30 November 2023

Mrs. Tamera Davis

Dear Mrs. Davis,

The collection of writings that I have selected for my portfolio displays some of my favorite
essays and letters that I have composed. All the writings I have chosen to exhibit include my
personal beliefs, struggles, and experiences. I am very proud of these writing selections since
they represent the growth in my writing abilities and skills. I believe this portfolio reflects me as
a writer since it shows the range of pieces I have done in the past including memoirs, research
papers, argumentative papers, and formal letters.
The first piece of writing in my portfolio is titled Everyone is Essential. I wrote this paper at the
beginning of this semester for this class. The purpose of this paper was to explain how important
it is to remind people that they are important and are needed. I enjoyed writing this essay because
it caused me to consider the many ways to uplift and encourage others around me who are going
through times of adversity. My second selection is the essay I wrote to apply for colleges titled
The Truth About Growing Up. I chose this essay because it explains the hard realization that
many people my age experience about how growing up is not exactly sunshine and rainbows like
once imagined. This was a particularly hard paper to write about since it describes some of the
hardships I faced growing up and how they shaped me into a stronger and more determined
person. This piece of writing was crucial to my development as a writer since it allowed me to
show my true self.
My third piece is a memoir I wrote for my Composition I class over the summer titled Bell. I
wrote this memoir about the impact my dog had on my life. It seems silly at first to write about
how thankful I am for my dog, but I realized she taught me a lot of lessons on not only
responsibility but also love. I loved writing this paper and thinking about all the great memories I
have made with my dog. This was one of the first college papers I had written so this paper led
me to the realization that it is important to write on topics that have meaning in your life. My
fourth and final writing selection was an argumentative essay I wrote back in my Composition I
class is titled Technology in Classrooms. I wrote this essay indenting to justify why integrating
technology into classrooms is beneficial to students. I truly believe that technology helps to
create a more inclusive and engaging environment for students. I am passionate about this topic
since I have taken many online courses that have helped me tremendously in furthering my
education.
Ever since I started attending college composition classes, I have seen a great improvement in
my writing skills. Through taking these harder-level classes, I have learned how to properly
articulate my thoughts to incorporate them into my writing. I have gained so much knowledge
from these classes about the importance of taking the time to find reliable resources to back up
your claims and how to properly organize your thoughts to make coherent points in my papers. I
feel so much more confident in my writing abilities than ever before because of what I have
learned from my composition classes. I am confident that if I remember the many skills I
obtained from my college classes, I will continue to grow as a writer.
My writing process consists of choosing a topic I am particularly interested in and then creating a
strong thesis statement that I can look back on for guidance while writing the rest of the
assignment. After planning out my thesis statement, I decided exactly what each body
paragraph’s main idea should be to support my thesis. Once I know what the main points of my
essay are going to be, I start researching to make sure that I understand exactly what I am stating
or supporting so I know how to better defend it when I am writing. I then write a rough draft of
the essay including all the information I have previously came up with. I proofread my rough
draft and check for any grammar mistakes before finally creating my final draft. If I had a
writing toolbox, I would most definitely include Grammarly or any other grammar checker
websites. It is so helpful to be able to quickly upload your paper to see if there are any mistakes
before submitting your final draft.
Composition I and II have taught me a great deal about how to become a more capable writer.
One of the biggest weaknesses I dealt with before starting these courses was being an
unorganized writer. I would have many thoughts in my mind about the topic I was going to write
about but as soon as it was time to get them down on paper my mind would go blank. Through
these classes, I was introduced to rough drafts and realized just how helpful they are since they
allowed me to get all my ideas in my paper without having to worry if my work was perfect or if
all my thoughts were clear. I also struggled with the fear that my writing was not good enough
when I first started taking college classes, but I soon gained confidence after getting positive
feedback from my professor. I believe that some strengths I possess within my writing are an
ability to stay on topic for each assignment as well as perseverance to not give up even if the
essay is hard to write. I feel as if I have come a long way since before starting these composition
classes because I now can embrace my thoughts and get them down on paper with confidence.
I have already been able to put the skills that I have learned in Composition I and II into practice
in my personal life by creating an essay for my college applications. I foresee that I will be
writing many more essays throughout the rest of my college career and even after that. With the
skills I have learned and the confidence I have obtained, I do feel prepared for whatever papers I
will have to write in the future. I am grateful for these classes and how they have made me an
overall more prepared and capable writer.
I have grown so much as a writer during the time I have spent in my composition classes. They
have equipped me for any writing tasks that may be thrown at me in the future. I am thankful that
these classes have taught me how to express myself in my writing and be confident with my
work. I now have faith in myself that I do possess the skills that can make my writing great.
Thank you, Mrs. Davis, for giving me feedback on every essay to help me grow and get a little
better on each paper. Your class has made me no longer dread writing longer papers since I know
now that I can write them with the skills I have learned along the way. I am optimistic about my
future and all the papers that I will have to write for the rest of my college career.
Sincerely,
Taylor Burchel