Dear, students! Post your reflective essays, and tell us more about yourself as a writer. We have also posted our stories as writers. This is also, we think, an amazing opportunity to learn meaningful insights about writing from each other. Thus, feel free to comment on our and your groupmates' posts to share ideas! Follow us by clicking "Add Comments". We are waiting for your stories with eager anticipation!
Best regards, Gulora Muzaffarova and Israil Kurbaniyazov, CAW tutors.
It was long ago that I realized writing is more than typing whatever comes to your mind. Although my first experience of writing began with a story filled with diffuse sentences in lyceum, my teachers were satisfied with it. At present, reflecting on my past writing experiences, I consider myself to be a writer who is in need of more development.
A course in Basic Writing that my university offered helped me understand the writing process for the first time. Then I was mainly taught how to write effective paragraphs. In fact, my paragraphs were excessive and inarticulate, which often irritated my writing teacher. At the end of the course, however, I coined it in my mind that every piece of writing should have a structure to follow.
In my second year of university education, I began to experience Academic Writing which filled my mind with so much knowledge and ideas about writing. Essay writing became easy for me, partly because they are developed with a clear structure to organize your ideas. Peer evaluation process in our writing classes, also, enabled me to have more expertise in writing. We used to give and receive feedback on our writing, which allowed us share experience of writing with each other.
After being a third-year student, it occurred to me that it is not structures that show students how to organize their papers, but ideas that tell them the right structure of their writing. I began to think about it when I had to write a case study analysis on RWCT course (Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking).
I am still thinking about developing better papers and making effort to train my writing skills. I am writing essays for my IELTS exam preparation, reflection papers for methodology classes; however, I am not content with whatever I have learnt about writing so far.
Ответить
Gulora Muzaffarova
9/6/2013 03:29:49 pm
I am a writer
If you take an interest in a particular sphere and your skills favorably match with the interests, it is a promising start to achieve expertise. Albeit, my incipient experience in writing was made up of several disappointing failures. Even though I had a burning desire to become an effective writer, my hopes were dashing to find my feet in academic writing. When I unveiled the truth that talent is not born, but grown through persistent practice, I set off on a long journey to discover my talents and gain skills incited by my interests.
My initial steps in writing go back to my school time. I vividly remember writing compositions and essays in my mother tongue for school assignments. When I became a university student, IELTE courses provided me a deeper insight into academic writing. At that time, I understood that there is a yawning gap between creative and academic writing. The two online courses – English Composition I and English Composition 2- were the very complement to my growth as a professional writer. I was passionate about exchanging my writing with my peers, receiving and providing feedback to each other. Eventually, when I won the US Embassy Independence Day Essay Competition, I once more made sure that talent can be acquired through hard work and practice.
Looking back at the distance I covered as a writer, I instantly feel there a more considerable distance ahead of me to go through as a writer.
Ответить
Ziyodakhon
9/11/2013 11:24:18 pm
I am a writer
I remember my initial step to writing... It was my essays which I wrote in Uzbek at school. In several competitions I used to get the first and second places. As a result, I was motivated, and did love writing essays. However, when it came to lyceum period, I began to prepare only entrance exams as an applicant. So I did not have any writing task. Then obviously, my love of writing essays were gone. After passing exams successfully, I was taught writing in IELTE program. Ms Saida Irgasheva is the first person who explained me what the paragraph, topic sentence, supportive details…. Anyway, they was totally new for me. During my freshman year I got B on my writing class. I always got angry. The questions like “I wrote great ideas in my paragraph. Why did I not get A?” always made me disappointed. Although I tried to do my best, I could not understand the reason of my failure. When I became a sophomore, I realized my mistakes. The great success which I achieved was that I understood what the thesis statement is!!! Step by step, I felt my approaching to academic writing. However, I had and still have great difficulty in writing reports, reflections and critical articles, but in retrospect, I can see development in writing essays.
Ответить
Guzal Yakubova
9/11/2013 11:51:24 pm
I am a writer…
Everyone may use this phrase, because there is writing in everything: we write CVs or resumés in order to get a job, we write essays to pass international exams, and we write compositions at schools to get good grades, even little children write love letters to show their sympathy. It is evident that there is a purpose of every piece of writing.
