For our final assignment, we had to reflect on our time in this class and turn it into an essay, where we made 4+ claims about the most impactful learning we gained during the class, as well as back it up with evidence from the class.

Reflection Essay Full Draft

Back in august, I was really unsure of what college would be like. What the work would be like, how things were graded, what the professors were like, etc. But from the very beginning of this class, it was made clear that things were definitely different from what I was used to. Our professor seemed chill and like he really wanted to just leave us with something meaningful by the end of the semester. Though the class started off relatively slow, it would eventually pick up the pace, and a lot of things were packed into a relatively short four-month long semester. So, by the end of it, would I say I’ve learned some meaningful things? To that I say; yes, I’ve definitely learned some things throughout my first semester, not only for this class and from the work I’ve done, but for what’s to come throughout my college years as well.

               One of the first things we did in this class was the Personal Literacy Narrative, or Language and Literacy Narrative essay. We were tasked with taking a moment from our lives and relating it to this idea of language and literacy. Most people related their cultures and backgrounds to some forms of literacy and how it impacted them, while I related my idea of childhood and a moment from my childhood to larger ideas about language and literacy. We then had to translate this piece into something visual or another format, and it was from seeing and hearing everyone else’s experiences regarding the subject that I learned this: Despite there being many cultures and backgrounds that many people can be a part of and share, no one’s experiences are truly the same.

It really hammered down the fact that every person is truly unique in their own way, and through everyone’s various experiences in their life, it showed me that this is something that holds true for every individual. It was nice to see the classroom as a safe space for everyone to share their experiences without being treated differently for it. It also helped to see this in our course work, mainly through seeing the differing ways people can be treated for their cultures or backgrounds. In Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue,” we see Amy Tan’s mother being treated differently for the language barriers and culture she exhibits, though Amy Tan paints her mother’s culture as a strength, and something she should not be treated differently for, which is something that goes for everyone. Being one of the first things we did in class, it definitely helped paint a new light onto the Language and Literacy Narrative assignment.

I’ve also never known what a cover letter was up until this assignment. A cover letter, as we learned it, is basically a reflection piece that prefaces a piece of writing, and we had to write one for the LLN essay. Mine was basically just a recap of the semester up to that point and telling what my LLN essay was and what it was about. As this is another reflection piece, it feels fitting to discuss here. I’m not sure if the sort of cover letter we did in this class reflects (no pun intended) the kind of cover letters written by professionals or out in the ‘real world,’ as I remember hearing in class that the one we did is different from if we were to write an actual one.

But I also remember hearing the cover letters are something that can be universal in our lives and might be something that we’ll need for just about anything, as with any reflection, they can be important in summarizing certain things or retaining information and letting our audience know what they are about to get into. It’s essentially a glorified introduction, no? With that being said, I liked how thought provoking both this and the LLN essay turned out to be, and I liked how the personal aspects were merged with the assignments, as they helped keep up my engagement and motivation in the class.

Also during this period, I learned how much of an enhancement informality could be in writing. I wrote my LLN essay pretty informally (as I’m writing this piece in this same manner), and it turned out to be more helpful and uplifting than if I had stuck to the conformities of standard formal writing. This was also something that I believe was touched on in Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue,” highlighting how no language is “perfect” and that no forms of language should even be “perfect,” and I’m relating that aspect to how we don’t always need to write formally in an academic setting. Writing informally can give us our “writing voice,” the individual nature we convey in our own writing, and can even better help drive our points across. Especially with a piece like this, a piece rooted in self-reflection and looking within, where formal conventions shun the use of a first-person perspective and the letter “I” altogether.

Towards the end of our time writing the LLN essay, we had one on one meetings with our professor to give us feedback. In my meeting, one of the strengths highlighted in my essay was the use of this informality and how it further enhanced the piece. Why wouldn’t a personal essay be written informally? Be given, y’know, personality? At least, that’s what I asked myself. I sat in that room as such feedback was explained to me, thinking about how I hadn’t even noticed that I utilized informality in such a way; I just wrote true to myself and tried to make it still sound good. Even as I write this, seeing all the blue and red lines under some of my words or sentences, I realize how much a strength this can be when it comes to writing.

Now of course, we did many more things throughout the semester, but I feel as though I hadn’t really gained anything more substantial. We had another essay, and to write it I just utilized skills I already had previously. This brings me to the end, my final point. What is single-handedly the most meaningful insight I gained throughout this semester?

College is unlike anything I have gone through previously, the intricacies and complexity of it far surpassing high school, and it’s important to keep a level-headed mindset and strive to do my best. Not all professors will be as understanding as the one I had in this class, and even something like having informality in my writing may be a problem later. I’ve realized that it’s important to stay grounded throughout the college journey and that I’ll have to maintain a balance between what I want to do and what I need to do as best I can. In that one-on-one meeting I mentioned earlier, I was told that what one professor thinks is okay, another may not, and that’s just how it is. Do I think that it might be unfair later or that a professor may go on a power trip? Maybe, but so far so good. Exaggeration aside, I’ve recognized that I’m lucky to have had this class at the very beginning of my journey, and that said journey will definitely be one of ups and downs.

So, in the end, I’ve learned a lot throughout my first semester and through this class. I’ve gained better insights on how I write and the ways in which I write, what the work is like, different cultures and backgrounds, what a cover letter is, and even what the road ahead might look like. Back to what I asked in the beginning of this piece, I definitely do think that I’ve learned some meaningful stuff by the end. I also recognize that being a teacher must be tough, as getting someone to actually learn something is a task in of itself. But I think that most of the things taught in this course were useful and served as a good stepping stone for what’s to come. I appreciated the personal aspects brought into the work and how thought provoking some things turned out to be, and it felt as though everything served some sort of purpose. All in all, a meaningful journey deserves a melancholic end, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much more I will learn and the levels of growth I will exhibit.