The College Personal Statement - Student Workshop

Join us as we explore the following essential question: what if we taught the college personal statement (and supplements) like Bob Ross teaches painting?  During our session, we will learn how to “paint” each separate component of the Common Application while your instructor provides plenty of exemplars and models.  Further, we will investigate how a set of heuristics can help demystify the writing process while enabling students to write across the application process with a uniform approach.

Research overwhelmingly suggests that students grow and mature as writers when two things happen:

• Their teacher positions themselves as the expert writer in the classroom
• The writing process is scaffolded with accessible and versatile heuristics

As a college personal statement expert, as well as a lead teacher for the National Writing Project, Kristian is going to embrace his inner-Bob Ross and “paint” with students through the college personal statement as well as the supplemental portion of the application process.  A little-known fact about Bob Ross is that he only ever used one heuristic: the wet-on-wet-technique.  And as far as college application writing goes, students can do the same once they learn how to manipulate the heuristic of the narrative thread.

What you will get

• A real-time virtual workshop facilitated by NWP teacher-leader, Kristian Kuhn
• A community of students who are interested in learning more about the college application process
• Access to Kristian’s models and exemplars (student samples that earned entrance into the top-tier schools in the nation)
• Support for writing your college personal statements
• Tutoring opportunities

Time Commitment

Two 90-minute sessions, held from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM Central Time:

•  September 21st - Session 1
•  September 28th - Session 2

Cost

• $149 per student

Facilitator: Kristian Kuhn

Kristian began his writing instructor career at Brown University where he earned an M.A.T. in English and Education.

Working with both undergraduate and graduate students, he became known for his expertise in building student writers from the ground up – first mastering the fundamentals of composition, then aiding students to establish clear lines of reasoning across the expository modes with voice, rhythm, and flow.

During his time at Brown, Kristian also worked in the undergraduate admissions office reading and critiquing college application essays. In this role, he found himself saying “yay” and “nay” to prospective candidates based on the quality of their writing. This experience lent to Kristian’s ability to help college applicants write compelling and memorable application essays that are sure to impress college admissions boards.

Upon graduating from Brown, Kristian launched his career as a secondary ELA teacher in Upstate New York – a place he has called home for the last twenty years.

Early in his career, the professional community dubbed Kristian the “Bob Ross of Composition.”

He quickly realized that there is a seismic difference between “assigning” written work and explicitly “teaching” it.

To teach writing, Kristian “paints” with his students through modeling and close reading exemplars. Over the course of his career, he has developed a set of heuristics that demystify the writing process in ways that are easily accessible and readily comprehensible.

In addition to having completed his graduate work at Brown University, Kristian earned a third graduate degree in Literacy Education from St. John Fisher College. During his studies, he developed a vast repertoire of strategies to help struggling and emerging readers and writers actualize their full potential.

Throughout his twenty years of classroom experience, Kristian has helped countless LD (learning different/learning disabled) students flourish and take off as readers, writers, thinkers, and college applicants.

Kristian also trains teachers in his writing techniques and modalities. At present, he is a lead instructor for The National Writing Project where he facilitates teacher training programs. And in fall of 2023, Kristian was a lead presenter at the National Council of Teachers of English conference in Anaheim, California.

Kristian is also an accomplished writer who has authored six collections of poetry and two textbooks – Teaching Teachers How to Teach Writing and What If We Taught Composition Like Bob Ross Teaches Painting? You can also find him hosting a popular YouTube