“Back to Wolf Willow” by Wallace Stegner
The movie Stand by Me focused on the influence of friendship and the importance of certain events (i.e., adventure) upon the lives of the four boys. To further strengthen our understanding of childhood memories we will read a piece of literature entitled, “Back to Wolf Willow”. This piece is a reflective essay. This means the author is looking back to the past, analyzing his memories, and coming to understand how it measures up to the actual reality.
Before Reading o If you returned to your childhood home ten years from now, what do you think you will remember? o What images would stand out? Consider the senses of childhood (sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch)
During Reading
As we read the essay, you are to underline or highlight the phrases or sentences that stand out because they are especially reflective.
After Reading
1.
What childhood memories were important to Stegner?
2.
What feelings did he have about his “hometown”? About his brother, grandmother, mother and father?
3.
What impressions have been altered by time? Why?
4.
What does the smell of wolf willow symbolize to Stegner?
5.
What has shaped Stegner’s views and impressions?

Target o I can write a reflective essay. o I can understand the difference between editing and proofreading. o I can effectively use the writing process (i.e., brainstorming, drafting, and revising). o I can effectively incorporate transition phrases.
The question the movie and essay brings is “How does our childhood memories and friendship shape or influence our lives?”
Reflecting on the past, seeing events through new, wiser eyes can help us gain a new perspective or understanding of our past. It can be a pretty valuable process.
Assignment
 Reflect on your past and write a reflective essay by incorporating an anecdote, basic structure, and transitions phrases (Vocabulary Aid & Sentence Stems)
Focus of this assignment:
1.
The essay writing - Understanding and becoming more comfortable with the proper form of essays.
2.
The topic - The reflective process and ensuring your topics are proper topics for the assignment.
3.
Transitional phrases - These smoothly move the reader through the writing and through time. They also add variety to your sentence structure.
Anecdote – It is a short narrative account of an amusing, unusual, revealing, or interesting event.
Example
I remember those days when I would just sit down on the bed and watch Daddy let black socks engulf his feet, squeeze his size-twelve feet into size-ten shoes, and I would be elated when he asked me to button his sleeves. When we walked out the door, he would always remind me, “Remember, we’re not poor, so don’t let anyone say that to you. We just have financial problems.” (Jerrod Morgan)
Time Frame
You will have three classes to work on your writing and confer with your peers and myself.
After that time, you will have a few more days before the essay will be due.
Keep a copy of your essay for yourself and one copy the hand in. On the due date, you will be
orally presenting your essays. Oral presentations are a requirement of the ELA 20 curriculum.
Hopefully, you will feel comfortable in the environment of this classroom to share your reflections.

Criteria

Have your essay typed, size 12 font, Times New Roman or Courier New, double spaced, black ink.

Title page with a title for your essay in the center of the page, your name, class, and date in the bottom right corner. (You can include an image on the front page if you like.)

Your essay outline and rough draft copies attached at the back of your essay.
 The rubric for your essay attached at the very back of all the above.
Criteria
Writing Process
Content
Style
Mechanics
4 3 2 1
Evidence of writing phrases – prewriting, drafting, revision, (editing and proofreading), good copy
Works through all phases; however, a component(s) or evidence is missing.
Some writing phrases overlooked or disregarded.
No evidence of writing phases.
Demonstrates fresh, original thought and ideas. Point of view is thoroughly explored and clearly expressed
(introduction, supporting reflections and effective conclusion).
Essay shows thoughtful reflection and includes all required aspects.
Writer’s point of view is apparent.
Contains some interesting ideas, but writer does not explore more thoroughly. Lacks detailed explanations or supporting examples. Point of view is inconsistent.
The writer simply restates facts rather than reflecting his/her experience.
First person point of view not evident or very inconsistent.
Clear thesis statement, topic sentences for each paragraph, ideas clearly and logically organized.
Writer generally includes all required aspects with minor errors.
Writer fails to include topic sentences for all paragraphs, structure and ideas illogically organized for the majority of the essay.
Little or no structure, clarity of ideas, and organization.
Correct spelling and no “Big Bad” errors.
Essay legible.
Contains a few spelling and/or “Big
Bad” errors. Essay legible.
Some distracting spelling and “Big
Bad” errors throughout essay – readability. Legibility questionable.
Frequent spelling and “Big Bad” errors. Essay difficult to read.

Writer’s Name
Peer’s Name ___________________________________
What is best about this piece of writing?
Are the paragraphs and sentences clearly and logically connected? Where transitions could be introduced to make connections more clearly?
Is the opening interesting and attention getting? What, if anything, could help make it more so?
What is the focus of this piece? Do all of the parts work to support the whole?
Would it be possible to organize the ideas or events more clearly? How?
Has the writer told enough about each part of the subject? Where are more details needed?
Where is the language precise and vivid? Where is the language vague or confusing?
What errors in usage, spelling, capitalization, or punctuation that need to be corrected?
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

What I like best about this piece of writing is
When I look back at the project, the part I most enjoyed working on was
The most difficult part of the project was
I was most successful at
One thing I learned from this project is
I would assess my work on this project as (outstanding, good, fair, weak).
WHY?
One thing I need to improve in my next writing project is
One goal I would like to focus on in the future is

What is reflective writing?
Reflective writing is evidence of reflective thinking. In an academic context, reflective thinking usually involves:
1.
Looking back at something (often an event, i.e. something that happened, but it could also be an idea or object).
2.
Analyzing the event or idea (thinking in depth and from different perspectives, and trying to explain, often with reference to a model or theory from your subject).
3.
Thinking carefully about what the event or idea means for you and your ongoing progress as a learner and/or practicing professional.
Reflective writing is thus more personal than other kinds of academic writing. We all think reflectively in everyday life, of course, but perhaps not to the same depth as that expected in good reflective writing.
Four Keys of Reflective Writing

Reflection is an exploration and an explanation of events – not just a description of them.

