Course Reflection...

I cant believe how fast this class has gone by! I'm not going to say that it has been an easy one for I have has my struggles but I feel like I have learned so many things!


I learned this semester that there are so many resources though the college such as the online tutor, what a wonderful thing! I have been going to school at Yavapai for quite some time and never even knew about it. I know that if I take future writing classes that I will definitely be using that for my papers and the feedback to help me make them more professional. 
The readings in this classes were amazing, especially 'Winter's Bone'. I enjoyed that story so much that I actually kept the book instead of selling it back to the bookstore. I didn't get a chance to watch the movie over the semester but I will have to make time to watch it over the Christmas break. The one reading that was hard for me was 'Bartleby'. I'm not sure if it didn't keep my interest or it if was because it was written in old time language but it was my least favorite by far! 
I'm positive that even though I tried my hardest to meet all the learning outcomes for the semester, I didn't so it will be an ongoing process for me. English is definitely not my strong point so I'm sure that I will have to continue to work on that throughout the rest of my life. I love to write but only for my own personal pleasure, not for a grade. I prefer poetry and stories, not essays and such. I will surely continue to practice what I have learned though because I'm sure I will need them in the future. 
My writing process has changed so much throughout the past 15 weeks, its unbelievable! I never though of myself to be an unorganized writer but when I got back that first essay I realized so much that I had to work on. I used that first essay as a guide for my other two and I watched my scores slowly raise. Also using the resources and tools through the college has helped me see where I need to improve and where my strengths are. 
The challenges in class were by far the essays. It was hard for me to think outside of my normal thought process. I am a literal thinker, I take everything for exactly what it is. I also never knew the difference between summary and analysis so that was also very hard for me. The first essay was a struggle, the second came fairly easy but that last one really got me. I had much trouble with the length requirement and not stating how I felt. I really had to take my take and make sure I used what I had learned over the course of the semester to do that essay to the best of my abilities.
Overall, this course was great! I learned a lot about my style of writing, the way that I think, and how to make myself better at using technology. Thanks for a great semester!

No Questions Asked- Blog Post # 7

I'm going all the way back to Blog Post 7 where we were supposed to do a tentative thesis for our second essay. Like all the other essays we have done over the course of the semester, I struggled but I actually did very well on this one. I must say that its weird going back and writing a thesis for something you have already done so I just used the paragraph I used on the paper! No comments necessary since the paper has already been graded. Just trying to get in as many extra points as possible before the end of the semester!

In the story “A Modest Proposal” Swift draws a conclusion that, “for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick.” (Swift, par 1). Swift believes that there are too many poor females on the streets with far too many children at their sides. He sees the mothers of these children as useless since not being able to work. Swift makes the suggestion to keep the children until the age of about 1  and sell them as slaves for the price of 2 schillings. Swift also proposes that he sells the small children as meat; stewed, roasted, baked, or broiled. This so-called proposal is intended at the Irish who seem to be over populating their country and not being able to care for them very well. Swift captivates his anticipated audience with the shock and awe factor. His use of satire and irony catches the reader’s attention from the very first line.

Technology!!!

What a class! I have taken a few online classes before but those were nothing compared to this. This made us use several different types of technology including posting videos, doing online research, making and posting to a blog and so much more. Online learning isn't for everyone. You definitely have to be self motivated for there isn't a teacher or other peers there to help you along. Its just you. I believe that you have to have some sort of computer experience and familiarity with computers. 

Taking an English class online was actually quite helpful to me. It gave the chance to do things at my own pace and it also made me use the resources that I never knew were available to me through the school such as the online tutor. It was nice to have several of the readings available for us right there on Blackboard, instead of having to buy the books, I wont complain about saving money! =) 

As stated above I was so unaware of how many tools and resources there were for us as students to use. Never even knew of the online tutor, its an amazing thing! I have used the Learning Center before and will continue to use that in the furture.

I loved all the things that we learned this semester, except maybe that last essay, it was quite difficult. I do love a challenge but it nearly killed me to be quite honest. The tools and technology we were given made it easier though and for that Im thankful. Blogging was something I had heard of but I think its a great thing and something that has peaked my interest. Of course if I continue to use it, it more thank likely wont be about English but you never know. 

I am pretty familiar with technology but this class helped me to get comfortable with it. Thanks Laura for breaking me out of my shell and bringing me into the modern world!!

