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Christine Tan
Professor Adler
STACC English 1A #32474
24 April 2015
Experience and Tell
As I look back at my journey through the semester, having to be a part of STACC
English, I have learned more than metacognitively reflect on literacy: reading, writing, and
learning. It was a matter of how I processed the information, how it would affect my future, and
how I would use it. The critical and analytical methods that I struggled to apply in my writing
had become my strength. I wrote along with my peers and professor to build our own educational
system that was filled with passion (logos), connection (ethos), and emotion (pathos). My class
participation had affected my literacy development greatly due to my analysis and interpretation
to past information I obtained. I learned that the past is still a part of my identity and it is a story
to tell.
In the beginning of the semester, I thought I knew how to use and apply critical thinking
to what we were learning, but the methods I learned were even more complicated and harder to
understand. I was influenced to have an open mind and began to see the difference in how
writers wrote, why they wrote, and who they wrote to. Although it seems as if these are basic
strategies you would learn as a child; the whole experience was essential to learn and apply from
a different perspective. Even if I learned about the concept writing to change the world last

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semester, I would still use it to connect to the readings we read this semester. As writers use the
same concept, their beliefs were emphasized greatly and impacted me to question why I read,
write, and learn. I read to interpret and connect similar ideas with different authors critically so I
can connect with the same beliefs and argue about my opinions. The process is like a domino
effect, from reading to learning to writing; people learn to have different ideas and seek different
perspectives based on their questions. Although some methods of how I demonstrate my ideas
with writing is not as critical such as having a vague explanation and not incorporating my
analysis of the 3 step sandwich method well. Each time I get my papers peer-reviewed or graded
by the professor, I learn from the criticism and ways I can improve from my mistakes. Having to
be given commentary on my writing definitely benefit me to find useful and effective skills that
could be applied such as putting more in-depth ideas of my arguments and explain. Every time I
received a new prompt, I learned from my past mistakes and improved by thinking of new ideas
that would help me write better in my next essay.
Writing can affect others opinions by how you persuade them and for most of my essays I
thought my ideas were there, but not clearly specified. Specific examples of my essays were both
my in-class essays; most proud and struggled with. My first in-class essay was one that I
struggled with which I wrote about writing. My argument for this essay was writing from past
experiences can be a lesson learned to help others who struggle to find their identities.
Specifically, I struggled with this essay in terms of my clarification on my ideas such as writing
unclear statements and not explaining. As I wrote, "Besides finding ourselves, we find our voices
as a part of our identity. Having a voice both mentally and physically allows us to tell our
stories" (1). I could have written the two sentences better and not have unclear and awkward
phrasing. Instead of having a voice mentally and physically, I can write individuals who write

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have a powerful impact on others in terms of their method in expressing their ideas. Having said
our voices reflect us most, some people use writing to influence others to also write. Other than
having unclear depictions, I made it difficult to read due to my struggle on explanation. I learned
that my claims could have been depicted better and worked on smoothly transitioning my ideas.
Because it was written poorly, I could have freewrite about the topic and come up with more
interesting ideas.
Aside from my first in-class essay, I thought I wrote my last in-class essay really well
because I claimed my connections critically and engaged with the reader. As we all know,
education is an important type of system and process we undertake for knowledge to achieve a
better future verbally, physically, and emotionally. Similar to what I argued in my first essay, I
wrote Some individuals conform to societys norms of education in Paulo Freire's Banking
concept whereas Bell Hooks and Mary Pipher believe some individuals choose to be different
and advance with their own skills such as freewriting and critical thinking. That is to say I wrote
abstract and needed further clarification again, but as I got to my body paragraphs I argued
critically through the perspective of an individuals qualities. I stated, Hooks believes not only
children, but the individual who thinks critically achieves answers from reality. The ideas of
underlying truths are the ideas that allow individuals to be a part of the community in the
shape of knowledge (2). Only to realize those who oppose the system share their experience of
critical thinking through writing. I believe I confidently supported my thesis by incorporating the
quotation well and included the importance of the individuals determination to transform.
Besides my struggles of unclear and abstract phrasing, I believe I improved every time I
made a mistake. Although I still struggle on the same topics, I will overcome it by thinking why I

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have to incorporate the quote or question myself, did I clearly explain my argument for the
reader to be engaged. It may not be easy while I write, but I learned that having connected with
my peers I can learn from their ideas or suggestions on what kind of strategies were useful for
them. Based on another essay we wrote on our research paper about our future career, I had come
to the conclusion of researching more. Due to knowing more information about my major, I feel
more engaged in the content and aware of what I am going to be a part of in the future. I can also
use the information as an advantage. In the future, I will not continue with awkward phrasing and
have unclear explanation due to my conscious while writing. It is interesting to have learned
from my past and use it to apply in my future. I have the power to write and the power to carve
my path through education.