Many of my students who show up early to class probably think I'm a metiche.  I teach English classes on Zoom.  When I'm faced with a black screen – this happens when students fail/refuse to turn on their videos – I try to break the ice to alleviate any tension.  Mostly mine. I ask questions.  In Spanish, the term metiche means nosy.   It probably means more than that, like someone who tries to get involved in places or things where he/she doesn't belong.  Jaja.  In the time leading up to class, I ask my students about the movies they watch or the music they listen to.  I used to run marathons; I ask my athletic-minded students to tell me how they work out.  I live in Mexicali.  I ask my students where they eat their tacos when they cross the border.   Do you know what?  No one has really told me that none of this is any of my business.  Under the right conditions, they like to talk, and I'm thinking if I can duplicate these same conditions during class time, they just might like to write.  That's why this week, I'm introducing the Classification Essay. I'm betting that the opportunity for my students to share and classify their own personal interests and passions will open new doors for their writing. 

Early in the week, I asked my classes to pull back from their research and writing to brainstorm ideas for our next writing project: The Classification Essay.  I introduced the concept.  I modelled my idea for an essay on Mexicali Tacos ( see the first colorized ad in Jay's Personals).  We watched a video about an Austrailian man who has dedicated his life to collecting Marilyn Monroe memorabilia).  The collector in the video had amassed a collection of Marilyn Memorabilia over fifty years, and he was now ready to sell on the open market.  He had bought Marilyn's refrigerator at a yard sale.  He could identify it with a photo from the crime scene published in the newspaper the day after Marilyn's death.   He had a Marilyn dress he bought in the sixties for a few  hundred dollars that he was now going to sell  for $90,000.  The money was not what interested to me, however;  it was the passion that this guy showed for his collection.  

My students have shared their ideas on Jamboard.  A classification essay sorts a topic into classes (or types) and has a good reason for doing so.  My students will choose the three most significant/prevalent subgroups OR types that will become the focus of their essay.

• Their  paragraphs will explain the significant characteristics of each subgroup to their  readers.
• Student example – the classification of classmates in high school – “Some I remember were the nerd, the freak, and the geek. However, the three most common types of students I saw at George W. Bush High School were the slacker, the hacker, and the attacker.”

Classification essays are commonly used in business, science, advertising, and editorials. However, at this level, a classification essay can be subjective. Sometimes classification essays are humorous or sarcastic. I ask my students to choose a topic that will interest both THEM and their AUDIENCE.  Use THEIR imagination. Have fun, be creative, and be original — the structure is straightforward.  Of course, they will have to write a thesis statement which they support in the details of the essay. 

Here is a sample list of examples I provide my students the first day:

Examples of creative items to classify: * toothpicks * shopping bags * yogurt * toilet seats * energy drinks * memes * classroom desks * earbuds * graffiti

Examples of creative ideas to classify: * dumping a boy/girlfriend * cheating * bad habits * anxiety * boredom * relationships * first dates * vacations * movie endings

Examples of creative types of people to classify: * cat owners * gamers * stepmoms (dads) * cashiers at Starbucks * trumpet players * football quarterbacks * youth pastors * BFFs * English teachers.

Last semester I developed and modeled a classification essay for Female Rock Stars:

Jay's Tip:  I'm not kidding when I say IT'S PERSONAL.  My students will choose a topic for which they have a PERSONAL passion or interest.  For my classification essay, I'm going to pull out my albums and biographies.  I will break down my Female Rock Stars into three categories:  LEATHER; LOVE; and LACE.  You can expect to hear from Joan Jett, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Nicks.

ESTUDIANTES: Your Classification Essay will be PERSONAL.  It will be FUN!   Classification will become an important ACADEMIC and PROFESSIONAL skill.  EVERYONE WINS!  This is going to be great.  You will see.

Paz,

JL