Kelso High School English Department

Reflective/Personal Writing What are examiners looking for in reflective/personal writing: 1) a sense of own personality expression of your thoughts and feelings 2) an entertaining treatment of the topic - originality and perhaps humour 3) appropriate style - a chatty one may be more suitable than a formal one

Why write a Personal/Reflective piece? Personal / Reflective essays often score very well as each person’s thoughts and experiences are unique to them, therefore you can be sure of writing something original

Task Over the next few weeks you will be working on a Reflective / Personal essay about you Your essay will follow a plan and will look at a number of different areas about yourself and your life

Task - Quick thinking tasks We shall now look at the different sections of your essay Take 8 minutes for each section and write some brief notes, which you will later develop more fully

Paragraph One - What’s in a name? Names are an integral part of who we are. 1)Briefly note your feelings about your name. Is it a name you would have chosen for yourself? Why? Why not? 2) Is there a story behind your name? 3) Did your parents consider other names?

Paragraph 2 - Feelings Complete each of the following sentences: a) I usually worry about……… b) I feel angry when ……… c) I’m moody when …….. d) I’m happiest when ….. e) I feel confident when ……

Paragraph 2 - Feelings f) I feel frustrated when ….. g) I feel depressed when …… h) I am comfortable when …… I ) I feel nervous when ……. j) I feel sentimental when ………

Paragraph 3 - Remembering the Child A) Describe yourself as a little toddler B) Homework task: How did others see you when you were little? Interview someone who knew you as a small child. Briefly describe their favourite memory of you.

Paragraph 4 - Family Influence Choose a member of your family. A) Briefly describe a specific moment you have shared with that family member and what you have learned from that experience B) How has your relationship changed with that family member as you have grown older? C) Describe what hopes you have for your future relationship.

Paragraph 5 - Room Sweet Room We are territorial animals, instinctively seeking a place we can call our own. The rooms we live in and how we decorate them are as revealing as our clothing.

Paragraph 5 - Room Sweet Room A) Think about your room and all the things in it that make it uniquely yours B) Briefly describe your room, not just by listing the things in it, but by conveying the feelings you have for your room and the items in it

Paragraph 6 - Personal Symbol A) Describe an object that has a special meaning for you. It might be a gift from someone you love, an award, a souvenir, a childhood toy or a family photograph B) Briefly explain why it means so much to you

Paragraph 7 - One Medium Suitcase Imagine that you are leaving home forever and you can only take what will fit in one medium-sized suitcase. A) Describe what you will take with you and why.

Paragraph 8 - Flashback If you could relive one day or experience in your life, what would it be? Was it so wonderful you want to experience it again or is a day you want to change A) Describe the day or experience B) Explain why it was so important to you C) Describe what reliving it would accomplish

Paragraph 9 - Remembrance of Things Present In twenty years you will have forgotten most of the things that fill your life now. A) Briefly describe what the things are about who you are now, what you enjoy and value, what you do with your time and so on that you want to remember twenty years from now

Paragraph 10 - Carpe Diem “Seize the Day” A) Briefly describe what things you want to achieve in life before you are thirty five and why B) Briefly describe what have you already said goodbye to - people, places, ideas, stages in your life, hopes, dreams, sorrows.

Paragraph 11- Lessons I learned after it was too late It seems that we always learn the most important lessons the hard way, usually when it is too late and once we’ve already made our big mistakes A) Briefly describe some of the lessons you learned after it was too late

Paragraph 12 - Futures - Fantasy and Fact A) Pretend that you can see yourself 10 years from now. Briefly describe your future as it could be if all your dreams came true. B) Briefly describe your life in ten years if you continue as you are now C) Explain why you feel that there are differences between A and B D) Describe what you could do to find a sensible compromise between the romantic and the realistic