When this semester began, writing was not something that I thought much about. It was something I had to complete in order to get the grade and be able to move forward. Usually, I would write an essay and read it through before handing it in without thinking much about it as far as how I could improve it. However, as the semester progressed, I noticed a difference in my thoughts regarding writing. This class has opened my eyes to the fact that writing can also be a process that can be assessed in order to further understand the topics being covered as a learner. 

     “Some of the most valuable things I learned this semester include,  Revision improves writing, Supporting opinions with evidence,  Audience considerations , Reflecting enables growth as a learner”

One of the things I’ve learned the most in class is the fact that the initial drafts of work aren’t always going to be optimal. Prior to coming to class, I did not think it was necessary to revise work because I believed it meant I made a mistake. Recently, what I’ve realized is the aspect of revising work is what makes writing better. In the essay I did regarding computers in educational facilities, the initial draft of work I produced contained a tremendous amount of repetition. After reading it back and amending it, I removed unessential information and rearranged the flow of the work.

Something else that I learned is how to create a good argument instead of just presenting opinions. Before this class, I just stated what my opinion was without putting much thought into it. This semester, though, I learned the importance of having evidence in your writing if you ever hope to be taken seriously. In my argumentative paper, what I wrote was that computers are a distraction in the classroom. In fact, my argument was supported by evidence, experience, and other examples. Learning how to effectively use a quote and teach someone what the quote means really contributed to my writing being serious.

I also learned that it’s important to consider who I’m addressing as I’m writing. When I write to friends, it’s different from when I’m writing for teachers or friends in class. This class has also influenced me to consider my audience and the sound of my tone as I’m writing. When I’m expressing ideas that relate to my personal experiences, I need to ensure that those ideas really relate to my argument and are not expressed as if I’m complaining.

Another major piece of this class has been reflection. I didn’t think a lot about the value of reflection at first, but now I realize how helpful it actually is. Reflecting on the class has made me think about my strengths and weaknesses and what I still need to improve on. I definitely think I have improved in terms of revising and organizing my thoughts, but I need to improve on condensing my thoughts into a shorter amount of space.

This particular class has also made me consider learning and technology. Through writing about computers in schools, I realized just how distracting technology can be in school. On one hand, computers can be used well to organize information and to access information. On the other hand, it is easy to become distracted when I am relying on technology. This class, in general, was an extreme help in helping me mature in my development as a writer. That in itself is a huge lesson I will take with me into my future classes not just in English, but in general. I now realize that just completing the workload is not what it’s all about; it’s about learning.