Similarly, I used to write compositions in my native language at school only to get good grades, later on I had to write essays in English in order to win the contest between schools and then all around the republic. Unfortunately, my knowledge in writing was not adequate to get the first place, but I couldn’t thought of any reason why I did not get it. Being accepted to the university, especially to IELTE taught me the difference between academic writing and just writing down what comes to your mind. My opinion was nowhere near the real definition of writing. Having writing classes made me believe that writing properly is also one type of an art, particularly second year of writing class gave me great impressions and unforgettable experience. One of the precious things I have learnt so far is being critical to yourself and to the work you have done. If you stop criticizing, if you just become satisfied with the every single work you have done, you will never be able to improve your current level. As George Bernard Shaw claimed “As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.”
I thank my IELTE teacher so much for teaching me this valuable lesson.
I was five when I started to write, I was twelve when my Uzbek teacher boasted me because of my beautiful small essays, I was seventeen when some Uzbek linguists found my essays the best one among my course mates. But those achievements were nothing when I was in IELTE. I could hardly write compound sentences in English. Paragraphs looked like the highest wall, which I could not climb. Ms Mufarrah (my first writing teacher) opened me the world of writing. It was just introduction for a newcomer of this world. My, let’s say, “Paragraphs” were really messed and level of beginner (they seemed to be). When I really started to comprehend theories about how to write Academic Writing, the academic year suddenly finished.
Next year it was more difficult and compound course, but Ms Dildora(the second and the best teacher)taught me everything about almost all kind of essays. In the end, I realized and began to write real academic paragraphs and essays. They were not so good, but the most important was that I understand the rules and could write essays.
I cannot say I am writer, but I am on this way, and with the help of IELTE I can reach the pick, which now I can get to the highest pick called “I AM A WRITER!!!”
Ответить
Anonymous
9/16/2013 06:31:48 pm
I am a writer
The first step in becoming a writer is admitting aloud that you already are the thing that you said you always said you wanted to be “someday.” The first step is getting over the idea that you are not a writer, that you are not yet ready to be a writer because you haven’t “prepared” enough.
Like most writers, I always knew that I wanted to be a writer, but like most writers, I was in denial that I was good enough to be called a writer. Yes, since I was child, I wrote things. I wrote essays and poems and stories and letters and started and trashed novels, but a writer? Oh, no, no, no. Not me. When someone asked what I was going to do after high school, I said I was going to college to become a psychologist and then a college professor. I liked the certainty of those professions and the idea that maybe, just maybe, somehow, someone, somewhere would discover me and make me the thing I always really wanted to be…a writer.
Writers are good. Writers are loved. Writers never make mistakes. And I made mistakes and I was good but not that good so I went to school and workshops and read books to get better. I wasn’t really a writer. I was in training, I was becoming, I thought, a better writer so that I could have the guts to do the thing I knew I wanted to do but couldn’t do because I wasn’t ready yet.
Writing was a hobby that I did through my years as a young woman. It was something I did sometimes but never really said I did seriously because when you’re a highly insecure young woman, seriousness can be costly. It can be costly to your ego, mostly. It can be costly to hear that you aren’t as great as you think you are in your head . It’s easier to live in your head and with that ego that you could be a writer if only you took it seriously.
If only. But you won’t take it seriously because to take it seriously and fail would be catastrophic. So you don’t take it seriously because you don’t really take yourself seriously.
To admit that you are a writer, you must decide to lose your ego. You must decide to tell that voice that says you’re not ready to shut up. You must decide to write because this is what writers do. They write. Are they always great? No. In fact the best writers are those who are okay with being mediocre for the sake of what that means to their souls as writer and as human beings. They write crap and beautiful things because this is what they do, they write. They write not for others but for themselves and because they value their words enough to release them into the world to live and find new meaning elsewhere.
But I lost my ego somewhere along the way in becoming a mother. When I became a mother, I was faced with this baby who needed me and I felt I was losing myself and sight of that very “important” novel written that I started at 24. I had failed myself. Motherhood left all that I thought mattered about my life on the floor. And as I lie there with my baby in my arms, I had to decide to pick up the things I could see most clearly from that low place. I picked up my child, my pen, and that desire to become the woman I always wanted to become but that my ego and insecurities and “better” judgment preventing me from ever become.
