Jada Brown
English 111
Professor Brandon
3 December 12
English
Learning Evaluation: From Old to New
Ever
since I was in elementary school, my writing process was always the usual:
brainstorm, write paper, edit, and turn it in.
I would start by writing down my ideas in what my teachers called the
“brainstorm bubble”. After each idea was written, I picked the topic that came
easy to me. Once my topic had been chosen, I would either go online or go to
the library and find as much information as possible, but the information had
to fascinate both me and my teacher. When the research was finally complete, I had
my editor, aka, my mother, revise my paper. Next day, my paper would be completed and turned
in. If I had to compare my elementary writing, to my college writing, I’d say I
improved quite a bit, but of course, I’m still having trouble with a few
things. In this final paper of mine, I
will talk about my writing difficulties, how my writing process improved and my
performance as a student and how I view my english professor. I will also go
over rhetorical knowledge, oral communication, digital technologies and
critical thinking, reading and writing.
Process
Like
I mentioned before, I always had a good idea on how to get started in my
writing process, and how to do the research. The number one thing I still seem
to have trouble with is the proofreading, which is distancing myself from the
paper. Whenever I write I can never seem to read my paper as someone else
would. It’s easy for me to figure out what I’m trying to say, but when someone
else reads my work, they tend to get a little confuse. There have been times
when I really did try to write better, but when I reread it, I wouldn’t even be
able to understand it, and it would sound like someone else. But overall my
writing has improved greatly.
My
English Professor Brandon is a great teacher, he teaches the subject well, and
speaks in such a special way that it makes you want to learn. He gives great
examples whenever we are learning something new that helps us understand what’s
really going on. He doesn’t teach with a PowerPoint and I love that. He writes
the facts on the board over and over again so that the next time it comes up we
already have it down packed. He has asked me a couple of times if I needed
help, and sometimes doing group work he would ask me if I got everything down
or if I need any help. But I do feel like sometimes he rambles and he can get a
little off topic, I also feel like that there was more that we needed to cover.
I do understand that he is part of the learning community with my history
class, but whenever we write a paper for history, I feel like I do get the help
I need, but there are times when we stay on the topic for too long. Now, am I the best student? No, I know I have
difficulties when it comes to group work, and I know I will only participate if
I have to, but I do my work, and I’m never disruptive, nor have I ever been disrespectful
to my teacher or classmates. I just feel
that there was a strong lack of communication between my two teachers, really
confused me and everyone else.
Rhetorical
Knowledge
Rhetorical Knowledge is
the art of becoming a better communicator.
When it comes to rhetorical knowledge, we learned about reviews ,
genres, and types of genres. Genre is a kind or type of topic, and there are
three effective ways to communicate in a genre:
1) Audience Expectatios
• Style(formal and informal)
2) Format(first, second, presented)
3) Context
• “Clear” Academic Style
4) How they are used
Genre of the review is
the basic structure of all academic purposes.
Reviews are an objective opinion based 100% on your experience and how
you truly feel about. When writing an review, you are giving your most honest
feedback, which of course may be different than anyone else’s , or quite
similar. There are three types of genres: logos, pathos, and Ethos. Logos
reviews are based on facts, ideas and logic. Pathos, are based on opinion, your
emotions. When writing a pathos review or paper, you main goal is to get people
to feel. And ethos reviews are based on credibility, and reputation, you must
ask yourself can if really trust this author and their reasons.
Oral
Communication
In English 111 I am a little disappointed that we didn’t
perfom any oral presentations. My
professor did teach us the basics of communicating, as in making eye contact, hands behind you
back, and leave, at least ,a shoulder width apart space between you and the
person your communicating with and to also give feedback and engage in the
conversation so the speaker will know you are actually listening. I feel that
we should have done more with this during our 16 week course, and the only time
we actually communicate, with one another is when we are doing group activities
. I do think oral communication is a very important part in English 111, which is
why I believe we should have focused more on the subject.
Critical
Reading, Writing, Thinking
If it’s one thing my Professor taught me before beginning
this section is “By understanding the context you can understand the unknown”.
This section is about pushing your brain to the limit and trying to find little
hints in an author’s story to make it easier. It also explains joining others
ideas together with your own to get a better sense of what the author is
writing about. It also teaches
how to properly read, summarize, and respond.
My
professor also taught me that the general purpose of an author’s critical
writing is to inform, explain, or persuade. We also learned about cultural work
which “transmits rewards and trains specific ways of thinking about and knowing
the world”. A great explain of criticially thinking is the story of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the
purpose of this story is to teach; “just because you haven’t experienced the
outside world doesn’t make it less real”.
Digital
Technologies
The only digital thing we used in english 111 is the
computer. We didn’t make any trips to
the computer lab, but that’s not really a big issue with me. I did use the
school’s database once or twice to help me with my second paper. I did get a
lot of information when using the database, but I prefer browsing the books
section and seeing what is interest me most.
Other than using basic computer skills, I didn’t really use any other
devices or electronic databases to help me through the year.
Overall
I
do believe my first semester in English was pretty good, I have improved
tremendously, when it comes to getting my ideas together and putting them on
paper. I feel that this course also helped me write like a college student.
Even though I don’t have a strong vocabulary , I feel like I don’t need one,
because most of the information I can ever find, will be written down in the
best way I know how and we get me the grade I deserve. I do recommend Professor
Brandon if you looking for a teacher who cares about his student’s, and a
teacher who goes at a nice pace that you will be able to follow along without
any problems.
