Question Poised during Hooking Up Article

The author of this essay on hooking up brought up most of the main ideas about why college kids hook up. It's quick, it's easy, it takes up little time (more time for their friends and other interests/hobbies) and it is inexpensive. He contrasted what is looked at as the normal now, hooking up, and compared it to what used to be normal, formal dating. He compared and contrasted very well which helped his argument and helped him illustrate what was wrong with hooking up.

The question that I got out of the whole essay is "Why do college kids only have 'hooking up' on their mind?" Although it could be for all the reasons listed above, as well as in the essay that was written, it is also due to that hooking up is what is shown on all the popular TV shows now and thus is expected to be the "cool" thing to do and what college is all about.

Response to "I Pledge to Be....a slut?"

It is quite amazing that the author has embedded, a question so heavy, in the title itself which gets in the reader the urge to read. The essay is very interesting and gives out a distinct view about the sorority life. We usually consider the sorority life to be partying, drinking and just having plain fun. The author takes her to the journey of her thinking of sorority life and how it changed after the information session.

The question posed in the essay is very straight forward and clearly projected, "Is sorority life all about being a slut?" The girl had a common opinion as most of us do. Most of us would definitely agree to the question but it is not quite true. The sororities don't only party and have fun. They also do community service and other things that normal people do. Her essay gradually picks up from the public opinion and concludes with her experience that completely contrasted with the general opinion.

Response to: Fear and Loathing in Philadelphia

The author of this paper made the argument that although very few people hold strong racist views anymore, we all on some level are still at least aware of other races. The author cites a business man on the subway who seems frightened by a young black man, a Chinese woman, and two young punk girls. The author argues that most of us still act differently around people who are not of our race. Whether we do this because we are actually racist, because we have a certain mentality that has been passed down through our ancestors, or because we feel like we owe them something. Either way, even though most people feel that some racism is gone, there are still traces of it that linger in our daily lives. As far as I know, this business man is not a KKK member, a Neo-Nazi, or affiliated with any other extremest group. This man was just afraid of a young black man. And the problem with this argument is that too much emphasis is placed on the color of the young man's skin. If he was a young white man dressed in a trench coat, dyed blue hair, and lip piercings, the business man would probably be just as scared. The environment also must be taken into account. They were in a subway. Subways, dark alleys, and unfamiliar areas are all places that lend themselves to crime thus causing someone to be more alert when in such a place. I don't believe that this business man was racist; he was just scared.

Response to :I Pledge to Be...A Slut?

Joining a sorority in college is a huge part of someone’s life and is a completely new beginning for them. This essay was about a student trying to become a part of the sorority Phi Mu. This sorority is known to house all the “slutty girls”. This particular student did not want to be known for something like that but rather for the positive aspects of the sorority like becoming a part of Drexel and giving back to the community. The overall question/message of this essay was to not judge or stereotype people before knowing them. People do stereotype against fraternities and sororities and think things like “all they do is party” or “they are all bitches”. This student is trying to prevent people from doing so by telling her story about Phi Mu and also make people aware that sororities are not what all people think they are, they actually are beneficial and give people the experience of a lifetime.

Playdough:Childish or Helpful? Response to the blog post for sunday 11/2

The essay that I read was Play dough: Childish or Helpful? Most people think playing with play dough is childish, but really people like to play with play dough because it helps them get stuff out of their system when their mad. Also it helps the people communicate with each other and express ones feelings by making objects of how they feel or like. The question that was implied in this essay was if doing creative things is childish or is it a helpful way to communicate with others. This person stated that just by making play dough with their friend and 2 other people who he/she was not close with somehow at the end of the night got all of them closer. The conventional wisdom that was smacked right in our faces was that people judge others without getting to know them. Also, that technology has taken over everyone’s lives for communicating but technology ruins the relationship between others because the people do not get to meet face to face at times. So, as you can see doing stuff that was done in kindergarten can still be helpful to our society and to ourselves when we get older. It can be childish making cards or playing with dough, but at the same time it can help one another communicate a lot better than before.

hybrid class

I chose the hybrid class without thinking twice, not even bothered about how different it would be because I didnt think it would be that different. I was wrong. I have never been a fan of English. Anytime there was an assignment I scribbled something and was done.When I finally dropped English as a subject I was relieved because I thought I know had time to focus on my "real subjects".
Coming to Drexel and joining the hybrid course just made my dislike for English escalate. I love the class, the atmosphere is rather relaxed, but once we start with the assignments themselves, its not fun anymore.First of all I didnt even understand most of the assignments because they were too vague. Free range was something I wasnt used to. Detail is very important, everything has too be described in depth, but you were not supposed to just state the facts, you were supposed to show it.I have to think up arguments from practically nothing or turn a one-sentence answer into two paragraphs All the work I have done in this course just made me loathe the subject itself. But the funny thing is, while I grumble a lot about English,my English writing has never been better.

College Curriculum

I emailed the following post to you we talked about me having trouble with signing on on blogger.
The curriculum for this class has changed a lot about my writing. I am now required to think and try to make arguments rather than just write anything on a piece of paper and hand it in. I am now motivated to make quality pieces of work and the peer reviews have enabled me to check out other class mates work and have them review mine. This helps me determine if my work is quality or not and makes a competition between class mates of who can write the finest paper. The curriculum has made me feel more involved in the class and this keeps me motivated to keep up and complete all the assignments due.

HYBRID IS GOOD.

