Although using the five-paragraph formula to teach essay writing is a ubiquitous practice--and many K-12 teachers defend it--Campbell argues that having students write according to this formula does more harm than good. The formula's tight structure stops the very critical thinking students need to do to strengthen their cognition and their writing skills. Students focus on slotting sentences into a template rather than pondering what they really want to say about a topic. In addition, writing to the formula doesn't lead to the highest scores on standardized tests or prepare kids for college writing--and may reinforce a deficit model of education. Drawing on her experience teaching English language arts, Campbell suggest specific ways teachers can forgo the formula and guide students to read closely, gather evidence, think deeply about an argument they'd like to make, and make informed decisions about how to structure and compose their essay.