Honestly, for almost four years in college, one of the subjects that I found most uninteresting was the writing class. Although my grades for this subject are not too bad, I feel I have not learned many lessons for myself. But this semester, critical reading helped me see my limitations and I had the means to overcome those shortcomings. In the article below I will present what I have learned, have not done yet, and what I am impressed with this study.
First of all, about the array of knowledge. At first I thought this subject would be the same as the writing I had studied before. However, the teacher spent a lot of time developing the student's critical thinking ability, which I thought was very important in writing, since almost all I had
…show more content…
Most importantly, at the end of this course I think that at least I have developed critical thinking skills. Through reading long and complex scientific papers, I think I have been trained in reading the main ideas as well as understanding and analyzing the author's arguments and attitudes. Other skills such as paraphrasing or summarizing are also essential in our reading process. As for writing skills, I have been writing topics that are very close to my daily life such as unsafe food or my own industry topics such as the positive teacher-student relationship. I always try to practice my self-control and creativity in using quirky and stylistic writing in accordance with my writing because I realize that is my weakness as well as many other students. Besides, this is a course in which I find the spirit of helping each other in the study of students is very high. I think I have improved in teamwork skills including acquiring people's opinions, evaluating team members' posts and arranging team work for high efficiency. Besides, I also developed the ability to evaluate myself to be more complete.
Attitude in learning is also important when making a self-assessment in this course. I think I have a very good sense of learning, namely that I always arrive on time and complete the assignments that my teacher gives me. In the classroom, I also participate in discussions
The focal point of Chapter 4 of Successful College Writing is on how to critically read and decipher text and visuals. It highlights the importance of not just looking at the surface of the words, but diving into their true meaning. Authors put every word and picture into their work for a reason, and it is your job to ensure that you do not fall victim to biases and false information. It is crucial to learn how to identify author's tones, opinions, and overall purpose in their writings. Learning how to analyze these patterns will better equip you in acquiring accurate information and also not adopting these deceptive techniques yourself.
Throughout this course, we had multiple assignments that were aimed at improving us as writers. I am sure that everyone took something different from this course, and I am sure that each student took more from some areas than others; however for me there were three major things that I saw that I benefited from most. Our weekly craft lessons, grammar plan, but most of all, observational learning. Our weekly craft lessons have introduced us to multiple writing strategies. These strategies have helped turn my papers from elementary papers that were written below my expected grade level to papers more on par with my peers.
‘I am going to fail’ was the very first thought that crept into my mind on that very first day of class. Before I stepped into the classroom on the first day, I felt pretty good about my writing. I had done previously well in English, and didn’t think this class would be much of a challenge. This all changed on the first day of school, when my professor talked about the level of reading and writing expected for this class. I remember thinking ‘I don’t read, why couldn’t I have been born someone who likes to read?!’ Since this moment on the very first day of class, I have grown immensely through hard work. In this essay, I will explain what I have learned over the course of this class about myself, and about writing.
Learning to read and write are both considered to be fundamental human skills, that we begin to learn from the day we start school. As time advances, as do our minds, and we are expected to evolve in our reading and writing skills. Finishing high school is a large milestone for the lives of young adults; however, there is so much to learn in order to reach the next big milestone. To be a writer in college can challenge our preconceived thoughts on how we write. Although some skills remain unchanged, high school graduates are faced with overcoming new ways of doing a skill that seems so simple that it is practically innate. The definition of writing skills for college students is much different than high school. However, considering we have come so far it is time to go over the information we already know and challenge ourselves with ideas that we are yet to learn more about.
According to Osmond & Darlington (2005, p.3), as a professional social worker that critical reflection could be a fundamental approach to contribute to their work. Besides, the best value of the critically reflective approach might have a chance to engage with different ideas, knowledge, feelings and theories. Thus, critical reflection is a necessary approach to every social work to contribute them to be professional.
