HigherHigher

Personal Reflective Writing.Personal Reflective Writing.

Why?Why?

It will be your first of two It will be your first of two writing foliowriting folio pieces that pieces that together will make up 20% of your final mark for together will make up 20% of your final mark for Higher English.Higher English.

This is an excellent opportunity to improve your This is an excellent opportunity to improve your chances of gaining a good grade in Higher chances of gaining a good grade in Higher English.!!!English.!!!

Personal Reflective Writing also forms part of the Personal Reflective Writing also forms part of the Writing NAB In Unit One, Language.Writing NAB In Unit One, Language.

You will have to do one other piece of writing in a You will have to do one other piece of writing in a different genre.different genre.

CriteriaCriteria

Your piece of writing must be over 650 words Your piece of writing must be over 650 words long.long.

It must be produced in “controlled conditions”.It must be produced in “controlled conditions”.

This means you must have a copy of the plan, This means you must have a copy of the plan, first draft and final version. This will show first draft and final version. This will show your teacher that you have worked on the your teacher that you have worked on the piece by yourself.piece by yourself.

Criteria continued…Criteria continued…

A reflective essay will aim to interest or give A reflective essay will aim to interest or give pleasure to the reader, rather than simply pleasure to the reader, rather than simply convey information. It will usually be about a convey information. It will usually be about a single idea, insight or experience. single idea, insight or experience. It must It must include reflection as a developed aspect of the include reflection as a developed aspect of the essay. You should be contemplative, taking essay. You should be contemplative, taking the reader through your thought process as you the reader through your thought process as you work out what the topic or issue has meant to work out what the topic or issue has meant to you.you.

h:\Higher\personal reflective\Performance h:\Higher\personal reflective\Performance Criteria - pupil friendly.docCriteria - pupil friendly.doc

CONTENTCONTENTWhat do we mean by reflection?What do we mean by reflection?

When we reflect on something, either positive or When we reflect on something, either positive or negative that has happened to us, we are probably negative that has happened to us, we are probably trying to work out the answers to some of these trying to work out the answers to some of these questions:questions:

Why did that happen?Why did that happen? How did my behaviour affect what was happening at How did my behaviour affect what was happening at

the time or the people around me?the time or the people around me? Am I pleased or disappointed by the way I behaved?Am I pleased or disappointed by the way I behaved? If this were to happen again, what would I change If this were to happen again, what would I change

about my behaviour? What would I be happy to do about my behaviour? What would I be happy to do again?again?

What have I learnt about life?What have I learnt about life? What do I realise now that I didn’t realise What do I realise now that I didn’t realise

before?before? What have I learnt about myself? What have I learnt about myself? What have I learnt about other people and how What have I learnt about other people and how

they behave sometimes?they behave sometimes? How have my attitudes and ideas changed and How have my attitudes and ideas changed and

how will this affect me in the future?how will this affect me in the future?

ExamplesExamples

Perhaps the easiest way to understand the idea of Perhaps the easiest way to understand the idea of reflection is to look at some examples.reflection is to look at some examples.

In your group, read the piece “Look What I learnt in In your group, read the piece “Look What I learnt in School.” (Candidate 28, Jan 2006)School.” (Candidate 28, Jan 2006)

Use the Performance Criteria worksheet to mark the Use the Performance Criteria worksheet to mark the essay and decide whether it is a pass or fail. essay and decide whether it is a pass or fail.

Write any comments in your jotter.Write any comments in your jotter. I will be asking you for reason for your opinion.I will be asking you for reason for your opinion.

Now, repeat this process for the piece entitled Now, repeat this process for the piece entitled “The Academy.” (Candidate 29, Jan 2006)“The Academy.” (Candidate 29, Jan 2006)

Again, note down your comments in your Again, note down your comments in your jotter.jotter.

Having read both examples, it should be clear Having read both examples, it should be clear which is the more successful and what we which is the more successful and what we mean by reflection.mean by reflection.

Possible TopicsPossible Topics

There are so many!There are so many! The important thing to remember is that is should be The important thing to remember is that is should be

about something that has happened to you, or is about something that has happened to you, or is important to you.important to you.

If you are going to do this well, you need to really If you are going to do this well, you need to really think about what you want to write about and what think about what you want to write about and what the experience or subject has meant to you.the experience or subject has meant to you.

Have a look at the list of topics you have been given. Have a look at the list of topics you have been given. You may wish to use one of these, or they might help You may wish to use one of these, or they might help you to think of another idea.you to think of another idea.

StructureStructure

There are several ways to structure a Personal There are several ways to structure a Personal Reflective essay. The most important thing is Reflective essay. The most important thing is that you are confident that your essay has that you are confident that your essay has enough enough reflectionreflection..

The following structure is a suggestion but if The following structure is a suggestion but if you have any doubts at all about how well you you have any doubts at all about how well you can do this, it has worked very successfully in can do this, it has worked very successfully in the past.the past.

Personal Experience Personal Experience Personal Experience

General Reflection

Describe your experience.

Death of grandmother. I was 12. Unaffected; weren’t close. Description of realising she’d died.Funeral. Went back to normal.

Mr and Mrs Rutherford. Met in park. Visit. Listen Help out s’times.

