Reflective Writing Example from Previous ENG 2150 (45 min)
Read the example reflective essay I am passing out to you (if you are absent, please request it).
As you read, consider these two questions and make notes accordingly:
- What moment do you think does the best job in stating a claim for the writer’s learning, citing evidence for that claim, and connects that claim to the evidence?
- What parts of the reflection did you want more? Where you wanted to understand better about what they meant for what and how they learned something?
What are things to reflect on:
- Argument, style, using evidence
- Finding sources, collaboration
- What you enjoy or notice as useful: taking stress away in journal entries
- How you write: time of day, location
What are some examples of claims the writer makes?
What is the evidence the writer uses?
How does the writer connect those claims to that evidence?
Another, more writing-focused example:
In my body paragraph, I turned a wordy, confusing sentence into a more specific, easy comprehensible sentence. Originally, I wrote “throughout the episode, there was a recurring setup of the “nice white parents” introducing an idea, the minority parents introducing an idea, and then the white parent’s ideas being carried out. No matter what the minority families felt that they needed, their issues were not treated with equal value in comparison to that of the white parents.” By the second draft I altered my writing to “this structural set up may have reminded the audience of a tug of war, with the white parents on one end of the rope and the minority families on the other. When the match always ended up in favor of the new white families, it really made it crystal clear that the white parents held more decision-making power and influence in I.S 293.” I wrote about this in my midterm reflection. There were many times in prior writing classes that I felt like my draft didn’t end up undergoing enough change or change in the right areas. However, in this moment I felt like I had utilized feedback well enough to make great edits.
How is this kind of writing different from other kinds of writing we have done in class and elsewhere this semester?
How is this kind of writing similar to other kinds of writing we have done in class and elsewhere this semester?
Practice Reflective Writing (20-30 min)
You are going to write one claim, with one piece of supporting evidence, and you will connect that evidence to that claim.
Share what you wrote in this Google Doc.
Let’s go over some examples.
Let’s also go to Brightspace to remember what the prompt is specifically asking for.
If time: read Google Doc and select one you think really does a good job of making a specific claim and connecting it to evidence.
Podcast Check-in and Podcast Contribution Narrative (10-15 min)
So, how’d it go? What do you all think?
Let’s also go over the Podcast Contribution Narrative due May 14. See Brightspace in Assignments.
Reaction Post due May 7 (5-10 min)
Let’s go to Brightspace to go over our final Reaction post, this one about one of the two podcasts you listened to.
Next Time (5 min)
-I’m missing an episode, who am I missing?
-Reaction post due by class time on May 7
-Weekly private writing of at least 10 minutes: What was the podcast experience like? What are you proud of for your own growth? How so? Did you wish you did something different? Why or why not? The next time you have something different or risky to do in a class, your career, etc….what can you take away from your podcast experience to make the most of that next experience? Why?
-Podcast Contribution Narrative due May 14
-Final reflection due May 21
-Any other grade boosts we discussed due May 21
-Other people who owe me work, get in touch
-I will be in touch soon with an update on what my records are for your completed work. You can see the course schedule and Brightspace to see where you stand yourself, as well. The grading contract explains how to make sense of all of this.
-Benny/Luke: episode description timetable. End of day, Monday, May 12
-Sarah/Ammar: cover art timetable. End of day, Monday May 12
-Benny/Aidan: transcription timetable. End of day Monday, May 12