Week Three Reflection

This has been a thrilling and monumental last week. I feel that I finished my life-changing project with a resounding bang. Whenever I feel like I can't accomplish something, I can look back to this week and be reminded that I have the talent to do whatever I want. The first reason that this week has been so brilliant is perhaps the most obvious; I received a letter from one of our nation's most cherished writers, Donald Hall. That he personally responded to everything I said signifies that he must be interested in me. The thought of Donald Hall's interest in my thoughts will serve as a reminder to me that I have potential. The second reason this week has lifted my self-esteem is because of what I accomplished. I helped a teacher in the classroom with both general errands and specific tasks. I actually connected with a child and taught him about the deeper meaning of the poem. I hope that by showing him the benefits of my analysis, I taught him that literature often has deeper meaning and that it is rewarding to find this meaning. Perhaps this idea is a bit too optimistic, but his responses to what I said demonstrated that he understood, which means that I have the ability to convey knowledge to others and teach them. If, as I expect, I end up as an English teacher, I can think back to this moment as the first time I taught someone about the deeper meaning of a piece of literature, and I can draw confidence in my teaching from that memory. More importantly, however, my confidence in my writing has developed through this week. I began the week with much revision to do, and, since I am not skilled at revision, I felt despair. However, I managed to revise all of the essays to their full potential. Well, probably not their full potential, since a piece is never truly finished, but I did manage to substantially revise them when I thought that I could not. If I ever feel that I cannot bring a piece to near perfection, I can look back to this week and remember that I can complete successful revision. This week provided me with three moments that I can remember in the future to inspire confidence within me. I have finished a life-changing project with a resounding bang. Now, I can walk into my future life of teaching and writing knowing that I can accomplish whatever I set out to do.