Death of grandmother. I was 12. Unaffected; weren’t close. Description of realising she’d died.Funeral. Went back to normal.

Mr and Mrs Rutherford. Met in park. Visit. Listen Help out s’times.

Listening to stories about their lives, especially the war, realised how different life was; much harder. Can understand why older people seem so appalled by modern life.

Elderly people don’t feel old. They feel the same underneath and don’t recognise themselves. Dislike and feel frustrated by the way they are treated.

Made me think about my relationship with my own grandparents. Wished I’d go to know them better. What could I have learnt about my family? About their lives? Maybe we could have got on well?

Made me think about how we (I) behave toward older people. Too busy; can’t be bothered; forget. How do I want to change my behaviour?

At University, chance to go to London to work for Sony, decided not to go and decided to go into teaching instead. Meant 2 more years hard work at Uni and knowing that I wouldn’t earn so much money.

Made me reflect on my relationship with my girlfriend (now wife) about how she was prepared to come with me to London despite not wanting to leave Glasgow. So decision didn’t only affect me.

Realised that as a promoter and working for a record label I was becoming something I didn’t like. I was fake and pretending to be something that I wasn’t . Telling lies to try to sell the events that I was promoting.

Made me think about the future, marriage and children and where I wanted to raise them

Made me think about what I wanted to be and do in life. Realised that I wanted to work with people and try to make a small difference. Job satisfaction over money. Thought about what kind of person I was.

The purpose of education/ The opportunities that my generation had, but also the pressure to find out “what we really want to do in life”/ The commercialisation of music/ Late capitalism/ University fees /

Possible topics for general reflection

Description of event or experience

Possible opportunities for personal reflection

Death of grandmother. I was 12. Unaffected; weren’t close. Description of realising she’d died.Funeral. Went back to normal.

Mr and Mrs Rutherford. Met in park. Visit. Listen Help out s’times.

Listening to stories about their lives, especially the war, realised how different life was; much harder. Can understand why older people seem so appalled by modern life.

Elderly people don’t feel old. They feel the same underneath and don’t recognise themselves. Dislike and feel frustrated by the way they are treated.

Made me think about my relationship with my own grandparents. Wished I’d got to know them better. What could I have learnt about my family? About their live? Maybe we could have got on well?

Made me think about how we (I) behave toward older people. Too busy; can’t be bothered; forget. How do I want to change my behaviour?

How we speak about older people. Stereotypes? News stories? Dictionary definition. What we think about when we thing about the elderly.

SummarySummary

Start off by thinking about an Start off by thinking about an experience/incident or subject that is important experience/incident or subject that is important to you. Fill in the middle section of your to you. Fill in the middle section of your “rocket”“rocket”

Think about Think about why why it is so important. Try to it is so important. Try to complete the bottom boxes on personal complete the bottom boxes on personal reflection. Use the questions to help you.reflection. Use the questions to help you.

ThenThen, think about your general reflection., think about your general reflection.

General ReflectionGeneral Reflection

Your teacher will ask you to work in a group. Your teacher will ask you to work in a group. You will be asked to write down as many You will be asked to write down as many

abstract nouns as you can think off.abstract nouns as you can think off. LoveLove

HateHate

Anger…Anger… You have three minutes.You have three minutes.

General Reflection – Task 2General Reflection – Task 2 You will be working in groups.You will be working in groups. You will be given a flipchart with an abstract noun written in You will be given a flipchart with an abstract noun written in

the centre.the centre. Each group will have a different word.Each group will have a different word. You will have 3minutes to write as many ideas about the word You will have 3minutes to write as many ideas about the word

as you can on the sheet. These ideas could be: words; song as you can on the sheet. These ideas could be: words; song titles or lyrics; news stories; book titles; adverts from titles or lyrics; news stories; book titles; adverts from television; storylines from programmes or films; quotations…television; storylines from programmes or films; quotations…

After three minutes, pass your sheet on to the next groups and After three minutes, pass your sheet on to the next groups and they will add to your ideas.they will add to your ideas.

We will continue to do this until every group has had a chance We will continue to do this until every group has had a chance to add to each flipchart.to add to each flipchart.

PlanningPlanning

Before you start, read a final example of a Before you start, read a final example of a successful reflective essay, “Blyscan”successful reflective essay, “Blyscan”

On a sheet of A4 paper, start thinking about On a sheet of A4 paper, start thinking about the plan for your essay. the plan for your essay.

Try to follow the model you have been shown.Try to follow the model you have been shown. Use the topic lists and the reflective questions Use the topic lists and the reflective questions

to help you develop your thoughts.to help you develop your thoughts. What Do We Mean by Reflection.docWhat Do We Mean by Reflection.doc

ExpressionExpression

Having completed your plan, you should now Having completed your plan, you should now be ready to start writing. Before you do, you be ready to start writing. Before you do, you should consider the criteria for should consider the criteria for expression.expression.

Hooks:\Int 2 Middle school\reflective\Hooks:\Int 2 Middle school\reflective\Openings.docOpenings.doc

You will read two short pieces before you You will read two short pieces before you start.start. ““The Mount Florida Medical Centre”The Mount Florida Medical Centre” ““Anita and Me”Anita and Me”