Developing Voice using the Classic Essay

As I prepare to begin a new year, I’m struggling with the teaching of writing in my AP Lang (and Lit) classes. There is a difference between the variety and types of essays they read, and the types of essays they write in preparation for the exam. Late this summer I picked up the book The Journey Is Everything by Katherine Bomer on the recommendation of Liz Matheny (@matheeli). In that book, she argues that we should teach the essay as Montaigne originally conceived it and as most professional writers continue to write it. As Bomer writes,

An essay does not offer to help us install window shades, it does not claim to know the major causes of the Civil War, and it does not try to win a debate for or against the death penalty. Instead, an essay gives its author the space, time, and freedom to think about and make sense of things, take a journey of discovery, and speak her mind, without boundaries besides those imposed by the writer herself (and perhaps by the rules of polite society, but not always) (Bomer 18).

This inquiry based approach, rather than a response to a prompt, is the type of writing often done both in college and in the wild. Am I failing my students if I don’t also prepare them for this (in addition to literary criticism, rhetorical analysis, reports, arguments, etc)? My students typically take so long to master the forms of rhetorical analysis, argument, and synthesis that I wonder if I will have the time. 

As the opening of the school year fast approaches for me (September 1st for my and many other schools up here in the Pacific Northwest), I’m playing with the idea of opening the year with a short unit on the personal, inquiry-based essay as conceived by Montaigne. Perhaps coupling that focus with Nancy Dean’s Discovering Voice (I use her original Voice Lessons in AP Lit) will help my students develop the strong voices they need to help them move up into the 7+ range on the test. 

The reason I think this might work is this: real voice comes from confidence and agency. If students can find that in themselves by being given freedom in their writing they aren't used to having, but are still guided toward a high and laudable end, it should be much easier to apply when writing in the forms required on the test.

I think it’s an experiment worth trying. What do you think? Does anyone have experience with such an approach? Please share in the comments.