When I first took the so called English placement test and answered the one and only question, whether I want to take the English 101 - hybrid course I wasn't quite sure. Yeah I knew it said that half the classes are going to be online and half in class, but I wasn’t really sure what was going to be done online. On the first day of class when I was acquainted with the course by my professor, it did seem interesting but I still wasn’t certain as to what to do, until I logged on to BB vista and checked the criteria for "Week 1". I was now sure of what the course was about and how cool it was. Unlike the conventional English classes that meet 4 times a week and do the boring literature in class, this class is very unique, student friendly, intensive, and focuses on now.
As a business major, I believe this class is very useful. Reading articles about the current events happening around the globe and analysing the, makes it fun to read the articles which would have not boring otherwise.
On our blog, 32andchesnut, we write about the events that have been taking place, our opinions on the current world, for example Facebook. Such blog entries makes us see things from a different perspective and allows us to express our ideas to our peers and get feedback; it develops are communication skills and makes us smarter.
Our project made an ordinary event like a walk in downtown seem so vast; drawing out an argument about the American culture from it was really interesting.
Our book A n B teaches us how to express ourselves, improve our writing skills, analyse texts etc, and this contributes to are writing in our papers
In just 5 weeks, the English hybrid course has made me more expressive in my writings and made them better than they were at week 1. English hybrid is the best way to learn, and learn fast because of its intensive nature, and I am sure as the course progresses there will be a lot more to learn.

Simply The Best

This unique hybrid style of English class offers a great opportunity for me to be able to expand my critical writing and reading skills. I love the flexibility and ease of writing short, yet argumentative pieces from the convenience of my computer. Whereas in other, more traditional styles of English class we would be reading a book, then discussing it, then writing about it; here we are given the freedom to choose our own topics and develop an argument to prove our thesis. This class definitely helps me become a better writer because I now think critically and do more to create arguments through my writings. Our text, A&B, also provides the support needed to foster this type of class. Instead of just going over basic grammar rules and sentence structure, A&B provides us with different techniques on how to critically analyze various texts and effectively peer review. I consider these more 'real world' writing skills that will help me not just through college, but also in my professional career. This approach is in my view far superior over the conventional style of english that we all have been used to for so many years. I am a huge fan of this class...every one sign up for hybrid!!!!

Details and Desctiptions

The curriculum in this class as well as the first project have worked to teach me about finding an argument or statement about something by going deep into its small details and nuances. Every time that we discuss something in class, we are always looking deep into the subject to find out all of the small details about it and this is something I’ve never really done in any class before.
This has also led to me figuring out a new technique to use when describing things in writing. I tend to explain things in a way that I would explain it to myself because that makes sense to me but if that is read by anyone else that didn’t share the same experience that I am trying to convey, they may not understand elements or get the full effect of what I am trying to explain because it might require other knowledge that is still just in my head. I need to work on explaining things in a way that can give the full impression of the experience to any reader.

No red light green light

I really enjoy the benefits that a hybrid English class has over a standard class. I find that the class keeps me constantly engaged in reading and writing as opposed to a standard English class where you read a book then write a paper and then do nothing for a week. This class offers a manageable amount of working that it also not a hassle to do. I find myself writing reading more of the New Yorker, New York Times, and other publications. I have learned to read them more critically and rhetorically. I find that writing shorter pieces of writing more frequently fits my personality better than long involved essays. I also really enjoy the critiques of my peers and being able to read what my peers are writing. Often in school, kids are too involved with only the work that they are doing and never really take a look around to see what others are producing.

The New Kind of Hybrid

This year as i am currently enrolled in a "hybrid" English course, it has taught me that not only do teachers look for a well-written paper, but they look for honestly, sincerity, and creativity as well. The curriculum in this English course is unique, but in a way, it has made me a better writer than i ever was. I like it because it has taught me to think outside the box, think of my own stories and events to write essays about, and interact with the rest of the students. Not that interaction was ever my downfall, but seeing how other students write, and getting feedback from fellow writers is a tremendous help when it comes down to that final draft.
Posting on these blogs has also motivated me to write, because i can write about whatever i want, be myself, and have students comment on what they think about it. In other courses, we were required to write an essay on a novel, or on a poem or short story that we read. Here, it is our story, or our novel. This is a great course to start the year off with, and i am very happy that it isnt all about somebody else's story. It is about my story, my fellow students stories, and all the interaction in between.

Learning the Art of Writing

Never have I heard the phrase ‘wallow in complexity’ in my life until I took this class. I never would have thought that allowing myself to be confused and overwhelmed could help me conjure new thoughts and ideas. This phrase has taught me to appreciate writing and reading more than I ever have. Rather than stating the obvious, I have learned to extrapolate and expand on ideas I abhor English classes primarily because I am a more logical person that loves math and science. Creativity is something that I have always lacked, and this class has allowed me to develop unique ways of thinking. Although this class has helped me develop skills to express myself, create arguments, and think with more complexity, I cannot admit that I thoroughly enjoy the chore of writing.
Ever since I began taking English classes, I have always disliked going to class because in English, you perform two tasks: read and write. After attending this class for four weeks, I can honestly admit that I look forward to exploring the different readings assigned. Class discussions inform me on what everyone else thinks about the reading or topic in general which broadens my view on it. Being able to see how others viewed the topic lets me view many different perspectives. Also, the various readings such as the one on Facebook or the one on politics and athletes interest me because they are relevant in my life. I believe that teachers sometimes fail to realize that the best way to get students to do their work and to learn is to make it relevant to the students’ lives. Although my interest in writing has not changed, I believe the content of my writing has improved because I am beginning to take a small idea and expand it in more detail. Project one allowed me to test my ability to ‘wallow in complexity’. I chose an event that many people would find hard to make an argument about, but this just made the argument even more interesting. Overall, my ability to think more critically and analytically has improved, but my drive to write has remained steadily near zero.

Self-expression Through Hybrid English

I am a very opinionated person and I always like to share what is on my mind.  I love to write as an expression of my thoughts and feelings, to share my ideas and beliefs with others or to just reflect personally.   Unfortunately I am dyslexic so English has always been a hard subject for me to succeed in.  My courses in college are extremely focused on reading large quantities from textbooks, one of the hardest readings to understand.  The curriculum of the hybrid English class has been an interesting approach and has made me a more confident student.  Although there are always reading assignments they tend to be on the shorter, easier side of things.  This leaves me with more motivation to get my assignments done, as most involve writing.  Also, the writing style of the hybrid course is a very relaxed, personal style.  I love to write in the same way that I speak and think, and project one allowed me to use this form of writing.  I really enjoy the hybrid English class because I feel like I am able to express myself thoroughly both in and out of the classroom.  Even though I personally hate how technologically dependent Drexel is, I do enjoy the freedom given by this course.  I feel more motivated to be a critical writer because I am more able to use my critical thinking on the assignments.  

