Westerman, Carlie

Writing Self-Assessment
by Carlie Westerman

Grade 8
Prompt Code: S8A
IST: Nickie Kenyon
Evaluator: Eric
(read the Evaluator's Comment and Connections)

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            My seventh grade writing portfolio is a source of pride and a source of concern. I take pride in my creativity and my growing sense of the structure and sequence. Each time I read my past writing I see this improving more clearly. However, I have concerns about recurring errors in spelling and paragraph formation. While my style of writing is growing stronger and showing a keen sense of confidence, simple mistakes are often my worst enemy!
            As I approach my eighth grade portfolio, I hope to raise my level of competence with words and paragraphs to meet my eager thoughts and ideas. I feel good about my prospects because I am more aware and alert. Also, reaching a confidence with creative style and clarity seems more difficult than simply taking the time to spell-check and organize my thoughts. My keyboarding skills are improving and I believe this will be a major help as well.
            My concern with details seems to flow from my creative process in a much smoother and simpler way. I find myself talking in a truthful way inside my mind as I write. This feels good and gives me a playful feeling. I hope to build on this feeling.
            In the past, I have been very dependent upon note cards to organize my essays. I will continue to use this method. Perhaps I will spend more time organizing each note card and spellchecking at the very start of my thoughts. This will take some persistence. I need to give myself plenty of time to get my writing in shape. Perhaps I will reread this essay to remind myself to do this!
            This year I hope that my writing voice will be more mature and clear. Time management will help me to achieve this too. In fact, I hope to let myself enjoy my writing much more this year by planning a reasonable and constructive timetable. This should help my concrete self . . . catch up to my creative self!
            Introductions and conclusions have always been at the core of choice of theme and ideas. Perhaps I will trust myself to be a bit freer in my initial construction this year and let them come to life after my core writing, rather than building my writing around them. That would give a more truthful feel to creativity. It would also be a sign that I am a lot braver in my choices. I believe that bravery is very important to a writer.
            As an eighth grader, I hope to be prepared for the extensive writing that will be required in high school and college. This will be a challenge. I hope to meet this challenge.

Writing Program Evaluator Eric comments:

Carlie’s essay exhibits a thoughtful engagement with the writing process. She begins by adeptly reflecting on her seventh grade writing portfolio, perceptively and skillfully transitioning between her strengths and weaknesses. As her essay progresses, she uses separate paragraphs to consider many important aspects of writing, such as the use of details, organizational techniques, and her writing voice. She also addresses time management, a sometimes overlooked but very useful skill in the act of getting writing done. Further, Carlie’s discussion of trusting oneself and bravery in writing is sophisticated and insightful.

Connections:

*To explore the writing self-assessment mode further, see the other February '07 Essays of the Month by John Marsh, Amanda Toro, and Jaimie Toro.

*After reading all four writing self-assessments, what do you see in common about the way these four writers address this prompt? What do you see that they do differently in their self-assessments?

*Carlie writes that "bravery is very important to a writer." What do you think this means? Do you agree?