Submission 3.1: Descriptive Reflection (Formal Introductory Letter)
Dear Professor Blackstone,
I am writing to introduce myself and give you a better understanding of who I am. In this letter, I will outline my strengths and weaknesses in communication and detail my goals for the Critical Thinking and Communicating module.
I am Benjamin Ong and am a year-1 student at Singapore Institute of Technology. I have previously studied at Singapore Polytechnic, where I graduated with a diploma in bioengineering. Enrollment in that course introduced me to the world of engineering. I was captivated by the precision required for tasks such as pacemaker design, demonstrating the synergy between mathematics and technology in improving healthcare. Hence, this sparked my interest and is why I am pursuing engineering.
My experiences interacting with people of different ages and in various settings have helped me develop confidence in my communication skills. For example, I worked with both senior colleagues and peers. I adapted my communication style to suit each group, ensuring my approach was appropriate for their needs and preferences. In meetings with superiors, I used clear and respectful language while maintaining eye contact. When interacting with peers, I adopt a more casual approach, using relaxed gestures and a friendly tone.
However, when speaking to an audience, I often use filler words such as ‘um,’ ‘like,’ and ‘so.’ These fillers can weaken the effectiveness of my message and reduce its clarity. I have received feedback on this issue and am committed to improving it. I understand that avoiding these filler words can significantly enhance the perception of confidence and professionalism when delivering my message.
I am eager to address my weaknesses during this module to improve my communication skills and build my confidence. Additionally, I plan to leverage my strengths to collaborate effectively with my peers. By focusing on these areas, I aim to improve my communication skills and sociability, resulting in more meaningful interactions and contributions in class. This balanced approach will support my personal and professional growth.
After reading this letter, I hope you can see how my experiences have shaped my approach towards learning and collaboration in this module. I am committed to leveraging my strengths and addressing my weaknesses to contribute effectively to the class.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to seeing you in class, Professor.
Yours Sincerely,
Benjamin Ong
This is a well written letter, Benjamin. Through this letter, I got to understand you better as you were concise in explaining your interest in engineering. The experiences you shared were helpful as it gave me more insights on your journey as an engineering student. You have given both strengths and weakness about your communication skills and it is impressive as you are able to share it with us, and to seek active feedback. Overall, this letter has shown your enthusiasm for learning and outlined your goals for this module very clearly.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing about yourself Benjamin. I was able to get to know more about your background as well as your communication strengths and weaknesses.
ReplyDeleteI like that you were honest about the often use of filler words. This is something that I can relate to as I too use it sometimes without even realising. This is a bad habit that I have taken up since young.
The only feedback that I have is that your email would be more concise. The examples you gave regarding how you adapted your communication style could be shortened. I felt that you could have summarised that part without repeating similar ideas.
In summary, I believe that your email can be improved with just a few minor tweaks.
Hi Benjamin,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about yourself in your email. It was great to learn about your background in bioengineering and how your experiences have shaped your interest in engineering.
Some changes you can make is to rephrase the conclusion slightly to make it more concise, such as "I hope this gives you insight into my learning approach, and I’m excited to contribute to the class."
Overall, it’s clear and well-organized. I hope you will be able to achieve your goals.
Hi Benjamin,
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking your time to write this letter. After reading the letter, I am able to learn more about you and about your interest in engineering.
I felt that this letter was clear and complete. You were able to help me identify your communication strengths and weakness and provided examples throughout the letter. You also clearly mentioned your goals for this module. One thing you could add on is how you differ from the rest.
Overall, this letter helped me got a better understanding of you. I hope you are able to achieve your goals for this module by the end of the trimester and improve your communication skills.