English 101

Critical reading and writing were my weakest areas in high school. I always considered myself a math person because I enjoy being challenged and solving solutions. When I received the e-mail that I would be in a hybrid English class I basically panicked. I wasn’t really sure what hybrid meant so I thought maybe it was an advanced English class…which meant more work in my eyes.
I have never enjoyed an actual English class until Expository Writing & Reading because I think that now the students get treated like adults so the conversations we engage in in class are more interesting. Things were very dry and boring in high school which is why I never focused or cared to actually put a lot of effort in my writing. I have noticed a change in my writing with the curriculum and I like having more freedom, with the readings and discussions and even project 1. Being able to write about whatever we want allows me to be more creative. Finally, I also think that peer reviews and having everyone’s posts being public allows other students to understand things better and see how everyone else is doing. I know personally that when I get discouraged I can just look at the blog and reading other people’s posts gives me an idea of what to write.

Hybrid class

The English curriculum has me thinking in all sorts of ways I didn't before. For example, my first assignment I did was about the event "Night on the Row." When I received feedback, there were things mentioned that never crossed my mind. Basically, you want to write as if the reader has no clue about anything related to the subject. During class discussions there isn't a wrong answer, there are just observations and anything might be helpful to the discussion. The curriculum provided motivation because I was never a person to like English class. Through feedback and everything I can work on my mistakes. My writing has gotten much better and I can see the impact right away. All in all, everything makes you think in the class. Trying to spoon feed the reader and make them believe as if they were their.

Hybrid Thinking

In all honesty, I have never been an "English person". I tend to like more concrete, objective things, like math. There's no room for interpretation, answers are either wright or wrong, and mistakes are clearly identifiable. I've always disliked the subjective nature of writing, but I must say, I like the format of this course. I've always been stressed out by writing, and I tend to procrastinate, but the hybrid format, is much less stressful for me. I enjoy the spending less time in the classroom, and the less formal writing of the blogs. I'm not going to say that this class has completely changed my opinion of writing; however, for what it's worth, this is the first English class that I haven't hated with a burning passion.

College English

Being in the hybrid class I thought it might not be good for me. I liked that we only had the class once a week, but I also felt that with that I would be less likely to read and do all my work. But I disagree with that now. As for the work in the class I thought that I would not like the whole “blogging” idea. But now that we are a few weeks in I find that it’s not bad at all. It has also helped to strengthen my writing on a more casual basis. For the project I liked that we had a basic topic and then we could expand on that one little thing and create what we wanted on it. I liked how we had a draft due the week before the project was due and that we had the peer evaluations. Because of this it gave me time to write the essay and then go back to it at a later date and change it fix it to my liking, and then when we had the peer reviews it gave me more insight into it. It helped me focus on certain areas of my writing. All of the work that we have done so far in the class has changed the way I feel about English. It has changed my perspective on it, in the class we talk about more things in different ways instead of like in high school where you had an assigned book to read and then you would go through in class and go through it and discuss it into such depth that it had become boring. 

College English!!

I have never been a huge fan of writing; it always seems so hard for me to put what I want to say onto paper. Every time I sit down to write it always seems like one of the most brutal school tasks of all. I have always been more excited about speaking my thoughts out loud like in a presentation form with bullets, or main points on paper instead of writing everything down. It seems like it is easier for me to ramble on. One thing that I have enjoyed from discussion posts and the readings is how it feels more to me like speaking my thoughts out loud in a sense. These posts seem so relaxed to me, I feel like the beginning question that we are giving is more like an idea that we can branch off of, there is no real structured form set. By not having a strict format to follow while writing the discussions I feel much more motivated because I’m expressing my view or my side of an argument the way I want. The articles that we have to read in class are much more interesting to me than books that I have read in past English classes. The articles are much shorter which keeps my attention and more interesting and real which keeps me involved. When I take the information I have read to class we always seem to discuss much deeper than a summary of the article. We try to find the argument that the author is trying place in the article. This makes the comprehension of the article so much more important. One I my favorite things about the interesting articles is that I actually read them which never happened with English articles in the past, I guess that proves that I’m more motivated.

Hybrid! And I don't mean cars...

     Honestly, the only reason I signed up for hybrid English is because I realized it meant less time siting in class, more time on a computer. Back in twelfth grade, my English teacher decided to introduce our class to the idea of doing work on the computer. Instead of having our class write responses to readings on papers she might lose, forget to take home to grade, or forget to give back (so we could see our grade), she decided to make blog. On said blog, she would write a question that we could not answer unless we had read the reading and made us post responses on the site during class. Hybrid English sounded exceptionally similar to this class. I figured if I absolutely hated the professor it was perfectly fine because, after all, I would only have class once a week. I ended up loving the class. Unlike the curriculum in some of my other classes, this class has a curriculum that includes modern, interesting topics and open writing - a style of writing suspiciously similar to the way I wrote all of my first drafts in high school and the style that got points taken off of my essays. My favorite topic so far has been Facebook. Since it's a website I spend a lot of time on, I liked reading about it. I also liked the blog assignments. Actually, the only part I didnt like about the class is having to check for assignments online. If I didnt check my email or BbVista, I would completely forget to check for assignment! Sure we only have class once a week, but it would be nice if we were reminded to check in class. Even now, when the term is half over, you would expect everyone in the class to realize there will be something posted EVERY week, but not me. I am a serious procrastinator, and I don't always remember to check on my own. Or I'll check and not remember till the last minute. But that does really have to do with the teaching, in fact, it's probably a problem only I have. Or maybe I am the only one who will admit to having it. It's not really to big a problem - I always end up doing my work. I could probably do a better job if I started earlier in the week - Confession: I usually don't read the entire chapter due for Allyn and Bacon text book. Skimming through and making small notes on Post-Its is about the extent of my "reading". Though that may be more than some other people... Conclusion - I like this class (a lot) and I plan to take the same hybrid style class next term (at 8 in the morning! what can I say I'm an early bird ;-))

Thinking

Having an open platform for writing, I feel as though I am thinking much more. Last year, my teacher would give my class more interesting reading. The readings would be complex, but much more interesting. I would actually find myself performing on the tests much better. The main reason, in my opinion, is because I would be thinking about the reading much more, rather than trying to memorize the facts. The class discussions are very important to any class. It helps the class interact with his or her thinking and combine it with others thoughts. Not only does it allow myself to understand my thinking more, it enlightens me to how others think about the same reading or idea. Project 1 is a great project/paper to start the class with. It allows us to write about something we have discovered on our own. Our platform for learning is up to us. So overall, the class has had interesting reading that have led to great discussions with unlimited thoughts to papers.

