Review the learning objectives for this course. What's one thing you've learned that connects to an objective and to your future job?

I would say the learning objective I felt that we most focused on throughout this class is the aspect of critical thinking: “Students will become more conscious of their processes for planning, drafting, revising, and editing of writing. Students will take an active role in summarizing, synthesizing, and presenting course content.” In this course, I have been confronted with figuring out how I will conduct a classroom, what teaching philosophies I will adhere to (which, I am sorry to say, I had never considered thoroughly before). Not only have I examined my own methods of writing, but also I have been able to examine other possible methods that need to be made available to my future students.

We have worked through theories on various methods of writing through our readings on revision/processes of writing and the hypermediated syllabus assignment. I had never come into contact with any of the assigned readings from this class. This is most likely because the classes I took at my undergrad did not have a focus on rhetoric specifically, and I had never before taken an interest in composition. (Even if I had, I’m fairly sure they teach FYC through literature at HSU). I thought that these readings provided necessary and needed insight to my future teaching career, as I had never taken a class that focuses primarily on the discussion of pedagogy/andragogy. These theories we have gone over have fascinating implications for the classroom and what it means to be teaching students from all different backgrounds. I appreciate that names were given to the phenomenons of “guarding the tower” and “converting the natives,” explaining that all new English teachers will tend to experience these forms of miscommunication with students that they are trying so desperately to impact.

The largest and most important assignment that this class had to offer for me was the hypermediated syllabus. Never before have I been confronted with building my own class, and I was intimidated by it. Even after simmering in all these readings the whole semester, I still remain unsure of the theories behind my choices and whether or not I will continue to think of them as viable ways of teaching—especially since I have yet to teach my own class. Nevertheless, I think it was a valuable experience to be required to think over these ideas and have to momentarily commit to a method of teaching. This syllabus assignment only touched on the decisions I will eventually have to make. While writing it, I know that I played it safe in certain areas where I might not in the future, and I committed to assignments that I have seen work in other classes while avoiding creating my own. I am not quite sure that I brought the “funk,” as Dr. Rice requested, but perhaps with more practice I can step it up.

These experiences will obviously influence my future career as a professor. There is one thing that I wish I had paired with this class this semester—I wish I had taken the initiative to shadow a CI in their 1301 course. I know that I learn best through observing others, so I plan on taking this up next semester.