1. Kelso High School English Department

2. S3 CfE English – Reflective Essay Writing

3. What is a Reflective Essay ? Reflective means looking back Most of the essay will be written in the past tense, except when you write about the way in which your experience has affected the person you are now Thoughts and feelings must be described in detail at every stage “SHOW NOT TELL”

4. Choosing a topic This shouldn’t be too difficult:- You know yourself better than anyone else Only you have lived your life You are the only person in the world who has had your set of experiences You are the only person in the world who has had the exact set of friends and family that you have Your brain is the only brain in the entire universe to hold your set of memories, thoughts and feelings You are unique, interesting and well worth writing about

5. Stop and think! Is there a childhood experience you have had which matters to you very much? If so, write a brief note of it now.

6. More ideas – write a short paragraph for each of the following What is the best thing that has ever happened to you? What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you? What is the saddest thing that has ever happened to you? What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you? What is the most frightening thing that has ever happened to you? What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you?

7. More ideas – write a short paragraph on each one Which event / time in your life has: most shaped you ? made you grow up and mature ? most changed your family ? been most confusing? shown you the best in people or the best in someone? shown you the worst in people or someone?

8. Now think about how people have impacted upon your life Which person : has most influenced you ? has helped you the most? has hurt you the most? do you miss the most?

9. Now read over your paragraphs Is there a paragraph you could develop and write about in depth for your reflective essay?