Collegiate Thinking

Well to excel in this English class, one must have the ability to think critically. Growing up my parents always taught me to excel at whatever activities I was involved in. So I came to Drexel with the intent to excel in all of my endeavors. Basically, the main motivation for me to think critically was to write the first project really well so that it would impress my peers and teacher. I studied my notes from my humanities class in high school, in which the main focus of the course was to think critically and ask questions, as well as reading the given text. This project has motivated me so much that I cannot write another paper, or even have a conversation without thinking critically. Just the other day I spent an hour, debating with a friend about one part of my paper for this class. I asked him, “What makes a cheeseburger, a cheeseburger? Is it the cheese or the burger?” We wallowed in complexity for about forty five minutes and it was very interesting to hear different opinions about this question. The first project has been extremely influential in all aspects of my collegiate world. Not just the world of academia, but the way I view presidential debates and even have a conversation with a friend. 

English

I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of writing classes. In regular English classes, I've always preferred reading and then being tested on it. It takes me a long time to think of anything to say when I have to write a paper, and even then it almost always ends up being too short. Also, I hate class discussions. I know that they're about half the point English, but I just don't like them. For every deep, energetic discussion that I've seen, I've seen about five where the teacher spent the entire period trying to lead the class to some point that nobody else understood, so everyone just kept raising their hands and guessing at what they were expected to say. This class I don't really mind, because at least everything we've had to do was pretty free-form so we didn't have to try to force everything we wanted to say into essay format, with a thesis statement and an introduction and conclusion and all that.

chaaangin.

The question of whether or not this class has affected my critical thinking or motivation skill. Honestly, it has affected my critical reading in the sense that this is the first writing coarse that I have had to "wallow in complexity". Honestly I wouldn't mind this new found thought processes except for when it is being graded. As someone who likes to be straight forward and get to the point, taking the long way around a thought is something I find at times frustrating. For example, trying to stretch out a point over 4 pages when I simply just wanted to answer it was a bit frustrating and left me more than exhausted after writing. As far as my motivation, I do feel that I have become better at getting everything done since I have until the 11:59 due date and not just the class to turn it in. Nothing felt more daunting than a teacher from high school saying you had until friday to do it when in reality it felt more like thursday night. All in all this class is definitely changing how I approach my english school work. 

Writing Can Be Fun?

I was never really a big fan of writing. To be completely honest, I am a little self-conscious about my writing, which I think is what makes me dislike it so much. But something this has changed since starting my Writing and Reading class at Drexel. The curriculum of my class seems to have improved my writing in a short amount of time.
Each week when we are assigned to read a chapter from the Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing, I take in what I am reading and try to use it in all of my writing assignments. So far, I have explored writing lengthier, more complex, and insightful pieces of writing than I have in previous years. Using the ideas of rhetorical writing, open and closed forms of writing, creating an interesting argument, and using such elements as audience and genre, I have successfully made posts to the 32 and Chestnut Blog, the Discussion Board, and completed an essay that I am proud of.
To comment more about the 32 and Chestnut Blog, I have found it useful so far in boosting my confidence. It gives me the practice and experience of writing a piece each week instead of other Writing classes where I might be sitting through a lecture and do a writing assignment every so often. The same can be said about the Discussion Board posts that have to be made each week. The only thing different about the Discussion Board is that students can reply to other students's posts to get a discussion going about a topic posted and can give reviews of other students's work. Reviews are extremely helpful when learning how to write a paper worthy of getting an A.
The articles assigned to be read before class are ones with varying issues and arguments that are helpful to get an idea of the different styles of writing. I like that there are tests on these articles because it shows me what a memorable article is like and what a forgettable one is like. After reading, I ask myself what the point of the artcile was and whether is was clear to understand or not. It is an example of what should be done, or not done when writing an essay, post, book, etc.
I like the curriculum of my Writing and Reading class because I have learned a lot about what it takes to become a better writer. I like the fact that I can hand in something I have written and not be as scared about what the reader might think about it. I am still not the greatest writer, that I am sure of, but I can see that I am improving and that, to me, is a big accomplishment.

English Rocks!!!

After coming over here, i experienced a new way of studying English-A hybrid technique. I think this approach of doing English is really good as I learnt to write English with a different view point each time. I learnt to question the argument and completely thrash out all the points and meanings I could extract from it. I especially enjoyed blogging as it was a new concept to me. I had never blogged earlier and used to feel at a loss as all my friends used to blog and I didn't know what or where I could. But I got an opportunity to do blogging and learn how to write concise and yet casual writing through this. Writing for the project I, I learnt how to take one point and write about it in full completion. I learnt how to critically think and analyse and brainstorm points before I start writing. I also learnt how to look at small things and find meaning out of small daily events that take place in my. life. In conclusion I would like to say that the curriculum has given me high amount of motivation and the ability to think about things in a critical way, as I can now assess and immedietly respond to writing about something (even the vaguest of things), without any hesitation or scare as I had earlier before joining this class.

