On “Proficiency” by Shannon Nicholls
This is your first Conversation post. Please review instructions for Conversation, and start writing.
Answer 4-6 of the questions below:
- How does the author feel about her writing abilities?
- How does the author feel about standardized tests?
- Retell the author’s journey as a writer.
- If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you say when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?”
- Has there been a time in your life when you doubted your abilities as a writer or in general? Explain.
- How do you feel about your writing abilities?
Support your answers with evidence (quotes, examples, etc) from the text and reply to at least 1 classmate.
6 thoughts on “Conversation 1: Literacy Narrative”
How does the author feel about her writing abilities?
The author believes in her writing and thinks it’s considered good writing. She could not believe that she had failed the part of the writing test since she does so well in class. As the texts states ” I decided to quit trying so hard. Apparently — I told myself — the people grading the tests didn’t have the slightest clue about what constituted good writing.” She knew that her writing wasn’t the problem. So even when she failed the test she proceeded to excel in her writing classes.
How does the author feel about standardized tests?
The author feels as if the people who are grading standardized tests should give some sort of feedback. “I wish I knew why I failed that test because then I might have written what was expected on the second try, maintained my enthusiasm for writing, and continued to do well.” She had to retake the test and failed multiple times because she didn’t know where she was going wrong. This had discouraged her and the authors love for writing, failing that test multiple times made writing less enjoyable.
Retell the author’s journey as a writer.
The author had loved writing since a child. She was always a smart kid and she believed in that until she failed the proficiency test in 8th grade. This had the author rethinking about her love for writing. She was in disbelief that she could have failed the test but did so well in class. The author failing the first time did not discourage her in writing. She tried even harder in her class the next semester to only fail the test again. This made the writer believe that she was not good at writing and she should stop trying so hard at something she wasn’t good at. She gave up and that had showed in her grades as well. The standardized test made her love for writing vanish.
If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you say when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?”
If I was her teacher I would have told her that it was okay, everyone fails in their life once or twice. She was obviously a good student since she managed to get an A in class. She shouldn’t let the test discourage her and her love for writing.
Has there been a time in your life when you doubted your abilities as a writer or in general? Explain.
Yes, absolutely! I always doubted my writing skills and I still do. Writing is not my best subject. I struggle with grammar punctuation and tone. When reading others work I always look to see how I can improve my work as a writer. In high school I never liked to present my work because I felt as if it was never good enough as the other students. My love for school and writing went away in high school when I stopped trying so hard in school.
How do you feel about your writing abilities?
As I said in the previous question I struggle with grammar, punctuation and tone. I feel as I write to informal and that is a skill I can improve on. I also would like to increase my vocabulary as the helps excels your writing. Spelling is also not my best ability. Especially since we are always using technology so we always have auto correct helping us spell words.
I feel the same ways about not feeling like I was good at writing. I also struggle with grammar and punctuation, I seems like it would be easy but I tend to overlook the small details. I previously took Eng 101 and I felt like I was the only one falling behind because everyone’s work was done well and I felt like mine didn’t compare. At some point I just gave up and hated writing due to this experience and how it made me feel.
In the story, the author felt proud and satisfied with her writing abilities. in standardized tests, the author expresses frustration and a negative view towards standardized tests. In the story, the author’s journey as a writer is portrayed as one of growth and self-discovery. She also lacks confidence and she gradually finds her voice and develops her skills. then overcoming the challenges she became proud of her writing abilities and her passion for storytelling. if I were Mrs. Brown I would say don’t be discouraged and let’s work together to identify your strengths and areas for improvement.
How does the author feel about her writing abilities?
In this reading the author felt confident in her writing abilities . While taking taking a proficiency test her result didn’t not come back as she expected . The author states “I was good at it, and enjoyed it . If anything, I thought I might fail citizenship. How could I screw up writing? Reflecting on her grade on writing she was confused on how she didn’t passed when in her writing class she surpassed her own expectations.
How does the author feel about standardized tests?
The author felt conflicted with the standardized test. As she failed repeatedly she became determine to pass but the excitement of doing it for her passion for writing diminished throughout time . The author states “I continued to excel in class and passed the test on the third try. But I never again felt the same love of reading and writing ” This made her doubt whether or not she truly was good at writing and the connection she had with it.
Retell the author’s journey as a writer.
In the beginning the author showed how she thrived in reading and writing. Once she had taken the proficiency test and failed in writing she doubted herself and the quality of work she was doing. She hated it and question her creativity in writing.
If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you say when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?”
I would say that they probably didn’t understand where she was coming from and how she may have approached the writing. I can’t see her writing but maybe if i saw it I would give advice in her writing and tell her that if she thinks its good then it is but there always room to improve.
Has there been a time in your life when you doubted your abilities as a writer or in general? Explain.
During high school I took eng 101 and the professor I had was really harsh while grading. She always wanted it to be a certain way and would critique everybody’s writing. It made me dislike writing and question my ability to write because I came in confident and it disappeared by the time I finished that class end of semester.
