It's always difficult for me to define exactly "what I've learned over the course of the semester" because I'm always fully aware that no matter how much I've learned, it will only grow as a result of the class. Well, sometimes. I don't remember much about chemistry or geometry, but those aren't exactly my forte'. This class was important to me because I knew that it would help me as a future English teacher. At the risk of sounding like I'm trying to smooge you: I chose this profession because of your class. I know, it was this funky weekend class that met for hours and only lasted a short time, but it was conducted in a way that made that time pass effortlessly. I learned the material AND I enjoyed myself, and after years of general education classes, that was more refreshing than I can put into words. I've often wanted to thank you in some sort of card, but I've never been one for cards, so a blog will have to work. Over the years, you were always in your office in Taylor from the moment I entered until the moment I left, and I would usually pull long days in Taylor, so that's dedication. So, thank you. You showed me the type of teacher I wanted to be, and it will take hard work, long hours, endless trials and occasional errors, but you seem so dedicated that I know that it will all be worth it. Moving on...
This class was important because it focused on the most up-to-date studies about the teaching of writing. I found the class readings interesting because they were so conversational. They used examples, showed work that was in need of development, and showed the necessary instruction for improving writing. As a future teacher, I mostly enjoyed the ways that the books chose to take note of personal interests. By allowing students to write topics of their own choosing, the outcome of texts were more established. I remember writing about topics that I had no interest in, and even as someone who normally enjoyed writing, I found it was a struggle. Although the books tended to lean toward primary grade teachers, I was able to adapt that information to my own experiences, and they remained true even in older students. I think that the choices of texts were perfect for the class because they were directed at changing teaching practices, and as future teachers, we gained ideas on how to begin on the right foot.
As far as projects go, I found them difficult, but fun. Particularly the movies at the beginning of the semester. I can't remember working on something for so long, but in the end, I learned about the program and was proud of my work. I really liked the way that you provided us with a written grade and also the MP3. I may steal that idea when applicable in the future. I've always gotten written grades and written explanations, but the MP3 was important because it was your reaction right after you watched the movie, so I was able to hear about your opinion the moment you formed it. With hundreds of papers and projects coming to me in the future, I felt that this was a great way to connect with the work of my students and show them that their work was carefully watched and thought about.
The annotated bibliographies scared me at first because I still have a bit of a problem with group work. Leave it to one or two bad groups to sway me for my entire college career...but I'm working on putting more trust in my colleagues. My group was excellent. We would e-mail, talk to one another, and everyone did their work on time. I feel like reading all sixteen would have been far too much, but I was able to develop my memorandum with the help of my groups annotated bibliographies, so the group aspect worked in my favor.
As for the final project, it was hard. Not the project itself, since I'm fully aware that lesson plans will be essential in the future, so I should get used to them, but hard because prior to reading the book, Nonfiction Matters, I didn't know how to encorporate nonfiction into my classes. Which seems silly now that I know the vast number of ways that I can. I mentioned the book to a teacher at Chico High and she immediatly asked if she could borrow it, because she was being encouraged to teach more nonfiction, so I knew that the application would be essential in my future teaching. I felt that way about nearly everything we did this semester, to be honest. I know exactly how I will use my knowledge in the future, and I have the proper tools to put my knowledge to use. Thank you for all the help.
Good luck with the unicycle,
Caitlin
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