The cirriculum has affected my motivation and interest in writing and thinking critically in a positive manner. One of the assignments that have made me think and write very critically was project 1. I wrote about a Hindu festival called Navratri that I attended. I didn't think it was such a big deal since I celebrated it every year. However, when I was asked to write all of the details, I was surprised to see how much there really was to the holiday than just a place to go in October. When I was told the number of pages that I had to write, I was so confused. I never thought that I would be able to write that much on just an event. However, when I thought back to everything I witnessed, I was surprised to see that there were so many literacies to the event that I took for granted since I was accustomed to them. Simple literacies like just understanding the language made me realize that it would be hard for anyone who came there to understand what was going on. Furthermore, the attire that was expected to be worn was a very important literacy because people who didn't come regularly would feel out of place from the event. I never realized this because ever since I started attending the Navratri, I always wore traditional Indian clothes. Lastly, taking off shoes at a religious observance was the biggest literacy that I took for granted. This is because I always take off my shoes in my house and any holy place. It is natural for me to do that but for others, it may be a foreign concept. The event that I experienced taught me how to think and write more critically.

Thinking About You, English

English is one of the most standardized classes that nearly every student in the United States must take. English starts off as spelling, definitions and grammar in elementary school, moves to readings and book reports in middle school, shifts to more complex readings and analysis in high school and tops itself off academically in college. College level English is more about understanding what you are reading, being able to analyze the text and convey different ideas out of it, as well as being able to write interesting, thought provoking and meaningful essays. There is much more to English but this is a very basic summary of English for this blog's purpose. I was trained in high school to start analyzing my reading assignments and leisure reading as well as thouroughly comprehending the text. College English is the next level of development for these skills. After the readings, class discussions and Project 1 we are about halfway through English 101. Although I am shy and don't verbally express my opinions relating to class discussions as much as I should, I am always absorbing the knowledge bounced around in class. Although I began developing analyzing and critical thinking skills in high school the college level continues to develop those skills in a more intellectual way. The use of current event readings for analysis is very helpful because with everything that is going on in the world and the related media, simple and complex reports are produced on our current issues and news. I can't say that I have changed completely in the past five weeks, but the process of college level thinking and analysis is slowly sinking into my mind. As the term continues and I take the next two English courses on my sequence sheet, I will continue to develop these skills from readings, class discussions and projects that require us to convey our ideas in an organized and interesting way.

Thinking Outside the Box

The curriculum in this class has made me more motivated to take my time when I am writing, and working on posts. Since we only meet once a week I have more time to spend fine-tuning my writing. I have tried to change my writing style from just giving straightforward details, to going more in depth about my feelings towards certain things. I find myself trying to think of new ways to get points across. The experiment we did in class last week, which dealt with categorizing items, was very beneficial. I thought this was beneficial because we had to think outside the box and expand past our normal realm of thoughts and ideas. The readings we are assigned also have made me more knowledgeable about different subjects. Since I know we will most likely have a quiz on these readings, I pay more attention to little details in the articles.

 

motivated and interested

Ever since starting this hybrid English class at Drexel University I have experienced a different level of motivation and interest in what I’m doing. This is because of the way this English class is taught. As a hybrid class we only meet once a week and have a number of assignments due online throughout the week. I think this form of curriculum has definitely motivated me more than previous high school English classes. By allowing the students to review each other’s works and write in both formal and informal styles nothing ever gets as boring as it did in high school. Where I just wrote simply to fill the page requirement for my current assignment. Also, the readings we do in this class are far more interesting than the ones in my prior English classes. They are current day and don’t require us to dismantle every word the author has written. Which I feel ruins even a good book. I’m actually motivated to read these texts and the book as I feel the information is useful and will aide me later in my writings. All in all I like this “new” way of doing an English class as I feel it’s a much better way to learn how to write a good paper, no matter what the situation. I can’t wait to see what we’ll do next.

English... Fun?

I would have never thought I would say these three words, "English is fun." Well, it's really more than English it is establishing a method of thinking. Many people are great at thinking, yet cannot argue a point. The arguing aspect of this writing is precisely what makes this class entertaining. Another part of this class that makes it fun is that the students are picking the topics of their papers, the topics, if even assigned specifically, are very vague and one can go down any avenue with the topic. Writing about your passions is what makes the class so enjoyable. For the first project we were given a very general prompt, go to an event and write a paper about it, arguing about how the culture connects with it. I could have chosen going to the park, or going on a walk to center city, but instead I chose to go to the movies. I really enjoyed writing a paper on this and I actually think I made a good argument about our society today. Writing this allowed me to express my views on how society is heading down the wrong path and needs direct intervention. It was challenging to write the paper and be able to back up each point, but once I finally accomplished it, there was a great sense of satisfaction from writing the piece. Believe it, I did say the English is fun.

***Pumping up***

I have never had such a feeling towards reading and writing in my past. This course has actually shown another side of it. With the instructor giving us articles to read on interesting topics like Facebook, etc. I always used to skip the reading and go through summaries in my high school. But truthfully, I am liking the way this course is leading me. I genuinely read all my articles and finished every single assignment myself. In my high school, I usually gave my English homework to my girlfriend and do her science work; but no longer because I have actually started loving to do it. I don't know why but this English course is unlike other lectures. One more thing I liked is working online and not in class which kinda makes me sleep. In short words, "Its great///awesome!!!"

hybrid english.....

Drexel's hybrid English class so far has been really differnt than other English courses in high school. In past English courses in high school, we were required to read a book and discuss it in class. This course is more about writing and strengthening our writing than knowing about every element of a book. . We used to detail personification, similes, symbolism and random literary techniques to detail a paper in prior English courses. In English 101, we actually learn how to form arguments in our writing and improve upon it. The Allyn and Bacon book changed my perspective on writing like it says to take account of the audience. Also the details about ethos and pathos where a reader will only know the details a writer outlines and that sometimes some information is omitted or added for a reason. When I wrote essays I never took this into account because I usually just wrote the five paragraph essays that never took much thought because they were all about persuading someone to one view or outlining literary techniques in a book. I usually just wrote what I wanted to get these essays over with as soon as possible just to finish it.