Ответить
Gulora Muzaffarova
9/17/2013 12:11:00 am
An impressive piece of writing! You truly expressed your feelings above. But I am wondering if you managed to loose your ego after all, or it is still a barrier for you? (as you wrote: "my ego and insecurities and better judgement preventing me from ever become"). Additionally, I don't agree up to your point when you said "writers never make mistakes". Because I wholeheartedly believe mistakes make them write better. Still, your writing touched me very much!
Ответить
Jahongir Yuldashev
9/18/2013 01:58:02 am
Writing
Expressing feelings and ideas through writing is always counted preferable way of delivering information. Perhaps, exactly this aspect of writing attracted me in my lyceum days. I still clearly remember my initial attempts to write about my daily routine and my family in small paragraphs. Soon I was very interested in writing so much. Even once I tried to compose a poem for my pretty teacher in English, though I could not handle to do this in my native language. Those insightful days still makes me laugh if I recall my silly mistakes in my writing. Yet my teacher anyway was very grateful from my efforts and supported me to push on that progress.
University life made me give attention seriously to which I wanted to learn. Hence, I got an epiphany that I must improve my writing skill. As we were freshmen, we were mainly taught brainstorming and set on original ideas in small paragraphs. I was very enthusiastic on this tempting subject. I started writing not for a mark but for my pleasure, to fulfill my eagerness. As the time passes, more specific and more scientific tasks were given in the second year. I got a stimuli on my mind that I should study a lot on my essays to reach the harmony of structures and golden ideas in one content. During this period I understood the importance of critical thinking and the value of peer evaluation that made us become master on checking as well as rectifying errors in our pieces of writing. Implementing theoretical knowledge into practice created the chance of writing scientific articles. As a consequence, I managed to compose complex essays and some critical reports. These are the satisfactory factors that I obtained through the second year at my university.
Finally, I am convinced that writing is the type of Art which can influence readers’ soul with bunch of brilliant words.
Ответить
Pulat Alimov
9/24/2013 02:02:52 am
I am a writer.....
My initiation into writing was somewhat different from my course mates'. Nothing made me involve or appeal to it. I myself accidentally went into its mysterious world. If one event had not occurred, I would not have engaged in writing. I cannot say that this reason would be really worthwhile for someone else to adore writing. But particularly for me, it was different.
When one June morning, in my vocation time, grandmother asked me to clean a basement. I agreed and started working. The cellar was full filled with olden documents. As I was packing them, some letters took my attention. They were all sent by a soldier who served in Afghanistan during the time of USSR. There soldier described causes of war, and its victims with such words as if it were happening before my eyes. As I read, I thought how simple word combinations could make me burst into tears. Since then I started to adore this skill and wanted to improve it. But unfortunately, only desire was not quite adequate so as to create splendid piece of writing. It required more precise and critical way of thinking. So I was in need of having to learn the rules and tips of writing. Luckily, in my first and second courses writing teachers taught to me how to be successful writer. However, I am not excellent writer now, but during the third course I will try to get rid of my weaknesses.
Ответить
Nilufar Nizamova
9/26/2013 04:13:18 am
I'm not a writer, but want to be. I do not exactly know whether it is considered as a writing, it may be funny but I do remember writing my first poem about love when I was in my 7th grade. At that time I loved russian literature,learned russian poet’s poems by heart and tried to write similar to their poems. In this way, I wrote my second ”masterpiece”. It was about Uzbekistan. Later on, I gave up, thought writing wasn’t for me. At that time I couldn’t even realize I could write paragraphs,essays in English. First I wrote a pargraph when I was freshman in IELTE. I can’t say that I did well on but I did my best. With the help of Ms. Mufarrah(our first writing teacher) and Ms. Dildora(writing teacher in our 2nd course) I learned expressing my English in writing. I thank them for guiding me to this way right. I truly hope that in my junior year I will make more progress!
