ESSAY WRITING -- TIPS -- AN IDEAL TEACHER

The Art of Essay Writing

HOW TO WRITE A GOOD ESSAY?

            Essay writing is an art. The students should master this art from the very beginning of their educational career. The importance of Essay writing can hardly be exaggerated. In fact, Essay is one of the most effective and surest tests of the personality and mental development of the candidates. If the students master the technique of Essay writing at an early stage, they can become good Essayists later on.

            According to the Random House Dictionary of English language, an Essay is a short literary composition on a particular subject, usually in prose. The Oxford Dictionary defines Essay as a literary composition. It is usually in prose and on a particular subject. Still, according to Ben Johnson, “an Essay is a thing someone does himself an the point of the Essay is not the subject but the charm of personality”.

            An Essay is thus a means of literary self-expression of the subject having a vast range from kings to kits. In the examinations, the students can be asked to write an Essay on a variety of subjects like current affairs, topics of general interest, science topics, education, films, radio, festivals, excursions, accidents, etc. The students generally have a wide choice and they can choose a subject of their liking. But a student should choose only that topic about which he has some clear ideas or which he has already prepared. He should not choose a subject about which he has no knowledge or possesses only vague ideas.

            Practice makes a man perfect. The students must practice Essay writing. They can master this art by writing Essays on different topics and remembering them properly. While writing an Essay the students must not beat about the bush. They should keep quite close to the subject. The Essay should be written in a systematic and logical manner.

BEST AND EFFECTIVE STYLE OF WRITING A GOOD ESSAY

            The best and effective style of writing a good Essay is the use of simple words. There is no need of using very difficult words. The language used should be simple and idiomatic. The students should write small sentences. In these small sentences, there will be less possibility of committing any grammatical mistakes. There is no need of filling an Essay with a large number of unnecessary quotations. It is better if the students can say something original but in their own language.

            Ever Essay needs an introduction. The introduction should be direct and to the point. If a candidate writes a lengthy introduction, then he may deviate too much from the main topic. In the body of the Essay, main idea should be written in a well-balanced and logical manner.

            Like the introduction, the conclusion in an Essay should also be logical, convincing and natural. Without writing a good conclusion, the student cannot expect to secure good marks in the examination. The conclusion should e natural and not abrupt. Thus the students must pay special attention to the introduction as well as the concluding part of an Essay. Generally, they should not go against the title of the Essay.

            A good handwriting like a pleasing personality is always an asset. Therefore, the students should try to improve their handwriting before hand. The Essay Should be written in a legible handwriting. A good handwriting always fetches more marks in the examination. The students should also revise their Essay after writing. In this way, they can correct any mistakes which they may have committed regarding spelling, punctuation, construction of sentences, etc.

LENGTH OF AN ESSAY

            Regarding the length of an Essay, there is no hard and fast rule. Some famous writers like Bacon used to write very short Essays. On the other hand, William Hazlitt, another famous Essayist, wrote very lengthy Essays. The examiner is not much impressed by the length of your Essay. He is more influenced by the substances of your Essay and the manner in which you have presented or expressed it. The real thing which matters is that the Essay should be systematic and convincing. Of course, when you are asked to write an Essay within a fixed limit of words, you must adhere to it. Essay writing should be a personal attempt made in a pleasant manner to make it a delightful reading.

TITLE CHOSEN FOR WRITING AN ESSAY

            The students must understand properly the meaning of the title chosen for writing the Essay before they actually start writing. Sometimes, it so happens that the students start writing an Essay in a hurry without understanding properly the meaning o the topic. It is only when they come out of the examination hall and discuss it with other students that they realize their mistake, that what they had written in the examination was just the opposite of what was asked in the question paper.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER FOR WRITING A GOOD ESSAY

            The students should remember the following points while writing an Essay:

