Students are directed to interview someone, preferably a grandparent or someone older, and then write a paper about one aspect of the individual’s life. Possible ideas include happiest moments, the person’s youth, the hardest obstacle the individual had to overcome, etc. After interviewing the person, students must write a typed 5-8 page paper (double-spaced). I have assigned this essay in almost every English course I have ever taught, from eighth graders all the way to AP English students. The papers tend to be among the best papers that students write the entire year. The assignment will probably be done almost exclusively outside of class, and students will need 2-3 weeks to complete the assignment.
The four-page handout includes directions for completing the assignment, information explaining how informal character sketches differ from formal writing assignments, and a list of 25 possible interview questions.
This is a fun and educational project!
December 1, 2006
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I worked in schools either as a middle school teacher, high school teacher, or administrator for over thirty years. Most of my experience has been in high school English classrooms. I have taught everything from ninth-grade literature to students with major reading problems all the way to AP English Language and Composition teacher. Although I love teaching, I retired at the end of the 2009-2010 school year when over 500 teachers in my district lost their jobs because of the bad economy. I'm praying that the economy will improve and I will be able to find another teaching job in high school or college in the future.