How do you feel about your writing abilities?
I think I am pretty good at writing . I take any advice and try to better my writing. I haven’t written anything in a long time so my confidence is down but i hope to relearn about this class again.
1. How does the author feel about her writing abilities?
I feel like the author feels very confident in her English skills, as her grade was always Amazing in her English’s classes. Her friends also knew her English as good as well and that reassured her it was a good grade on English class. “ I never had a GPA below 3.0” a 3.0 Gpa is a pretty good grade, and her love and passion will make her writing better due to it being more “personal “ way since she has love for it she puts in feelings, time, in her work.
2. How does the author feel about standardized tests?
The author hates standardized test! Her knowing she was a good writer, her grades, her teachers and her peers constantly reminding her and her grades reassuring her that she was a good writer, it must’ve been frustrating to take the test and fail it. Specially when some kids who were barely passing their English class passed it. “How can I get all As in my English class but fail the writing part of my proficiency test twice” after she failed it not once but twice she decided to give up and started kinda hating or annoyed of English , due to her constant failure and the grading system for the test.
3.Retell the author’s journey as a writer.
The author was always a good writer her grades said it was well, she felt confident and knew she was good at writing. That all changed when she took the proficiency test and failed it not once but twice that made her doubt herself and grew a dislike towards it.
4If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you say when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency
I wouldn’t know what to say to be honest, because it actually doesn’t make sense how she would get all As in English class but when it came to the test she failed it Twice!.
I would just tell her to ask why?and to do even better next time
5 Has there been a time in your life when you doubted your abilities as a writer or in general? Explain.
During high school I told Ap English in my senior year of high school but i honestly didn’t try or even care about the class due to it being my senior year. I didn’t take it serious and i feel like I would’ve definitely done better then I did and my grade would’ve definitely been better too .
How do you feel about your writing abilities?
I feel like my skills are really bad right now, however I feel like if I try and focus they could potentially get better.
Israel Jimenez
1. How does the author feel about her writing abilities?
I feel like the author feels very confident in her English skills, as her grade was always Amazing in her English’s classes. Her friends also knew her English as good as well and that reassured her it was a good grade on English class. “ I never had a GPA below 3.0” a 3.0 Gpa is a pretty good grade, and her love and passion will make her writing better due to it being more “personal “ way since she has love for it she puts in feelings, time, in her work.
2. How does the author feel about standardized tests?
The author hates standardized test! Her knowing she was a good writer, her grades, her teachers and her peers constantly reminding her and her grades reassuring her that she was a good writer, it must’ve been frustrating to take the test and fail it. Specially when some kids who were barely passing their English class passed it. “How can I get all As in my English class but fail the writing part of my proficiency test twice” after she failed it not once but twice she decided to give up and started kinda hating or annoyed of English , due to her constant failure and the grading system for the test.
3.Retell the author’s journey as a writer.
The author was always a good writer her grades said it was well, she felt confident and knew she was good at writing. That all changed when she took the proficiency test and failed it not once but twice that made her doubt herself and grew a dislike towards it.
4If you were Mrs. Brown, the author’s English teacher, what would you say when the author asked: “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency
I wouldn’t know what to say to be honest, because it actually doesn’t make sense how she would get all As in English class but when it came to the test she failed it Twice!.
I would just tell her to ask why?and to do even better next time
5 Has there been a time in your life when you doubted your abilities as a writer or in general? Explain.
During high school I told Ap English in my senior year of high school but i honestly didn’t try or even care about the class due to it being my senior year. I didn’t take it serious and i feel like I would’ve definitely done better then I did and my grade would’ve definitely been better too .
How do you feel about your writing abilities?
I feel like my skills are really bad right now, however I feel like if I try and focus they could potentially get better.
How does the author feel about her writing abilities? In the story we can visualize that the author know and feels with confident that she is one of the best at her writing abilities which she have practice and worry to always be better at it.
How does the author feel about standardized tests?
in the story tells that she feels really uncomfortable and impotent because she doesn’t have any control over the results or what the final result will be, which the one who is grading the test do have control over.
Retell the author’s journey as a writer,,, the author was a young girl who was one of the best at her English class and her classes in general, but the one she loved the most was literature. which she dedicated to have a perfection and pass the class with a perfect grade, but she have to face the reality of life that is, not everybody will have the same anergy and enthusiasm to read what you have to offer with the same love that you have, which she start question herself about her writing abilities because she was felling one important or for her was the way to proof that she was good in writing reading, etc. but she fail the test two times which cause a negative impact and dislike on the subject.
If I were Mrs. Brown i will have tell her that it happens people have different point of view, and that is not she is bad at it is just not everything will go the way we want. what we can do is accepted and can going forward.
Well yes not as a writer but in general, as an athlete, worker, etc. but we have options that is, or you just give up on you or you try to get better and keep moving forward where you stop questioning yourself about your abilities.
My writing abilities are not where i want it to be but i working on it and doing as good as I can to get there.