Ответить
Bahor Abdukhalilova
10/5/2013 10:34:53 pm
I am as a writer
According to psychology of human being, expressing thoughts and feelings of inner mind is crucial part of wellness. If people do not share their opinions with others, we usually call them reserved. What I can say about myself is that I am also not open. Therefore, I always tend to keep a diary. There is also another reason of keeping the diary. I forget things. So, I take notes of things which I want to remember because if I do not do that I simply forget them. Moreover, recording my thoughts in this way helped in my academic writing, too.
Till now I have written many essays, stories, letters, yet, I do remember only those which I was satisfied with. I would like to write about two of them below.
Six or seven years before we, all group mates, were given a task – to write an essay about “winter.” I clearly go over writing this essay in my mind. It was February and the winter was absolutely cold. The chilly weather impacted on peoples’ mood. All were waiting for hotter days. So, I wrote the essay with all my sincerity. I still remember there were such lines: “It is winter and it is cold. But we all know that after several days spring comes. That is interesting, why is my heart as cold as my hands right now? I do not know. I only know one thing that in the spring my hands will get hot. But what about my heart?! It is not waiting for the hot weather. It is waiting for kindness, faithfulness, love and friendship, I suppose.” Fortunately, in these days, my heart is feeling fine because I found happiness in the deepest kindness of my family and my best friend.
The second significant academic essay in my life was about “Leadership”. There I wrote, “In my point of view, leadership is a phenomenon of influencing others with a particular idea. Yet, there is difference between the past leaders and the present. In ancient times most leaders were forceful and they used their authority to obey others to their commands. On the contrary, nowadays, its position changed; now it is necessary to the leaders to inspire others with their actions”.
At the end I would like to say that it is necessary to fill the paper; if the feelings are true, if the days are unforgettable, if the experience is miraculous.
Ответить
Yulduzkhon Pulatova
10/5/2013 10:39:30 pm
My experience as a writer
“ Live as if you were to die tomorrow,
Learn as if you were to live forever”
Mahatma Gandi
This quotation is connected with education, from childhood nearly all children try to write something, or drove something, read books and etc. simply they try to get knowledge. Education is recognizing the world, and we gain knowledge from wring, reading, listening and speaking. Further, I want to remember my first writing. My experience in writing will be divided into three groups: 1) childhood writing, 2) my writing at school times 3) writing in present time.
It is usual for children writing in kinder garden. I went there and got some English lessons. As far as I remember my writing in English was in kinder garden. I was taught about letters and daily phrases like “how are you?”, “what is your name?” etc. then, I wrote short, simple conversation in English. It is memorable that I took five points for that.
Next is, my school years. I had diary from that time and it was written in English. There were written all my feeling and events which happen that time. But now when I read these notes, it is full of grammar mistakes and it is lack of colorful words.
In present time my life is connected with English language. My entering to USWLU is main reason. Now English is my major. Also, my writing skills improved but not till the end. There are changes in writing types. I was taught to write curriculum vitae, application forms and others.
Year by year my writing skills are improving, styles of writing change. I think writing is a part of our life. It will be needed in every work, in every sphere. All documents, qualifications, and other necessary things made in written form. That is why knowing writing skills is a way to get success.
Ответить
Abdulboriy Ruziboyev
9/20/2014 01:13:54 am
Student: Ruziboyev A. B.
My experience in writing
Listening, speaking, reading and writing are the skills which we face almost every day. They are not only the everyday life needs, but also they are the foundation base of our future career. From all, writing ability is one of the important things that played a big role in my writing experience.
It was the first essay which I wrote when I was studying in educational center named “CIP”. If we go back, it will be the year 2009. My teacher’s name was Mrs. Kamola who gave a great motivation to my English learning as a second language. So, I wrote my first essay without the instructor’s explanation. I just wrote with the help of books’ essay writing instruction. As my tutor told, it was a really good job for the first time. Then she honestly directed me how to write better essays and to be a good writer. Besides that, there is also one person, who is my college mate Anvar, taught me how to think in English. After some time passed, I was somehow able to write essays concerning any topic.
In conclusion, now you know how my writing experience began and also it should be mentioned that motivation of someone or something is one of the important things to your further movements.
Ответить
Оставить ответ.
Author
Writing Center tutors Gulora Muzaffarova and Israil Kurbaniyazov welcome you in Writing 3 course platform!