In hybrid English, I like the news article, and how we discussed the article about Facebook. Technically the article was just about facebook, but the writer extended that essay so much to include arguments and it told us, the audience, about more then just Facebook is a networking tool. In class, last week we analyzed a Scooby-Doo cartoon to find arguments within it about the time period. I have never watched Scooby- Doo in an English class before and it made sense of how it would relate to project one. Overall, I am enjoying this year's english course compared to my high school's english courses. I think this course will strengthen my writing abilities through the articles and the Allyn and Bacon book because it uses a different more interesting way to teach English.

Motivations

Surprisingly, I actually have been motivated by some of the things we have done in class. One thing that really motivated and interested me was the project. Even though it was fairly time consuming, it was fun how we could write about what we wanted to, which made it more fun and easier to get into. The readings have been fairly boring in my mind, but that is also because I am not the biggest fan of reading. I have liked the class discussions, though. They have been fun and they hold my attention, yet at the same time they are informative and don't stray too much from the point. 

Hybrid English

I have never been good at English. I have always excelled in every other subject but English, I don't know why. Whenever I would have to type a thesis or write an essay, I always had trouble. I could never come up with what I really wanted to say. I would have a thought of what I really wanted to say, but I could never put it down on paper. I always struggled with English because of this fact. I like hybrid English better than normal, everyday English classes. I think it's because there is less pressure to do work in class, and you work around your schedule almost. Hybrid English has made me like English class a lot more than I used to, and motivated me to actually make an effort. The curriculum is not too much work, and it allows me to work at my own pace rather than always being rushed through papers and essays. Also, the class allows me to think harder about what I really want to say rather than just put the first thing that comes to mind on paper. It has finally given me a slight interest in writing, because I have less to worry about, like dreading sitting through English class everyday like I did in high school.

A New Class

Year after year, I am enrolled in an english class as party of my school curriculum. Not because I want to be, but because it is required. I have never really enjoyed this subject. But that changed this year.

In the short time I have been at Drexel, english has become one of my favorite classes. In that past the course has been very stale. Learning basic principles of writing, creating a bland essay that really required no effort or critical thinking, then turning it in. Repeat this over nine months and it gets real old, real fast.

In Mr McCann's class, I have been introduced to a few new things I have never previously been exposed to. Peer reviewing is a new concept to me. Not only was it great to get a fellow student's opinion, but after seeing the fabulous reviews I received I will now try to deliver the same type of advice to others. 

Another part of class I really enjoy are the discussions and how they are related to everyday life. For example, the Saturday Night Live and Scooby Doo clips. Once something is taught this makes it much easier to really absorb the information and retain it rather than just forgetting it as soon at 11:50 hits the clock. 

Lastly, I am very glad I chose to take the hybrid class. It has taught me how to manage my time better and I feel more independent working on our projects. 

Peer Motivation in Hybrid English

I have always scored well in writing and I consider it to be one of my strengths. Unfortunately I think that is only a result of my lacking math skills. Writing is currently a chore for me but this curriculum, specifically the blog portion, is beginning to change that for me. I find myself interested in the topics and I can’t help but read what students have already posted. The idea of posting my ideas for others to see motivates me to actually think about what I am writing whereas in the past I would just BS my way through a paper. It sounds strange because you would expect students to care more about what their teacher thinks so you can get that A; I would guess that the fear of embarrassment from your peers is enough motivation to put effort into your writing. This curriculum puts the desire to impress in my mind while I am writing. I want my writing to be interesting and I want it to offer new ideas so if my peers read my post they won’t think they’re wasting their time.

This is also true from a Business point of view. Eventually when I graduate and hopefully have a job in Business I will have to write and respond to emails on a regular basis. Emails are usually informal and short. They are good for getting you point across quickly. When I respond to these emails I will remember responding to 32 andchestnut. My peers as well as my boss will be reading what I wrote and it will be valuable to my career to write with the same characteristics that we write with while posting to the blog. Although the blog is informal, it is still professional. It is necessary to use proper spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. The hybrid curriculum has defiantly motivated me to improve because it teaches real world applications in writing.

Slow Your Roll

I have never enjoyed writing. A lot of things, academic-wise, come naturally to me, but writing has never been one of them. It's something I have always struggled with. Words don't "come to me" the way they do to most of my friends. I can sit for an hour staring at my computer screen, thinking about what I am trying to write, and still have no idea how to proceed. I don't know why I've always had so much trouble with it, and nothing I've ever learned in English class has ever helped me. I've taken to procrastinating on any writing projects I may have because I write much faster under pressure, without, it seems, reducing the quality of my work (not that much of it was any good to begin with). The problem with this is that I sometimes end up missing deadlines, and that, of course, does not improve my grade either. That said, the curriculum of this course, while laid out somewhat differently from my previous English courses, has yet to instill in me any confidence in my writing or inspire any interest in the writing process.

Any difference?

To be honest, I was never too interested in writing. In addition, I never felt like I had the capability to write as well as many other people. I was hoping to find more joy in writing coming into college, but my motivation and interest to write is remains low. However, I have found writing these blog entries to be somewhat entertaining. I am able to read and write and share ideas with other people. From this experience, I feel as if I can write better and think differently on how to improve my writings. 

Confidence

This curriculum has strongly affected my motivation and interest in writing and thinking clearly. As opposed to before, I now constantly ask questions and wonder about subjects in a more critical matter. The curriculum has strengthened by ability to negotiate as well as argue and defend my beliefs. For years, I have been a passive person who did not defend certain things. But now, I have the confidence to present an issue and argue effectively to portray my point of interest. Such “rhetorical” abilities come into use in one’s every day life, so, yes, what one learns in school can definitely be applied to the outside world. I actually really appreciate the format of this class: a hybrid class. It provides more time outside of class to practice and improves one’s writing. I prefer such a format compared to attending and English lecture and being told how to write a good essay.
Project 1 motivated me, simply because I chose my typical family dinner. I realized the complexities and unresolved issues that exist in an event as simple as a dinner. Consequently, now I feel my mind is subconsciously searching for those complexities in the simplest relations and events. It’s a new way to look and appreciate the world, which is filled with the little things of life.