1. Choose the title of your Essay very carefully. Never choose a title about which you have no clear ideas.

2. Before you start writing the Essay, you must jot down your points or ideas.

3. Always remember that the beginning and the end of an Essay are very important, so give them special attention.

4. You should not give one-sided conclusion. Conclusion should always be a balanced one.

5. The points should be developed in a systematic order.

6. Generally you should not go against the title of the Essay.

7. Do not fill you Essay wholly with quotations or facts and figures. It will only show your lack of expression.

8. Put each main idea in a separate paragraph.

9. You should not give number to the paragraph.

10. The introduction should be direct and to the point. The conclusion should be quite convincing and natural.

11. Avoid the use of difficult words. You should not use a word the meaning of which is not clear to you.

12. There is no hard and fast rule regarding the length. But if the limit of words is given, you should adhere to it.

13. Avoid the use of slangs in your Essay.

14. Write in a beautiful and legible handwriting. A good handwriting is an asset like a pleasing personality. It can fetch more marks in the Examination.

15. You must revise your Essay after completion to correct the Grammatical mistakes, if any.

An Ideal Teacher

            Teaching is a noble profession. Since the ancient times, teachers are highly respected in India. In reality, the teachers are the pillars of a nation. They make the future of a country bright by teaching the citizens of tomorrow. The ideal teachers can produce a nation of educated and disciplined people. According to Plato, a teacher is a doctor of the mind. He removes the ignorance from the mind of the students and inculcates knowledge in them.

            An ideal teaches with the spirit of a missionary. He pursues his profession in a devoted and dedicated manner. He is fully conscious of his noble responsibilities. He never curtails his duty and is always ready to impart knowledge to the students.

            An ideal teacher is not only a highly learned person but also possesses the ability to transfer his knowledge to the students in an easy-to-understand method. He prepares his lessons every day. He does not go to class unprepared just to kill time. An ideal teacher also remains a student all his life, as he is always keen in increasing his knowledge.

            An ideal teacher knows that knowledge is virtue. He tries to make his students virtuous. He tries to enlighten the minds of his students on every subject. He is an ideal teacher in the traditions of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. His hunger for knowledge is insatiable.

            An ideal teacher knows the difficulties of his students and tries to remove them. He is just like a friend, philosopher and guide to his students. If a student is weak in his studies he helps him. And if a student is intelligent, he encourages him to gather more and more knowledge. He inspires the students by his personal example. He is just like a fatherly figure for the students. He does not make any discrimination among his students on the basis of caste, colour, creed or race.

            An ideal teacher takes a lot of interest in his students. He knows that the cause of education can only be served if there is a cooperation between the teachers and students. He tries to develop personal relations with the students, to know their difficulties and to help them in removing the same. He not only teaches them text books, but also becomes their guide in all matter concerning them.

            The ideal teacher tries to be perfect in his behaviour and character, because he knows that he can better influence the students by his own example than by preaching alone. He possesses an unblemished moral character. He works hard and inspires the students also to work hard in their life. He teachers the students the principles of punctuality, discipline and efficiency by his own example.

            Like the Father of the Nation, an ideal teacher believes in the principle of simple living and high thinking. He is a thorough gentleman. He is the embodiment of politeness and truth. He is the maker of the character of his students. He is an ideal citizen of the nation and knows well his responsibilities to make the students the ideal citizens. He inspires the students to become worthy sons of their motherland.

            An ideal teacher is a just and fair-minded person. He teaches his students the noble virtues of life. He tells his students to shed superstitions and ignorance. He makes his students the real seekers of truth and knowledge. He wants the students to serve their nation and sacrifice their narrow interests for the sake of their motherland. Thus, an ideal teacher is a great asset to his nation and the society at large.

            I had the privilege of studying at the feet of such an ideal teacher. He was our science teacher. He was an embodiment of hard work, perseverance and relentless pursuit of his mission to churn out ideal students equipping them best not only academically but also making them a real asset for the nation imbibed with patriotism, honesty and sincerity. The ideal teacher produced many an ideal students setting example of selfless dedication. I will always cherish his memory in my heart.