Throughout the semester i only learned few new things but i did improve and solidify my skill of writing. Before my first year of college my skills have always undermined by other high school english teachers and with that came disappointing grades. I am writing this paper as a reflection of the semester and the progress i have made as a writer. I now understand many things that my high school teachers have done a poor job demonstrating and i am grateful that i decided to take my own route in my education instead of their syllabus. I entered the semester with anxiety that i would perform as i did before but i clearly outdid my own expectations by receiving top grades on my essays.
The Reader-Response critical school focuses on the participation of the reader with the text and how her participation in the reading process affects a discussion of the text’s meanings. Though critics within the school lie on a spectrum with extremes that define the reader as passive or active, all can agree, the reader is integral to the reading process. The latter see readers as active creators of meaning (Staton 351). David Bleich falls on this end of the spectrum and his work underscores the subjectivity of critical interpretation by discussing that, the “observer is always part of what is being observed” (201). Consequently, he asserts that the study of literature cannot be independent of the study of people involved with it, so literature must be studied as a relationship between either the artist or writer and the work or between the reader and the work (Bleich 203). Because
The ability to reflect critically on one’s experience, integrate knowledge gained from experience with knowledge possessed, and take action on insights is considered by some adult educators to be a distinguishing feature of the adult learner (Brookfield 1998; Ecclestone 1996; Mezirow 1991). Critical reflection is the process by which adults identify the assumptions governing their actions, locate the historical and cultural origins of the assumptions, question the meaning of the assumptions, and develop alternative ways of acting (Cranton 1996). Brookfield (1995) adds that part of the critical reflective process is to challenge the prevailing social, political, cultural, or professional ways of acting. Through the process of critical reflection, adults come to interpret and create new knowledge and actions from their ordinary and sometimes extraordinary experiences. Critical reflection blends learning through experience with theoretical and technical learning to form new knowledge constructions and new behaviors or insights.
While the semester is over and the deadline has expired, I thought I would write this to express my true intended thoughts.
Many people believe that you do not necessarily have to be a critical reader to be a great reader. Others think that being a critical reader can cause you to miss the point of what your reading. They argue that being too focused on what to expect causes you to miss the point. They also feel that as long as you know the main topic thats all that matters. After reading this article, my opinion is to be a critical reader you must understand the topic and know what to expect by evaluating and analyzing.
Over the course of the semester, I feel that I have grown as a writer in many ways. When I came into the class, there were skills I had that I already excelled at. During my time in class, I have come to improve on those skills even more. Before I took this class, I didn’t even realise what I was good at. This is the first class where I felt I received feedback on my writing that helped me to actually review my work to see what areas I lacked in and where I succeeded.
Since beginning this class I have found myself doing more research, so I can make the best paper I can. The more research and knowledge I gain about the topic, the better my papers have been. Before I started this semester I did enough to get by with my papers. This class has changed the way I go about my papers. I have been proofreading my papers more than I usually do and actually thinking deeper about my papers. By the end of this class, I would like to be confident in my literacy skills. I would like to improve in every aspect of literacy and this will make my papers much better.
Critical Reading and Writing in the Discipline (FOUN1019) is a yearlong course designed to improve and develop students’ cognitive, analytical and rhetorical skills. It thereby provides students with the requisite skills to truly join the scholarly arena and become academic writers. I enrolled in the FOUN1019 course with the assumption that I would become more proficient in English Language and a more eloquent communicator. I anticipated that this course would be challenging like many other courses ascribe to a first degree in Marketing; however, nothing could have truly prepared me for the arduous work load that it entails. I had to work assidously throughout the duration of FOUN109 to prepare coursework and conduct research which required
When evaluating my progress as a critical reader and thinker, I have dramatically changed since the beginning of the year. At the start of the year, I was convinced that I was already a good critical reader and thinker; however, I only had a solid foundation and much to improve upon. In high school, I wrote numerous research papers and participated in my debate club. I was comfortable arguing and debating with people because it excited me. The only problem, I was debating over issues from an ethical and moral stance rather based on research and facts. Having to learn how to make arguments based on research was a huge challenge for me. This semester I was challenged to think, view, and articulate evidence and issues differently than I have in
In terms of Personal Development I feel that the course has helped me to develop the skills I need to improve my grades, and to build my confidence.