Thesis Statement Role-Play: A Template for Coaching


Student: Um, Mr./Mrs./First Name of Art Teacher/Miss/ (circle one)

            __________________, you wrote on my paper that you wanted to see me about my thesis statement.

Teacher: Yes, __________________ (insert name of student), I was looking over your thesis statement and I think that you need to work on narrowing your thesis.

Student: Oh...okay.

Teacher: Well, let's look at your thesis statement. On your sheet you wrote that your thesis statement is: (circle one and use it throughout the rest of
this script)

                    Drugs in America

                    The invasion of Iraq by the United States

                    The value of Shakespeare's plays

                    Animal testing for non-medical purposes

                    Dean Kamen: the 21st century inventor

        Well, it seems that it's just too broad. It's really just a topic. Can you narrow it down to something more specific?

Student: How?

Teacher: Have you indicated a stance with your topic? Do you have a position you ant to defend?

Student: I'm not sure.

Teacher: Let me give you an example, then after I give you mine, you give me one. Okay?

Student: O-kee-doh-kee!

Teacher: Based on your topic, here's a position: ________________________________________________________________________

        ______________________________________________________________________ Do you see how that is a position statement?

Student: No.

Teacher: Let me explain. _________________________________________________________________________________________

        ______________________________________________________________________________________ Does that help?

Student: Yeah, I guess.

Teacher: Okay, now it's your turn. What is your position?

Student: Well, now that I understand what it means to take a position here's mine: _______________________________________________

            _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Teacher: (feeling an amazing amount of self-worth) Wow! That's great!

Student: Okay, so...I'm done?

Teacher: Not yet. Now that you have a position, you want to _______________________________________________________________

        _______________________________________________________________________

Student: Should I do research first before I make that thing you just said I should make?

Teacher: No, you can make it or something like it just based on your prior knowledge.

Student: Okay, I'm going to use the space provided below to outline three reasons for any three reasons against the topic and then I'll tell them to you.

                                         

                                              
Teacher: Great! Thanks for telling me your reasons. Now you need to develop a question to guide your research.

Student: A Question?

Teacher: Yes. Based on what you wrote, let me give you an example of a question. After that, you'll give me one. Here's mine: 

______________________________________________________________________________ Your turn.

Student: Well, here goes nothing: _____________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Teacher: Excellent! Now, can you take your question and restate it as a thesis statement? And, remember, you want your thesis to pass the test.
Remember the five questions?

Student: Oy vey!  Do I ever! You went over them in class for days!!! Okay, here I go, I'm going to try to write a thesis, but I'm sure it will fail one of
those questions: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Teacher: That's good, but you're right. It fails one of the questions. In particular, question number _________ (insert number here). Let me tell you why:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Try it again.

Student: Okay, I think I got it now! ___________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________

Teacher: You did it! You did it! I love teaching! I'm a thesis coach! I can't wait until our next in-service day! I'm awesome!

Developed by Ken Rodoff, Springfield Township English Department

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