To teach my students how to write a personal recount, I made them undergo an experience about writing to their principal. The next lesson, I recalled this shared experience and used it as material to pen my model essay.

Organisational Features Orientation (Who, Where, When & What)

It was the last two periods of school. However, I quickened my steps towards my classroom. I was excited to have my students make a request to their principal via Padlet. Using the PEEL approach, they had drafted their arguments on why NorthLight School needed to install lockers outside the classroom in the previous lesson.

The noise level in the class shot up immediately. Most students were on task but some chose to be disruptive. It was a cold day but drops of sweat flowed down my forehead. I felt as stretched as an octopus - pulled in all directions.

Looking at the chaos around me, I first took in deep breaths. I decided to help one pair of students at a time. I then gave them targeted feedback. After that, I discovered that most students made similar mistakes. They did not capitalise the first letter of each sentence. They also neglected to put a full stop at the end of a sentence. I taught them patiently.

The bell rang to signify the end of the school day. I explained why punctuation was important to my students. I then forwarded the Padlet link containing their letters to their principal. Everyone clapped for me because I was the greatest teacher alive.¹ I learnt something important that day: Teaching students punctuation could be fun.