Personal Narrative: My Trip To The Writing Center

When it comes to my current writing process, I would admit that I am a bit old-fashioned. I have found that I have a harder time focusing--especially on writing--when I am at a computer. So I prefer to write out my first draft on paper and then eventually transfer it to the computer. I believe that most of my failed writing endeavors have resulted from my use of word-processing programs. Word-processing programs identify mistakes you have made as soon as you have made them, and I have a tendency to stop writing in order to correct those mistakes as soon as they happen. This results in me losing my focus on what I wanted to write about, and ultimately dissuades me from wanting to write more.

I have always struggled with my writing assignments. If I had the option not to write I would take that option with no hesitation. I truly dreaded it, when we have to type essays. Now, I have been into two English classes where I have felt a little more comfortable in being able to write something without being so embarrassed or ashamed in what I’m about to turn it. I still feel horrible about my spelling and grammar.

My writing experiences have been minimal. So far I have only learned the basics of writing, like forming sentences and forming sentences to put into paragraphs. I can tell that my writing has improved throughout the years. I hope to improve in writing essays, paragraphs, stories, and speeches so that I have no errors with editing and creating the final product. I predict that I will be a well rounded writer when I graduate from Newman University.

My experiences as a writer have been both very engrossing and strenuous. I have learned a great quantity on both reading and writing, though, I continue to struggle on things that I have learned by this time, making the same mistakes that I do not even realize. Sometimes things are not so easy to understand when reading information, especially if the wording of an article is difficult for example. I love the idea of learning new things everyday. These past years as a writer have been very interesting, and I have learned and grasped many concepts I have been taught along the way.

Having to write about my own literacy is hard to do, first of all it’s hard to recall things that happened when you were a child let alone when I started to read and write, I remember going to school playing, the teacher reading to us, making vowel sounds and learning to write my name; I recall the teacher giving out the spelling list and taking it home to practice before Friday’s test, I would go to school hoping and praying that I would not misspell any words; as usual I missed a couple of words and I knew what that meant.

Al, Alde, de, shon, deshon, and Al’Deshon my name takes on many forms. Kind of like my writing in a sense. I have never been a strong writing also being the reason, I took this class first semester I think. If I get it out of the way maybe I’ll have an easier chance of reaching the finish line happening to be graduation.

As technology evolves, the traditional style writing classrooms should do so as well. Students are used to the typical routine, in which an instructor lecture and hands out assignments. However, is that really the most effective way of teaching for all students? Teachers neglect the fact that not all students learn the same way. In learning this, I propose some changes that could be made in order to increase learning effectively such as; the choice of physical work verses online work, communications and feedback to students, and essays.

When it comes to writing I have a mental breakdown, I get nervous, overthink, and emotionally stressed. These three words describe me as a writer. In high school I would have a difficult time starting papers, often times my weaknesses was grammar and sentences fragments. How I feel about writing is how I feel when a love one dies. It's like as if I'm at a funeral and my paper is the one being funeralized. I think the reason why I am how I am about writing is because my college English teacher in high school was so harsh on my papers, and ever since then I've been traumatize to write papers.

Thank you for your helping with my case. I am so glad that I don’t need to add another reading and writing class in this semester.

The information I learned were basic yet so beneficial and effective to anyone and everyone. I’ve learned what to prepare for if I had owned my own center, what to spend my money on, and how to spend my money wisely. The tools taught me how to manage my money successfully and professionally. Even though it required extra work, it is worth it to me, because now I can see what the finances and budgets of a center are being spent on, and the causes and effects of certain financal situations. It taught me to be in control of the spendings and earnings of the canters, and if I want to achieve specific goals pertaining to budgets and finance, I am well aware of how to start it, and reach it. It also taught me to be aware of the comings and goings

I grew up in Panama City, a beautiful country located in Central America, like many other kids I learned how to read and write in home, and in the school at a very young age. However, I learned how to read and write in Spanish which is my native language. Books have been part of my life since I was a kid, I remember reading story books, comics, and classic stories with my parents almost every night after school. Both, my mother and my father would prefer reading a book than watching television, nonetheless, reading was a common thing to do in my home. Even though, I love reading, I have never been a good writer; writing have been the thing which I have struggled the most in Spanish and in English. I first started

My earliest experience with reading and writing were traumatizing especially when I was in the first grade. I still recall the experience I went through to this day. It made me really hate myself because the other kids were making fun of me.

The Advanced Writing Workshop is an incredible opportunity for me to grow as a writer and a scholar. The small seminar format of the class will give me the opportunity to more deeply explore content than would otherwise be possible in a large lecture format class. At Long Island School for the Gifted which I attended for 4th through 8th Grade, all of the classes were small. Thus, I have had the opportunity to learn in seminar-style classes previously, and found them to be very well-suited to my learning style. Although I am not a bad writer, there is always room for improvement. For example, when I read novels I intend to burst with both ideas about, as well as interpretations of, complex texts. My strength as a reader centers around my ability to grasp the big picture. Rather

In this semester my achievement of improving my writing skills has increased significantly. My sentence lengths vary in a positive manner along with my word choice improving, becoming more complex and of writing expectation. My main struggle this semester would be the peer editing. Although I have improved significantly I still find it difficult to edit others papers. Further more than the common spelling and grammatical errors. I believe my essays have improved drastically from the beginning of the semester towards the end.

As the many weeks have passed, and the several eye-opening tutorials have come to completion, I can presently pronounce some growths, experiences, and insights from my second semester as a writing tutor. Overall, there has been a positive atmosphere once again throughout the Writing Center and from all the students who come to visit it. Also, there has been a whopping amount of new learning styles that I have dealt with in the Writing Center this semester. However, none were so unique and eye-opening as one particular session that I had a few weeks ago.