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I'm back at English after 15 years plus in Math. I do realize how important a hook is but I haven't had a chance to work with my students yet.    Kelly Dacus

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I'm back at English after 15 years plus in Math. I do realize how important a hook is but I haven't had a chance to work with my students yet.    Kelly Dacus

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This is a move back to English after 15 plus years in math. My students 

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This is a move back to English after 15 plus years in math. My students 

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.....what do they need? I'm not sure

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My student struggle with the introduction and I struggle with teaching the introduction, if I am honest.  My students want to use a hook, but it ends up sounding trite or cliche.  Often, my students want to use the same question that has been asked of them to begin their essays.  I try to encourage my students to tart with their position statement and move on.

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My student struggle with the introduction and I struggle with teaching the introduction, if I am honest.  My students want to use a hook, but it ends up sounding trite or cliche.  Often, my students want to use the same question that has been asked of them to begin their essays.  I try to encourage my students to tart with their position statement and move on.

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Molly Hunt

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I have found that students using a song lyric helps them create an engaging hook. Many students love music. They find it easier to remember a lyric rather than any other quote. 

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I have found that students using a song lyric helps them create an engaging hook. Many students love music. They find it easier to remember a lyric rather than any other quote. 

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I feel kind of like
I neglect the hook. I focus primarily on making sure that my students have a clear thesis and a sentence or two giving their reasons, then its off to the body paragraphs. I just try to keep it simple so they don't get off topic before they even get started. Also, like others have stated, page space is limited. I hate to take away from the meat of the paper.

Teisha Childers

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I use the inverted pyramid that structures the intro by making a broad statement as an attention-getter or hook. Like Jessica, I provide ideas for different types of hooks. It is followed by the bridge that narrows and connects the hook to the ready and waiting thesis statement. I always have them write a thesis statement first.
Julie Garner

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I tell my students that they have to have the building blocks before they can decorate! In other words, I stress the importance of them creating a solid outline with a strong thesis before they write anything. Then, I have them look at their body paragraphs to decide what sort of introduction is appropriate. I tell them to keep it short and simple when it comes to an introduction. They have a cheat sheet that gives them ideas on how to start, such as small anecdotes, observations, etc.

Jessica Jacob

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Creating a safe environment for my students to share is always my first battle with each class.  My students need so much support from not only their teacher, but also their peers.  I create support "teams" with my small classes.  These teams conduct peer review, topic support, proofreading, thesis-check, hook ideas, and overall support.  They begin with team compositions, then I wean them to the point that the team reviews graded compositions and lists 5 positives and 2 "ways to improve" for each member.  The majority of my students require a tremendous amount of support... I see huge learning gaps decrease as students become more confident in their writing abilities; hopefully, we will see more gaps close in the  next year.  Next year my students have chosen minor league baseball team names!  I already have a team that's chosen the Pensacola Blue Wahoos:)

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Creating a safe environment for my students to share is always my first battle with each class.  My students need so much support from not only their teacher, but also their peers.  I create support "teams" with my small classes.  These teams conduct peer review, topic support, proofreading, thesis-check, hook ideas, and overall support.  They begin with team compositions, then I wean them to the point that the team reviews graded compositions and lists 5 positives and 2 "ways to improve" for each member.  The majority of my students require a tremendous amount of support... I see huge learning gaps decrease as students become more confident in their writing abilities; hopefully, we will see more gaps close in the  next year.  Next year my students have chosen minor league baseball team names!  I already have a team that's chosen the Pensacola Blue Wahoos:)

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Kim Holland

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Since I am just now moving to junior high, I will have to use examples from my fourth grade writing class.  I encourage them to write their thesis statement, followed by their body paragraphs.  We then go back to do the hook, followed by the conclusion.  I have always used the "funnel introduction" that was mentioned by someone else, but I've always called it an upside-down triangle.  We start broad then zoom in on our thesis, or controlling idea, statement.

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Since I am just now moving to junior high, I will have to use examples from my fourth grade writing class.  I encourage them to write their thesis statement, followed by their body paragraphs.  We then go back to do the hook, followed by the conclusion.  I have always used the "funnel introduction" that was mentioned by someone else, but I've always called it an upside-down triangle.  We start broad then zoom in on our thesis, or controlling idea, statement.

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Tammy Carper

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This may sound a little crazy, but some of my students that have a really hard time getting their essay started, write the hook towards the end. I don't mean towards the end of the essay, but they wait until they are finished writing their essay and then go back and write their hook. 

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This may sound a little crazy, but some of my students that have a really hard time getting their essay started, write the hook towards the end. I don't mean towards the end of the essay, but they wait until they are finished writing their essay and then go back and write their hook. 

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Many of my students have a hard time getting started, so this is something that I suggest some of them doing and it helps! Of course, they start the essay with some type of hook, but later (when they finish the entire essay) they go back and make their hook more appealing to the reader.
Lauten Escobedo

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Unless someone just has an amazing hook that they have to get written down, I encourage students to NOT start with the hook.  It is a lot of pressure to start off an essay. And, they have defaulted to some overused ways to start...like, "Beep, beep, beep...my alarm goes off!" Or, the famous question. "Have you ever worked on a team?" CRING! I make a huge deal about how I hate this hook-in a comical way to show how it
just. is. so. boring.
Since I have the most experience with 7th grade writers, I tell them to shed their 4th grade writing scales and GROW!!!
I like reading the beginnings of novels, short stories, narrative nonfiction to examine the different hooks.
Leslie Dickson

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Carlie and I must have the same students : )
It seems many of our students fall back on using a question for their HOOK. I try to discourage this type of opening. Like Carlie, I have students concentrate on getting their thesis written, and usually during the planning or drafting stages, the idea for a HOOK comes to them. I also encourage them to think BROAD for the HOOK and then narrow down to the THESIS. I believe this is called a funnel introduction.

Students have the most difficulty, it seems, beginning the essay. Once they get started, they are okay until the conclusion when they need more help; and for some reason, they think there is a "One size fits all" for the conclusion. --b ut that's part 4 of this workshop : )

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The introduction paragraph is where most of my students struggle while writing the expository essay. They "don't know how to start it." For my struggling writers, I have them begin their essay with their thesis and move on to their body paragraphs. For other students, I ask students to stay away from using a question or the given quote as their hook.  In the beginning of teaching the essay, I will model several introductions before students feel comfortable creating their own.
Carlie Fehl