I Kept Wondering Why I Only Scored Average in My Teacher Certification Essay

As part of going into alternate certification I had to take a test similar to what high school seniors need to pass but graded harder. I had the highest possible scores in all other parts of the test but on the essay I was average.

Body and Soul has the answer. It was graded under the five-paragraph essay system and I didn't use or even know that. Texas has been teaching for several years in high school how to supposedly write essays to persuade or illustrate your point of view. The mechanical system used is to create an introductory paragraph with your thesis and three supporting statements, create a paragraph for each supporting statement, have a final paragraph that repeats your thesis.

As Body and Soul says "If you get a paper that makes no sense at all, and bores you to tears, but looks weirdly organized, count the paragraphs. If there are five, you have the dreaded 'five paragraph essay,' which was an educational fad in the seventies and early eighties, a template for organizing complete garbage."

The New York Times mentions the essay in a statement by a student in an article on the bogus test scores. The blog community seems to be shocked that this is what Bush's "Texas miracle" is teaching and grading on.

Well, I'm shocked too. At least I now know the answer why the part of the test I spent the most time on had the lowest grade. This is not to say I'm a good writer, as my readers well know.