KaylaBoone

Mrs.Paquin
ERWC/Period3
28April2016
ReflectionEssay
Towardstheendofmyjunioryearofhighschoolwewererequiredtowriteaninclass
essayonRobertHaydenspoemAstronauts.Weweregiventhepromptthedaybeforewe
actuallywrotetheessayinclassandwererequiredtoannotatethepoemtohelpguideandcollect
ourthoughts.Thepromptaskedustoanalyzehispoemandtheunderlyingmessagehewas
tryingtoconvey.Iammostproudofthisessaybecausedespiteitbeingwritteninclass,my
analysisandoverallwritingtrulycapturedmyskillanddevelopmentasawriter.Thereason,I
feel,thatIsucceededonthisassignmentistwofold.First,theannotationsthatwewereallowed
touseduringtheessayhelpedmekeepmyessayconciseandallowedmetoreferbacktothem
whenIgotstuck.Second,itwasduringthistimewhenIstartedtogenuinelydevelopaninterest
inwritingandwhenIbegantofeelconfidentasawriter.Unfortunately,Iwasunabletowritea
conclusionandconsequentlyonlyhadfourparagraphsbytheendoftheperiodduetolackof
time,butthefactthatIstillgotanAimpliesthattheparagraphsIdidhavewereinsightful
enoughtocompensateforthelackofaconclusion.ThehighgradeandpositivefeedbackI
receivedonthisassignmentmadethisparticularessaystandoutamidtheothersinmyportfolio.
Onerecurringtrendprevalentinmyportfolioscoresheetsislowerscoresonmyspeaking
categories.ThoughIreceivehighscoresonmypresentations,thespeakingcategoriesaremarred
bylowmarksonmysocraticseminargrades.Ivealwayshadtroublewithfindingthecourageto

speakupinfrontofagroupofpeople,anditsnosurprisethatthisfearofminehascometomy
detriment.Ihavedefinitelynoticedaprofoundincreaseinmywritingcategorythroughoutthe
years.AsafreshmanIreceivedmostlyAsonwritingassignments,thoughBswerenot
uncommon.SophomoreyearIreceivedmainlyBsonwritingassignments(especiallyinclass
ones),perhapsbecausethatclasswasthefirstweightedEnglishclassIvetakeninmylifeand
thatourteacherwastheschoolsIBcoordinator,Mrs.King.AsIgraduallybecameaccustomed
towritingwelldevelopedessaysinclass,Ifoundthatmywritingimprovedsignificantly,which
iswhybythetimeIwasajunior,IwasreceivingAsonnearlyeverywritingassignmentI
turnedin.NowasaseniorIcanconfidentlysaythattheessaysIhavewrittenthisyeararesome
ofthebestIhavewritteninmylife.IamproudoftheessaysIwrotethisyear,butmywritingis
nowherenearperfect.Istillhavealottolearnandimproveon,butmygrowthasawriteris
definitelynoteworthyenoughtobeproudof.
ImaintainedmyportfoliofairlywellatGreatOak.Iwasabletokeepmyassignmentsin
theirdesignatedtabs,butmyscoresheetsfromfreshmenandsophomoreyeararelacking.This
canbeattributedtothefactthatmyteacherinsophomoreyeardidnotplaceanemphasison
portfoliosandrarelymadeusupdateit.Butmyteacherinjunioryearwasmorestrictonitand
evenhadusorganizethemmonthlyforagrade.Heensuredthatwedidnothaveany
unnecessaryassignmentsplacedinthemsuchasvocabtestsorscantrons,sothosedaysinclass
aidedmeinmyabilitytomaintainmyportfolio.MyportfoliohasshownmethatIworkway
harderthanIinitiallythought.IvealwaysthoughtthatIwasalazyperson,butmygradesprove
otherwise.IammoreindustriousthanIgivemyselfcreditfor,becauseaportfolioshouldreflect
onesworkhabits,andmyportfoliotellsmethatIcaredeeplyaboutmygradesmorethanI

thought.IvealwaysknownthatIalwaysprioritizegrades,butmyportfolioprovesthatIama
studentwhowillnotsettleforaverage.ThestringofAsthatIgetconfrontedwithwhenIlook
throughmyportfoliofurthershowsmydevelopmentnotonlyasawriter,butasadiligent
studentdeterminedtoalwaysstriveforanA.
GreatOakHighSchoolhaspreparedmeforthenextstepinthatitprovidedmeawide
rangeofAPandIBcoursesthatemulatecollegeones.Itookadvantageofthisopportunityand
tookasmanyAPcoursesIcouldthroughoutmyyearsasastudent.Theseclassestaughtmethe
importanceofindustriousness,perseverance,andthedetrimentsofprocrastination.Butitsnot
onlytheweightedclassesthatpreparedmeforlifeafterhighschooleverysingleclassItook
servedtopreparemeforhigherlevelthinkingandtherigorthatcollegeentails.GreatOakhas
alsotaughtmethatnomatterhowunwillingIamtodosomething,Istillhavetodoit.Thisisthe
realityofsomanythingsinlifeasanintrovertIabsolutelyabhorgivingspeechesinfrontofa
class,butIknowthatincollegetherewillbemorethanplentypresentationsIhavetogive(not
tomentionintheworkplaceaswell).Haditnotbeenforhighschool,Iwouldnothavelearned
theimportanceofendurance.OverallIamnotamotivatedperson,butIcanproudlysaythatthe
mostdaysIhavemissedinanentireschoolyearwouldbethree.GreatOakpreparedmeforthe
nextstepbyteachingmeresponsibilityandmaturity.