I. Listen to Jon Carroll’s essay “Failure is a Good Thing” located here
1. What is the essayist’s job/career?
2. What does he believe in?
3. Which is more natural, first-time success or first-time failure?
4. What does he say is good about failure?
a.
b.
c.
5. What did the essayist’s daughter do that he uses as an example?
6. What would he like to tell his granddaughter?
II. Browse other essays on the NPR site or the This I Believe site.
Choose one other essay to listen to.
1. Name of essay:______________________________
Author of essay: _________________________________
2. Briefly summarize the essay.
The author’s belief is _________________________________
He or she supports this main idea in the essay by…
III. Think of a core (personal) belief that you have. Briefly (in one paragraph) summarize this belief. What is your belief and why do you personally believe this? Use reasons and examples from your own life, not general statements, to support your belief.
