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Susan Thomas

Dr. Jan Rieman

EN 1103-H05

October 24, 2010

Growing Through Writing and Exploring Through Reading

Self Assessment: I really appreciated the group writing conference with the instructor. It was
really helpful. I liked having my essay read allowed by someone else and then listening to
feedback from everyone else. It was more detailed this time around and I feel we have become
more comfortable with reading and discussing each other’s writing. I feel I have effectively
reflected on this semester thus far and have hopes that in the future I will use the knowledge I’ve
gained to help me in writing my inquiry paper.

It seems as though just yesterday I walked into the small, stuffy room located on the third

floor of Colvard academic building. The quaint classroom began to fill with students who were

stressing about not being able to find the classroom because of the maze-like layout of the

facility. I noticed several familiar faces from our previous Venture activity that weekend. I began

to fill the discomfort slowly lift from my shoulders, bringing them down comfortably to my side.

This English class would be different from any I had ever experienced.

During that first class period, we were prompted to write in our day books about what it

meant to be in the moment and how we felt our previous experience in literature or composition

classes prepared us for this particular class. I felt as though I was well prepared for this class

from my previous teachings and was eager to explore various writing styles, authors, and genres.

From that point on, before the start of the class, the day book entries allowed me to regain focus

and forget about other classes, tests, or assignments I had and think about putting my mind in

place for English. We were never given the same topic and the mediums varied every day. Being

able to watch a video or power point and respond was a break from the humdrum of reading a

prompt everyday; similar to that of a quick write in high school. The day book entry topics gave
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the class insight on where the discussion sin class may lead to on that particular day also helped

me during the times of peer workshop. It allowed me to write down specifics that I needed my

peers to look for in my paper. Overall, writing in my day book not only gave me a focal point in

class but it also set the foundation for me to create my own day book. I write personal entries

throughout the day and reflect on them weeks later just to see how I am progressing through

college; growing in ways I may not have done in high school. The day book entries were very

influential and I will use it to reflect and gather topics for brainstorming while constructing my

inquiry paper.

I appreciated the way we all had the opportunity to present to the class ways in which we

learn best. We discussed ways we take notes and how there are many different methods to note

taking, based on the note taker’s preference. There was a possibility that from hearing our

classmates share their note taking strategies, we could in turn make adaptations so that we can

take notes that would help us in obtaining and remembering information, if our methods weren’t

working for us. The classroom culture really put in perspective how our classroom discussions

would flow as well as governed how we interacted with one another during the class period.

The “Writing to Explore” pieces have allowed me to realize my potential as an

exceptional writer. Each time I make a submission I try to introduce myself to different writing

styles. One time I may write a narrative and at another time I may explore looking at my writing

in terms of a script and the characters of my story as actors, therefore creating a play and using

dialogue to expound on the topic. Using these different strategies allow me to strengthen my

writing abilities and make thoughtful writing decisions. Posting discussion topics on Moodle

about various subjects we read about and on my classmate’s responses has allowed me to gain an

understanding of my classmate’s feelings and understandings of the literary world.

The Blue Sweater was a pivotal point in this college English course because it made me

think beyond writing essays and reading books because I had to. It served as a connection

between me, the instructor, my classmates, as well as between the author. We would discuss

themes in the book as well as details that amazed us. I particularly enjoyed discussing The Blue

Sweater because it was so relevant to my life now. I would have so much to share with my

classmates when we had the discussions on the assigned readings of the book. I shared

Novogratz vision of helping the world not by just simply giving the people in need aid, but also

allowing them to make a difference themselves as well as stick around to see the end result.

Novogratz taught me to follow my dreams and do what mattered to me most even when others

don’t approve. I learned from her that it’s important to be a leader in this world today when we

are faced with such epidemics like poverty, disease, famine, and even genocide. I have used this

novel to make meaning of the author’s reading and have applied the lessons I’ve learned into

other classes when writing about leadership and courage, as well as in my personal life when I

look further down the road and see how the things Novogratz went through made her a strong

leader and how I can utilize my obstacles to make me an efficient leader. Reading this book was

a nice addition to the course work because we weren’t always focused on academic writings. I

had the opportunity to read a book that told a story that I could relate to and here from the

speaker during a forum.

