self-paced curriculum. It’s designed so the student can repeat it multiple times, using new topics for assignments, until the essay is mastered.  Return to top

Since it’s written to the student, does the parent or teacher need to be involved in the teaching process? The parent or teacher can decide how much to participate in the instruction process. A parent or teacher will definitely need to evaluate the writing the student produces for each lesson. A lesson-by-lesson evaluation plan is included in the back of the handbook for this purpose.  Return to top

Is it consumable? No. Every assignment in Hands-On Essays can be completed on computer or paper so one copy can be used by multiple family members.  Return to top

What makes Hands-On Essays unique when compared to other writing curriculums?

  • The author is passionate about writing and has many years of writing experience.
  • A panel of middle and high school students was involved in every aspect of producing this curriculum. No decision was made without their approval.
  • This isn’t simply theory. The lessons in Hands-On Essays have been used repeatedly with students in the home and in the classroom with great success. 
  • Hands-On Essays is simple and straightforward. It breaks the essay-writing process into bite-sized pieces that are easy to understand.
  • The curriculum seeks to address the needs of the auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learner.  Return to top

How does Hands-On Essays address different learning styles? Hands-On Essays strives to meet the needs of auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. The DVD reaches the auditory learners while the DVD and handbook provide for the visual learner. By using the hand as the outline for essays, the kinesthetic learner is also satisfied. In addition, assignments are provided throughout the curriculum to meet the needs of all types of learners.  Return to top

How does Hands-On Essays help prepare students for the written portion of the SAT? Hands-On Essays includes a lesson that teaches students how to read and understand writing prompts similar to those found on standardized tests. Students also learn how to write an essay within the 25 minute time frame given on the SAT.  Return to top

Will the curriculum work in a classroom or co-op setting? Yes. Hands-On Essays was originally taught in a classroom setting and the lessons are set up in such a way as to be easily adaptable for groups. Return to top

Will Hands-On Essays work for a student with special needs? Hands-On Essays was not designed for special needs students. However, the simplicity of the lessons, the bite-sized chunks of learning, and the kinesthetic element may lend themselves to teaching the special needs student. The individual parent or teacher will need to decide whether or not the curriculum is a good fit for a particular student. Return to top

Is Hands-On Essays a Christian curriculum? The purpose of Hands-On Essays is to help students master the essay. The author is a Christian and the curriculum adheres to Biblical principles, but does not seek to evangelize.  Return to top

Do you have plans to create more writing curriculums? Absolutely! The plan is to produce writing curriculums that span the gamut of grade levels.  Return to top