English... Eh.

Throughout my life, I have never enjoyed English class. I don’t like writing, especially when I feel it is extremely pointless. All throughout my school years, I’ve felt as though English assignments were simply given to see how well you write, not in order for you to express your ideas. I didn’t mind writing for a class like history or contemporary issues, but writing about a topic like “Why I don’t like homework” was never appealing to me.

In English 101 we’ve had much more interesting readings than in the past. The discussion topics and readings aren’t strictly famous literature, so I can relate to them much more. Despite this I still find writing a chore. I enjoy writing blogs much more than long research papers, but writing is still not fun to me. I do feel like I'm learning a lot from English this year. It's connecting more to real life than in previous years where we just studied historic literature. Although this is the best English class I've had yet, I still cannot wait until I never have to take an English class again.

Allyn and Bacon Bits of Interesting Info

I feel like I've never had any motivation to read an english text of any kind, because they were usually just grammar booklets or vocab handbooks that were typically very boring. The essays and short stories, with the exception of Poe and some other poetry were also pretty dull, and the books (think Fahrenheit 451) definitely did not appeal to me whatsoever. Lots of books we had to read would have been decent, if not truly enjoyable, had it not been for english class, which forced us students to dissect and tear apart some works of art that probably were not even meant to prove more more purpose than be an enjoyable story. However, this year I noticed Andrew's taste in supplicating reading material was based on current topics that are of interest to everyone today. Facebook is extremely appealing to students today, as well as political issues such as the bail-out. The summer reading was also pretty interesting, and I noticed no problems in finishing the book with lots of time to read it again. I really love reading, and I always felt that english class ruined that for me - when I was forced to read something, it wasn't something that appealed to me, and when it did, I was forced to analyze and critique and summarize and reflect and ask "what did the author mean by this?" Maybe he didn't mean anything by it - maybe that's just the way it all came together. I don't know, but I definitely feel that this year is off to a much better start than all of the previous ones.

Another thing I like about this class is the required textbook readings. The AB book is funny and engaging, even though it deals with some pretty dull topics. I think it basically says what all teachers have been trying to say in neat little packaged charts and diagrams that makes it easy to see what a teacher would be looking for in any assignment. And as for "wallowing in complexity:" I always felt that afraid to do that, feeling that I was probably taking my ideas in the wrong direction. I think this class will help me out some with that issue I have. That gives me a goal to achieve, and when I have a goal to meet, I work for it. No other english class ever gave me a goal to strive for, which in turn makes me care about the course more than I did for any other past class. 

Project 1 was great because it forced a student to look inside his own experience to find something interesting and compelling to argue. At the beginning, most students had no idea how they were going to pull something out of their asses, but once the project was finished, everyone obviously succeeded, proving the point that the project was originally intended to make.

Now like I said before, I love reading, and I like to write on occasion if the topic pertains to something I feel passionate about. I'm no more motivated to write a paper on a business topic than before, but I am starting to think about reading it critically and reviewing an article not on terms of its content, but on its argument. It's kind of like a new "science" to learn. That interests me a lot more than I have ever been interested before, and that fact points out how much I think I will enjoy my english class this year.

And also, this blogging makes it so much easier to do work than wake up, go to class, submit paper after paper, etc. Good class!

The Effect of the Curriculum

The writing activities in this class have made me look at writing in a different way. In high school I considered writing to be very formal and I was always uncomfortable with it. However, the blog entries changed my view on writing. Before this I have never wrote any blog entries, but I found out that this is a way to express myself very easily. I enjoyed the first blog entry very much and I was very much interested in keeping a blog and following other blogs. In the actual meetings we talked mostly about organizing ideas which kept me from feeling lost when I was writing.
Of course, there was project one, which was more like the formal writing projects I had in high school. I enjoyed "wallowing in complexity" part of the project which was a nice exercise for my brain. The actual writing part, however, did not go too well.
Over all, the writing assignments has helped me to relate the writing skills to everyday use such as blog entries and e-mails. Organizing the ideas has helped me not only with my writing skills but with the whole thinking abilities in general, making me see things more clearly and be more creative. I feel that it did not help me with the actual writing skills.

Motivations for Writing

Coming into college, I wasn't sure what to expect from my English classes. Would they be like the APs I took, where we read a book and then wrote a paper on it? What does a hybrid class mean? Will the essays be monstrously long? Looking at it now, I can gladly say that this class has been one of the most fun and challenging classes I have taken. Despite only meeting once a week, it has still taken a good bit of brainpower to follow along; in addition to our regular assignments, understanding the Bb Vista software has taken some time.

However, while I have enjoyed the class, it hasn't changed my overall motivation for writing assignments. Throughout all of high school and this class, I have approached papers and other such assignments in much the same way - as something I complete for a grade. This is not to say I don't enjoy what we do in English; on the contrary, I still love many of the books I've read in these classes and appreciate how much they taught me. The fact still stands that very rarely have any of the paper topics compelled me to write for more than a grade. The only recent time I can remember this happening was during my senior year, where we had to write a 10 page, roughly, term paper on a book of our choosing.

So, while this course hasn't changed the way I look at papers, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. This class has certainly been one of the most fun I've taken, with our discussion of urban legends (which I love hearing about) along with others. The only thing that has taken me aback is our lack of discussion of various novels and authors, such as I studied in high school, although I don't have a preference for either type of class.

Wallowing in English

I despise writing.  This loathing is what sparks my hatred for any and all english classes I have ever taken.  While I'm not a fan of this class either, it is exponentially better than any class I've previously taken.  To say I don't hate this class means a lot considering English 101 is primarily a writing course.  This whole class and the approach it takes is a new experience for me.  The school I came from, was not very strong academically which I believe accounts for at least some part of my lack of writing abilities.  I enjoy this class because it makes me take a fresh perspective on everything.  I'll be sitting in the Hans eating another bland meal and I'll find myself looking around and taking in all the 'evocative details'.  Project 1 was a great assignment that gave us students free reign in our ideas and creativity in writing the paper.  This was very bad for me.  I would think being able to write about whatever would make the assignment easier, but it had the exact opposite effect on me.  I found myself not being able to narrow down my topic or arguments.  For me, it is much easier to write on these blogs and I very much enjoy doing so.  I feel less stressed, and I am able to think clearer and express my ideas in a more effective way.  I am very glad that I decided to take the hybrid course and plan on continuing to do so in following terms if at all possible.

