My Best Experience With Writing

The Beginning 

All my life I have struggled with writing and have had to stay after school and get extra help from my teachers. For most of my academic career I would fight this constant battle with English class. I remember in first grade having to stay in my teacher’s class and having to do extra assignments with him to help me with my writing skill. I failed my writing assignments and vividly remember the first D I had ever received on an assignment. At the time I did not understand what a D meant but instinctively I knew it must not be good. That marked the start of 10-year battle I had against writing.

The Up Hill Battle 

I would continue to receive extra help for writing during the remainder of elementary school. In third grade, I remember having a special class during enrichment and some of my friends got to do fun classes during enrichment time. I started to have a disliking for writing and always dreaded when I would have to write an essay or take a spelling test. It began to feel more like a must than a get to.   

At this point because I struggled so much with the action of writing and putting the words and ideas in my head onto paper, I could not see the possibility to use writing as a creative outlet. How could I? At this point, I was trying to get a passing grade or more on my assignments, let alone write about something I enjoyed.  

A Shift in the Tide 

All of this would start to change for me in 9th and 10th grade. In 9th grade I had a teacher named Mrs. McGuire and in 10th I had Mrs. Harless. They helped me find my voice in writing and gave me tips and tools to better communicate what I was thinking on paper. I do not have a specific memory in these classes that was my best writing experience, but rather the entire two years in these classes was the best experience. My teachers worked with me on my spelling, grammar, and putting my thoughts onto paper. Once I had a solid foundation in these areas, they then helped me learn more about the creative side of writing.  

My 11th grade year I was blessed and got to have Mrs. McGuire for a second year. This year would solidify my fate, and I would now love writing and more importantly, the possibilities writing gave me. The class was AICE General Paper and for the final exam you were given a list of nonfiction prompts, and you had to choose one and write about it from memory. The entire year we researched many different topics, and I absolutely loved it.  This then forced me into the world of journalistic and research writing. This helped me become a well-rounded writer. Yes, I still struggle with spelling and grammar at times but now we have a beautiful thing called spell check. My teachers taught me that just because you may struggle in some aspects of writing and English does not mean you are not good at it and cannot enjoy it.  

Where I Stand Today 

Now when I sit down to write I am filled with a spark of excitement instead of dread. These two teachers helped give me the confidence that I needed and my found love for writing. They really did change my outlook towards writing and literature. I now feel confident enough to use it as an extension of my creativity.  

I owe both teachers so much! They truly helped put me on the path to lead me to where I am today. I not only gained confidence in writing, but also, I now have confidence and courage to face whatever challenges and battles I may face. This is truly just the beginning of my writing journey, but I look forward to what challenges may lie ahead.