Reflection Letter

Jasmine Belflower
Writing 2
W23
Riordan
Reflection Letter
Dear Eugene,
Coming into Writing 2, I had plenty of self-doubt on whether my writing put me
into the category of a good writer, or if I simply was just doing the bare minimum and
would be considered Mediocre at best. As a 2021 High-School graduate, Covid-19
had stolen my most prominent years of advanced writing and put me behind the
screen of a computer; left to fend for myself on AP exams, writing my college
admission letters, and all academic writing assigned. Coming into college, I
continually used the formatting and argumentative essay style that I had been
taught, scared to linger, as I was told through my middle school and high-school
years that it was what every college class wanted. While it got me through many
History essays, I had been told again and again by TA’s for classes such as
Sociology and Psych, that I needed to venture past this style in order to encapsulate
my work for a more fitting genre. Writing 2 has helped me learn to do just that and
continued to teach me important themes of writing that I have used and will continue
to build on throughout my educational and work careers.
Writing before this class was always something I thought of more as a chore
rather than an expression of myself. I have always chosen to write in a way in which
I knew the reader, and in most cases, a grader, would understand and which would
give me the most points for what I was being asked to write about. This class
allowed me to see a different point of view on what writing really is. “Experiences
1
with and misconceptions about reflection can result in writers who do not use
reflection as an active and engaged part of their writing processes and who don’t
understand that reflection can benefit their development and success as writers”
(Reflection is.., Tackzak, pg.79) is a quote from a reading assigned in class that
resonated with me. As someone who never was taught or told to reflect on how I
incorporate myself into my own writing, I didn;t understand that I was doing myself a
disservice in not allowing myself to promote my own thinking. By writing to the
prompt or only for a grade, I had been misusing writing in the way that I did not see it
for what it truly is; a process for writer expression, ideas, feelings, and thought. Even
if there is a predetermined prompt, writing in a way that shows my own feelings
behind the analysis and evidence, has helped me and will continue to help me along
the way.
When it came to our first and second assigned writing projects, I took what I had
learned through our classroom activities and readings to give better pieces for my
audience. Something I have always struggled with was getting feedback from
classmates or teachers within the drafting periods of writing. Either little was given,
or constructive criticism was looked down upon. In an article by Richard Straub that
we discussed in class, he says, “sound like you normally sound when you're
speaking with a friend or acquaintance. Talk to the writer. You're not just marking up
a text; you're responding to the writer. You're a reader, a helper, a colleague. Try to
sound like someone who's a reader, who's helpful and who's collegial. Supportive.
And remember: Even when you're tough and demanding you can still be
supportive”(Responding-Really Responding- to Other Students’ Writing, Straub, pg.
139). I liked this quote as it gave me a better understanding of how to give the
feedback I wanted to receive to my classmates. In turn I did receive what I needed to
2
improve my writing. For my first writing project , a ghost story with a twist, I received
comments not only on grammar concerns or phrasing but also on ways to improve
the storyline and to better sit with my intended audience. With them, I was able to
complete a successful revision of the project and do the same with my Writing
Project 2.
Writing 2 has given me the opportunity to become more passionate in my
writing and I think that is the biggest development that It could have supplied me with
as a writer. Learning to integrate myself into my writing while still being open to
feedback and having trial and error has given me the drive, enthusiasm, and
motivation needed to produce a piece of writing that is meaningful and engaging. “A
clear description of your perspective becomes even more important when your
stance has to incorporate or respond to someone else” (I need you to say I,
Maddalena, pg.183) is a quote from author Kate Maddalena that helps to prove my
thinking and coincides well with my development within the class. With so much
passion and confidence instilled in us throughout the class by our amazing professor
and activities, I have learned that any particular topic or subject that I have been
given the opportunity to write about, I can invest more time, effort, and energy in
researching, exploring, and developing my ideas to go alongside them.
If I had more time, I would choose to work on breaking my idea of formatted
essays and creating works that reflect me. As I continue on as a writer and
throughout my own major, I will keep Writing 2 in mind and continue to use the
themes and ideas that were presented to me. Learning to insert myself into the
writing, build upon my prior knowledge, reflect, reach my audience, and all of the
other helpful things we have covered in class will help me to progress even more in
my writing and future endeavours of my educational career.
3
Thank you again, for an amazing class. You are a great professor and are
going to go on to do big things!
Bibliography
Takczak, Kara. “Reflection is Critical for Writers’ Development.” Naming What We

Know: Threshold Concepts of Writing Studies, Classroom Edition, edited by Linda
Adler-Kassner and Elizabeth Wardle, Logan, Utah State University Press, 2016.
Straub, Richard. “Responding–Really Responding–to Other Students’ Writing.” The

Subject Is Writing, 2nd Edition, edited by Wendy Bishop, Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
Boynton/Cook Publishers, 1999.
Maddalena, Kate McKinney. “ “I need you to say ‘I’”: Why First Person Is Important in
College Writing.” Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 1, edited by Charles Lowe
and Pavel Zemliansky, Anderson, South Carolina, Parlor Press, 2010.

Reflection Letter

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Reflection Letter

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Reflection Letter

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Jasmine Belflower

Coming into Writing 2, I had plenty of self-doubt on whether my writing put me

would be considered Mediocre at best. As a 2021 High-School graduate, Covid-19

screen of a computer; left to fend for myself on AP exams, writing my college

to build on throughout my educational and work careers.

disservice in not allowing myself to promote my own thinking. By writing to the

if there is a predetermined prompt, writing in a way that shows my own feelings

supportive”(Responding-Really Responding- to Other Students’ Writing, Straub, pg.

feedback I wanted to receive to my classmates. In turn I did receive what I needed to

Writing 2 has given me the opportunity to become more passionate in my

motivation needed to produce a piece of writing that is meaningful and engaging. “A

stance has to incorporate or respond to someone else” (I need you to say I,

researching, exploring, and developing my ideas to go alongside them.

If I had more time, I would choose to work on breaking my idea of formatted

my writing and future endeavours of my educational career.

going to go on to do big things!

Takczak, Kara. “Reflection is Critical for Writers’ Development.” Naming What We

Straub, Richard. “Responding–Really Responding–to Other Students’ Writing.” The

You might also like