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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Blog Post #8-Mid Term Check-In


Dear Laura,

After being out of school for seventeen years, I had decided that I wanted to get into the medical field.  This class is a pre-requisite for Radiological Technology, my major.  I never thought about having to take English for a career in the medical field, however, I have come to the conclusion that taking an English class is a difficult task for me to accomplish.  While in high school, I remember dissecting William Shakespeare’s plays, “Romeo and Juliet” and “MacBeth”.  I remember enjoying learning what each play was about but I also remember how difficult it was for me to comprehend.  So far this semester in your English 102 class, I have found my biggest challenge is the reading and comprehending of the material.  It has been painstakingly difficult for me to understand, giving me anxiety until my assignments are complete.  However, after re-reading the material over and over, and reading my classmate’s posts, I have begun to understand the deeper meaning lying behind the words.  The last essay we read, “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift really made me realize what people are really willing to do just to get ahead. 

Unfortunately, because it has been so long since I have been in school, I have only written one other paper since being back, and that was a psychology paper over a year ago.  To be completely honest, I don’t even remember what it was about.  I do know that literary analysis is definitely a more difficult type of writing for me.  By the end of this English class, I hope to be able to read a story and comprehend the meaning behind it without pulling my hair out in the process.  I have had to really push myself to get through this class, and, at one point I almost withdrew from it.  I knew giving up would not be the solution since I would have to get it done sooner or later!

I must say Laura, your style of teaching even online is very helpful, and even though my assignments I have submitted are far below what you are used to seeing by English majors, you have given me positive feedback where you can and that has kept me motivated.  I sincerely appreciate your feedback and hope to get through this class with a better understanding of literary analysis, since I never really understood it.  Although I’m sure I had been taught it in high school, apparently it wasn’t something that really caught my attention.

Thank you for being a kind and caring instructor, you have helped me to move forward and try to get something out of this class!

Sincerely,

Darcy Vazquez

3 comments:

  1. Darcy,
    I know exactly where you are coming from as when I started here last spring semester, I had been out of school for over 12 years. It's nerve wracking! I have always enjoyed reading, but analyzing that which you are reading, gives it a whole other level that you never thought about before, and makes me even more nervous. Good luck with the coming weeks.

    Angie

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  2. I know how you feel about not being in school for so long. I really like that Ms Cline is a good teacher, even though we're online. I feel I've learned more in this class than I have in the past. I must say, I really like your post. It's so very honest and open. You seem like such a wonderful person! Good Luck in the future!

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  3. Darcy thanks for sharing your thoughts about your experience with English 102. I could totally relate to much of what you said. I have also been out of school for the same time as you and faced similar challenges. I do not consider myself a good reader and have been very frustrated with the readings and assignments, but like you with some work and looking at others thoughts I have pushed through and found some reward. We are half way there and I can see light at the end of the tunnel. You can do it!!!

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