 

Reflection on Revision

This essay was the hardest of the three that I had to write. I found myself struggling, even up to the  last day. I usually revise but never to extent that I did this time. In the previous 2 essays, I would write, have my friends proof read and make any changes that I found necessary. I never looked at my paper under a microscope so to say. This time I felt it very important because of the amount of points it was worth and because it is the final paper of the semester. I have a hard time writing when it isn't my normal way of thinking. I can summarize and give my opinion like there is no tomorrow but that isn't what this paper was about. This also wasn't a research paper. I visited the learning center and also submitted my first draft to the online tutor. I made so many changes that I felt like I wrote this paper more than once. I'm sure that my final paper is not nearly as perfect as it could be but life happens along with the other 3 classes I am taking and it was a challenge to say the least. I definitely used all the resources available to me and I'm sure I did the best that I could so hopefully it shows in my work! Revising is a great tool, at least it was to me. It gave me someone else s opinion in a positive way, making me look at things I would typically overlook. I will be sure to use these options more often when writing!
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/revising.html 

Tentative Thesis and Summary Paragraph for Winter's Bone

Ree Dolly, a young girl from the Ozarks, with a mentally ill mother, two young siblings and a missing meth addicted father learns that unless her dad shows up to court, the family will lose their land and home. Ree dad has put the properties up as part of his bail before he went missing several weeks and months earlier, without telling the family. The new found knowledge starts Ree quest to find her father, leading her on the path to other intriguing information.

The story continues to peak the interest of those reading by taking twists and turns one would never expect.

I would like to save part of my summary for my paper but I would like to state that my tentative thesis is how drugs in 'small town America' can affect all walks of life. We have been given many great pieces to read and articles to use and I think it would be a great tool. Any thoughts and feedback would be greatly appreciated, good or bad!

http://storyloverx.blogspot.com/2012/02/book-review-winters-bone-by-daniel.html

Winter's Bone

Tiny pieces of hope hold me together, though barely as its tears me apart

You hold on to those tiny little pieces of hope. Holding back the tears every time, wanting to choke, only leaving you tightly gripped in that the hope won’t slip.

Taking up more space than they're worth, keeping them just in case.

Living and dying all at the same time; tiny pieces, one at a time.

Tiny specs walking a thin line, the fear keeps you swinging a very fragile vine.

Constantly hoping your faith will sprout another in your fight to go on, only leaving you stranded half way there. Why is it you refuse to give up?

All in your head it’s completely absurd; you just can’t see it because your vision is so blurred.

Petite tiny pieces of hope are all you have, why can’t you see it isn’t on this path?

Change your direction and choose another, one with no doorways or forks to discover.

Some questions never need to be asked if you find the right path.

Walk straight ahead, leave your pieces behind, leaving that to free up your mind.

The answers lie just ahead, you just have to walk the line.

Have the confidence and peace, you had it all the time. Looking to others keeps you bound to sadness and a life that is for fools

 

 

http://storyloverx.blogspot.com/2012/02/book-review-winters-bone-by-daniel.html

Dear Laura Cline

Dear Laura Cline,

I must admit that this semester has been quite a challenge for me. I never knew that there was more than one way to read and think about a story, advertisement, etc. I has been very challenging for me to step out of my typical way of thinking and make myself think in other ways. Thanks for that! My biggest success has also been thinking in other ways. Its like a double edge sword so to speak. It was a challenge in the beginning but once I understood how to do it and use it properly I catch myself using it all the time and it gives me new perspective on things I would have never seen or thought about before.

The readings we have done in class have been quite odd to put it nicely. They aren't readings that I would have chosen for myself but I liked them and they have made me think about the world and what would of been. "A Modest Proposal" was a great read and it lead me to think about all sorts of things and how it relates to the world today.

This is only my second English class that I have taken as a college student and even though I have written many papers through my college years, most of them have been research and study papers. I never quite knew the difference between summary and analysis so now that I understand, I realize that I have never done any sort of analytical writings in college.

A few of my goals for the second half of this semester would be to better understand the readings that are assigned to us and to make sure that I'm not waiting til the last minute to do the assignments. I would also like to improve on my writing abilities and become a much more dignified writer. I think that my skills need improving and I'm betting this is the class to help me with that.

Thank you for all the skills and techniques that you have given me thus far in the semester and I cant wait to see what else I learn. Its been difficult at times but the reward is worth it!

Sincerely,
Terri Snyder