Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay
Ashleigh Ramdorsingh

Reflective Essay
In any country, there is only one way to communicate to other people. Language is the
medium people use to interact with other people. Language can be spoken words, signed with the
hands or even sung through music. Language is taught from one generation to the next; and
without this continuous learning cycle, humans would not be able to converse. The need for
language to be passed down is where my passion for teaching begins.
English, the only language I understand, is a very widespread tongue and is also one of
the most difficult to learn. It took many years for me to learn proper English, and I still have
trouble with it today. Writing, in English, is very important for anyone who wishes to have a
successful career; though learning how to write properly is just as challenging as learning how to
speak correctly. Writing was not what I originally intended to teach, until I was introduced to
books. Reading exposed me to an array of writing styles and author perspectives.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was the very first novel that I read; since then, I have
fallen in love with reading. After J.K. Rowlings novel, I continued to read whenever I had the
chance. With reading, came my inspiration to start writing. My writings consisted of either
journals or stories written for my peers. I had never done any serious writing before high school.
I practiced learning how to write properly and efficiently while studying for the SATs with my
stepmother. I learned how to brainstorm my ideas and arrange them into an outline without
having to write anything down. I write my papers by physically writing a rough draft and then
typing up a final paper.
My writing skills continued to improve as I went on to take literature classes in college.
College literature classes forced me to connect my reading with my writing, teaching me how to
analyze texts and write about what it might mean. I learned about creating a meaning for stories
rather than finding a meaning for stories; because everyone has a different perspective on

Reflective Essay
things, people will have different understandings of the same text. In these literature classes, I
was able to read many authors works and see various styles of writing.
Throughout high school and college, I was able to see and choose what I did and did not
want to do in my own classroom. For example, in 10th grade, I had a teacher who told our class
to memorize the grammar rules and gave us papers to write for the rest of the school year. This is
an example of what I do not want to happen in my classroom. My 10th grade English class was
given no instruction on how to brainstorm, write or correct a paper.
I have yet to take a genuine writing class, but I believe my writing skills improved
immensely when I took my third literature class, Introduction to Fiction. I was introduced to
close readings as well as literary theory. We were taught how to take a text and look for the
different kinds of styles that were being used by the author. Personally, my midterm and final
paper were critiqued so carefully that I soon learned to analyze and correct my own writing as
well as others. After finishing my Intro to Fiction class, I made a mental note that this was the
kind of instructor I wished to become.
College should be a place where a persons skills are honed towards what they want to do
for the rest of their lives. I aspire to teach at the college level for this reason. Class should be
interactive rather than one-sided; students should be able to talk to each other about subjects
being discuss. A writing class should be no different; whether students are writing on a single
subject, a prompt, or a text they have read, students ought to write on their subject matter and
come into class ready to discuss it. Ideally, I will be the one critiquing their individual papers,
showing the students how to fix their mistakes and giving them alternatives. In turn, the students
can learn from their own mistakes and should be able to review their classmates writing. This
will continuously help the students improve upon their own style of writing.

Reflective Essay
Today, no teacher, doctor, lawyer, politician, actor etc. would be able to procure a job if
they were illiterate. People are held in high regard if they are able to speak and write
competently. It is a sign that they have gotten a proper education and are capable of doing the job
they have been assigned to do. It is essential to learn to write resumes, speeches, letters, e-mails
and presentations to be successful in todays society. Learning how to write properly is a skill
that will continue be important for life as we continue to teach new generations about
communicating. Language and writing go hand-in-hand, and it is imperative we keep the
instruction of proper writing in our schools and in the minds of our children.