Every generation has its trends and slang. For Baby Boomers, it is their strong work ethic. For Millenials, it is their Buzzfeed quizzes. However, for Generation Z, it is their excessive use of emojis. Recognizing this solid desire for text exclusively with emojis, the WCHS English Department has introduced emoji-only essays.
This change was proposed at a recent WCHS staff meeting, where the teachers of the English department shared their ideas with the administration. The proposal was met with much excitement and was approved right away.
“I have always felt left out when the rest of the world’s name was typed in letters,” new AP English Language and Composition teacher Mrs. 🌹🅰️🤥 (Rosalie) said. “I am glad that this school accommodates people like me.”
Many parents have disapproved of this new plan, believing it is not teaching their children basic language skills. However, the students of WCHS are ecstatic about this change and have been showing their support for the teachers.
“I finally get to show off what I am an expert at, typing in emojis,” WCHS sophomore Jaden Smiley said. “I told my mom I would finally get an A in English, and she was psyched.”
Other schools in MCPS have contacted WCHS and are curious about the new policy, hoping to add it to their curriculum. While WCHS has yet to set out a full plan to grade these essays, the English department has been happy to explain how they plan to facilitate these assignments to the other schools.
“I have been leading the way for this rule change and started to create the rubric for this new type of assessment,” 🌹🅰️🤥 said. “I think that we will use a similar rubric to the rhetorical analysis essay and to get the ‘unicorn point,’ you will need to use a unique set of emojis.”
Due to the introduction of this new essay, many have been awaiting the inevitable removal of the synthesis essay of the AP Lang curriculum. It has been deemed “unnecessary and too similar to the argument essay,” but students are excited for a unique type of assessment.
“I hate all the essays; they get so repetitive, and I never do well with them,” Smiley said. “But I can’t wait to write an emoji-only essay; I can say something new and exciting every time I sit down to write one.”
However, the essay won’t be implemented into the curriculum until next year. Teachers will continue to tweak and finalize the plans over the rest of the 2023-24 school year.
“I am excited to see where we go from here and see how students do on this assignment when it is released,” 🌹🅰️🤥 said. “Who knows, maybe the history classes will start adding lessons focusing on evolving TikTok trends.”
