Illustration /Exemplification Assignment"Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects." (Will Rogers)
The same is true of skills. We all have something that we are especially good at, even if we don't really think about it. What area of your life do you have personal, first-hand experience? What do you know well? In what area(s) do you consider yourself an expert? For example, are you good at gardening? Cooking? Fixing cars? A specific sport?
I am not only talking about typical skills such as playing a sport or instrument, or even fixing cars. I want you to think harder.
Here are a few examples:
- the woman who remembers every important date in her life and those around her- from birthdays to death, anniversaries of weddings to divorce, and everything in between.
- the kid who knows exactly how to manipulate his mother and father into getting what he wants
- the one person who can judge exactly how to arrange things spatially (luggage in a car, leftovers in plastic tubs, dishes in the fridge)
- the friend who seems to know how you are feeling and what to do at just the right time
- someone who can grow anything and everything without ever seeming to try
- that one boss who can make you do anything he or she asks
- the driver who can scare the actual breath out of his or her passengers
Do you get the idea? I can make my kids laugh even when they are mad at me, fall asleep in any situation or position, and have three (or more) projects going at a time without making any progress on any of them.
How would prove to others that you are, indeed, an expert? How would you teach someone else to do what you can do?
On an MSWord document, make a list of your skills that you would like to share with the class. Then, write several examples that show that you are indeed an 'expert' at this skill.
Finally, take your notes and write them into a paragraph. Begin with a clear topic sentence telling what you want to teach your reader, and give several clear examples showing that you are indeed an expert. Review, revise, and edit to make sure your writing is clear.
Your final paragraph should be at least 120 words. A sample is provided below.