Genuinely reflective writing often involves ‘revealing’ anxieties , errors and weaknesses, as well as strengths and successes. This is fine (in fact it’s often essential!), as long as you show some understanding of possible causes, and explain how you plan to improve.

It is normally necessary to select just the most significant parts of the event or idea on which you’re reflecting. If you try to ‘tell the whole story’ you’re likely to use up your words on description rather than interpretation.

It is often useful to ‘ reflect forward’ to the future as well as ‘reflecting back’ on the past .
Possible Structure for Reflective Writing
Reflective thinking – especially if done in discussion with others – can be very ‘free’ and unstructured and still be very useful. Even reflective writing can be unstructured, for example when it is done in a personal diary. In assignments that require reflective writing, however, teachers normally expect to see carefully-structured writing.
Introduction (Keep this short!)

Introduce your subject matter

What happened? Identify your initial feelings and reactions.

What is being examined?
Body

What is most important / interesting / useful / relevant about the object, event or idea?
Conclusion



What have I learned from this?
What does this mean for my future? What will I do in the future?
How does this apply to your life?

Introduction
( keep this bit short )
Body
Conclusion
Vocabulary Aid & Sentence Stems
There are no specific suggestions for vocabulary because the range of possible events, ideas or objects on which you might be required to reflect is so great.

Do remember when describing an event they are always written using the past tense.
For me the [most] meaningful aspect(s)
significant element(s)
relevant experience(s) was (were)…
important issue(s)
useful ideas(s)
For me the [most] learning arose from…
happened when…
resulted from…
Example
For me the most meaningful aspect was…
Previously thought (did not think)
At the time felt (did not feel)
At first I knew (did not know)
Initially noticed (did not notice)
Subsequently questioned (did not question
Later realized (did not realize)
[Alternatively,] this might be because of…
[Equally,] perhaps is due to…
could be explained by…
is probably related to…
This is similar to because…
is unlike
Having read feel…
experienced think…
applied realize…
discussed I now wonder…
analyzed question…
learned know…
[Additionally,]
[Furthermore,] I have learned that…
[Most importantly,]
This knowledge is essential did not…
This understanding could be important to me as because I have not yet…
This skill will be useful am not yet certain…
am not confident about…
do not yet know…
do not understand…

Helpful Hints
 Do incorporate your personal feelings. The purpose of the essay is to find out how your thoughts and feeling helped shape who you are.
 Do use first person. Writing a reflective essay is different than writing a formal essay. Your teacher is interested in finding out what YOU have to say or experienced. Using “I felt,” “I found,” and “I realized” are appropriate in a reflective piece.
 Do structure your essay clearly. In a reflective essay, you should include a thesis statement and organize your thoughts logically.
 Do not go on a rant. While it is fair to suggest ways that the material may have been more relevant, it is not appropriate to spend the entire essay complaining about your experience.
 Do not worry about being wrong. While reflective essays are graded, there is no right or wrong answer. Your teacher is more likely to appreciate the honestly and thought you put into your essay, rather than reading what you think he or she wanted you to write.

Transition words and phrases are vital to the success of any essay. They are the bread and butter of writing. They are the glue that holds all essays together. Think of bricks building a
house without mortar. Lack of mortar would cause the house to fall apart without it.
Transitions hold the same importance. We need these words and phrases to join sentences and thoughts together in a coherent fashion.
Here are a few tips on how and when to use transition words and phrases:
 Always use a transition phrase at the beginning of a new body paragraph
 Always use a transition word in between thoughts within a paragraph
 Never use a transition word to begin an essay
 Never use a transition word to begin a paragraph (but you can sometimes use a transition phrase at the start of a new body paragraph)
Sequence again, also, and, and then, finally, first, second, third, next, still, too
Time after a few days, after a while, afterward, as long as, as soon as, at last, at that time, before, earlier, immediately, in the meantime, in the past, later, meanwhile, now, shortly, soon, then, until, when
Comparison again, also, in the same way, once more
Contrast although, but, despite, even though, however, in contrast, instead, on the contrary, on the one hand, on the other hand, still though yet
Examples after all, even, for example, for instance, in fact, specifically, such as, to illustrate the following example
Cause and Effect as a result, because, consequently, for this purpose, so, then, therefore, to this end
Place above, adjacent to, below, beyond, closer to, elsewhere, far, further on, here, near, nearby, opposite to, there, to the left, to the right
Summarize/Conclusion as a result, as has been noted, as I have said, as we have seen, as mentioned earlier, in any event, in other words, on the whole, therefore, to summarize