One aspect of class I thought I would never grow to appreciate was the various excerpts

from Writing about Writing that we were assigned to read. I assumed that scholarly articles

would not be applicable to my life and subsequently my learning. To my surprise, I was engaged

in these academic texts in a way that I would never imagine myself before. Although some of the

author’s led me down a one way street to “Boredom-town”, I appreciated the opportunity to try
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and engage with the author and therefore attempt to make a connection with what they were

saying. I began to apply what the author’s were saying to my essays. I accomplished a course

goal set out in the syllabus saying I would be able to support my interpretation of a text with

examples from that text. Placing these indirect or direct quotes in my explanations showed that I

comprehended the material and that I was beginning to master the skill of interpreting what was

once before highly complex scholarly articles that I never envisioned myself understanding. This

book, filled with entries from experts and researchers, presented me with a challenge. When

faced with a challenge I tend to fall under pressure. This book seemed to guide me through each

article and gave me ways to approach what I thought was unapproachable. Although it was

challenging, I was not overwhelmed by what they were saying because I was able to analyze

their words and make meaning of the point they were trying to convey. It was academic

professionals discussing problems that many college students faced in their writing. Reading

these articles helped me to approach academic writing and put it into terms in which I could

relate. These assignments have allowed me to make meaning of my own writing, writing from

my peers, as well as writing from distinguished authors.

The most influential part of our past class assignments was reading Kantz’s “Helping

Students Use Textual Resources Persuasively”, from Writing About Writing. She helped me to

think about my course goals and most importantly to think about what it meant to be an

academic writer. I never realized that when I did my research and formulated my paper, I was

just stating facts. I needed to take these facts and make something of them. I needed to think

about how the facts applied to my research and use them to make innovations on whatever topic

I am discussing. The world will never progress if we keep reiterating what someone else said and

that’s all. Just stating the facts is not true research but how you manipulate that and form your
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own opinions; that is how you truly show you have grasped the topic. I will bring this knowledge

into my inquiry paper.

I want to conduct sound and engaging academic research using the knowledge I have

gained in class thus far. Discussing the “Sponsor’s of Literacy” essay and reading the articles

from Malcolm X and Alexie made me want to explore access to literacy for my inquiry paper. I

will use my sources as a sort of foundation for my own ideas. I will begin with their statements

and facts while also introducing my opinion on why there is such a literacy gap between people

of different social classes. I want to interject my own experience into my essay as a way to make

it more credible. Field research gives the readers of the essay a closer and accurate feel of what

the subjects are experiencing.

I have taken full advantage of peer workshop in the past to make my paper cohesive,

concise, and clear. Although I felt they should be a little more specific with the directions they

gave me about fixing my paper, the overall feedback was good. I did have to read between the

lines in some cases to figure out how to take what I said and use their suggestions to make my

paper better, but this was a learning experience and we can only grow from each time we do it.

In most peer sessions, we focus on editing for grammar, syntax, and mechanics, but the new

experience of the peer workshop was very invigorating. I was able to read my peer’s paper and

give a reflection based on if they remained on topic, could’ve used more details here and there,

or stop being repetitive in some areas as well. We didn’t focus on the little mistakes and that

allowed for the reader to just notice the basics so the writer could feel as if their paper and ideas

were actually being read and understood and not just critiqued.
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Academic writing is a complicated, multi-dimensional task and I hope to use each draft I

write during my writing process as ways to further exemplify my topic. I want to incorporate

past assignments into a new writing process. I have a vast background of information that could

lead me in the right direction when finding sources for my essay. I can easily reflect on past

readings and writings to help make this inquiry paper solid. I want to gain information about the

literacy gap between social classes as well as use these facts to understand why the problem

occurs and how I can possibly be a part of the solution.