Not Like Watching Paint Dry

All sections of the curriculum have affected me but my most motivating part has been class itself. I chose to do a hybrid class so I could do my work at home because I know I will but being in class puts a nice spin on the English class. Not only is it a good time to ask questions (and all the other  boring stuff) but it's actually exciting. My teacher doesn't just lay back and say, "Every sentence needs a subject and a predicate." Instead he makes me look at things in a new light by having me analyze things such as a video clip of a movie or a picture. By working my mind in new directions I am able to easily go back onto the computer and write a fresh argument which is compelling because it is from a new point of view. The most difficult thing to do is write about something you don't care about but I have not ran into that problem since taking this course. I must say reading the book is not motivating but I have to do it and that's the end of it. Some articles have been easier to read than others but all of them have been informative in some way. Without a doubt I have learned something new while reading each one. This is also motivating because feeling like I learned something makes me want to read the next article instead of dreading it. Over all, nothing has made me feel bored, like I'm not learning anything, or like I have better things to do. Thankfully, my English class is not like watching paint dry.

A Fresh Perspective

One thing that I have foudn to be a common benefit of taking english or some form of writing or reading, every year since high school, is that every year you learn a new approach. Different levels of writing allow for a bit more artistic freedom, in my opinion, as long as the basic criteria is met. Over the years I have been developing a style in my writing, a personal voice, and it is nice to finally be able to express it freely. I feel that I have become a strong writer but there are many things that I can improve on. The peer editing as well as the evaluation of a new teacher/professor, is a great way to find new strengths or weaknesses. It is still pretty on for me to evaluate how much I have been motivated by this class. For years I have kept a poetry journal, and enjoy writing essays (although not research papers, which I am dreading to write). So, i kinda don't feel like this class has added extra motivation. If motivation is maybe described as having motivation to do well in a college level english class than yes. this class is still one of my first college classes and it that respect always makes me feel a pressure to do well and a bit more intimidated. One thins that did stand out to me was discussing the arguments and sorting out different random topics and putting them together. The whole concept of "wallowing in complexity" is new and intriguiging it makes sense in an almost confusing and uncertain way. I definitely will take these concepts with me as I move on. I think the most exciting aspect of a writing or an english class is learning how to grow as a writer will learning how develope and manipulate your writing to fit many different purposes. I personally prefer something a bit more melodic, than what im writing now. i like to use allmost a random stream of thought, a constant flow of ideas. i like everything stringed together but not painfully obvious linear and 2-dimensional. i think it is important to do more writing than just putting words on paper. the ultimate purpose always seems to be the most interesting to elaborate upon. finding a new creative approch to something is exciting. ironically, i feel that in writing this blog it is unlike most of my writing inthe sence that i feel that it is, although it must be somewhat, direct i usually like to still maintain a certain voice. i dont know maybe im over analyzing or over thinking. today was a horrible day for me im tired and sore from the 12k AIDS walk yesterday..which i greatly underestimated, it was great though...ok random thoughts taking over...abort mission. end.

english...hybrid...awesome

I have studied in an American high school system, although Arabic is my mother tongue language my English is not that bad compared to my peers back home in Dubai, U.A.E. When I found out that i will be taking the hybrid class for English, I thought to myself this would be a new experience and it turned out to be a great experience. We had bits and parts of assignments and brief quizzes ever week which was reasonable to keep our minds fresh with data. The big assignment, Project 1, was a real push to literacy writing, I went to an event, The Franklin Institute and wrote about my experience there its one of the few time that i understood the objective of the essay and actually applied my knowledge correctly. We are also given enough time to accomplish our assignments according to the due date which is quite convenient. Even with the peer reviews with their comments i looked back at my essay and improved it and understood from my mistakes, hopefully to never repeat them again.

English Curriculum

Coming into Drexel, I was really nervous about my classes and the workload, especially English (not my strong subject!). Choosing the option of taking a hybrid class on the English placement test was something I wasn’t too sure of. I really did not know what to expect! On the first day, I learned that the class only meets face to face once a week and everything else is done online. I was really excited hearing that because I was so used to having English class everyday in high school and dreading it. I thought it was extremely boring and I had a difficult time paying attention and staying attentive. The hybrid class and its curriculum has been really motivating, especially for someone who is not strong in English, like me. I really got into Project 1 because I got to choose the event and the argument, and I was able to ague something that I thought was relative to my life and the lives of many other college students. It feels good being able to write something that you have a lot to say about. Having assignments that are interesting is what keeps me motivated, especially when it comes to writing. I mean seriously, no one likes writing about something they are not interested in. I am very happy with the curriculum and the motivation that I acquire in doing the assignments. The disscussions in class are also very informative and interesting. I learn so much listening to the opinions of the other students around me and I am also able to express how I feel and my opinions and thoughts.

So far.

I have heard that good writers are good thinkers. I believe this is true. The stories, articles that stand out are usually about simple topics, but the material is presented in a way that makes you think of it in a different way.  Last year I was in an AP Composition class so this approach to writing is not very different from what my teacher had us think about. In this class that is different from my other english class experience is that we do not really look at structure.  I feel like class is a place to get together and thinking and discus different topics in order for a spark of an idea to write a paper about. I really like this because for me, the hardest part of the paper is thinking of something i can write about for the required length.

I have really enjoyed the readings so far. The facebook and the athletes activists were my favorites. These were really easy to relate to. I love to read this informational articles that have to do with my everyday life. It seems that these two things that we have read are examples papers. They use a statement then use different examples, stories, and quotes to back up and give there statements a sense of solidness. I think this is affective but the examples have to be interesting. The examples of the athletes was interesting because the athletes are seen everyday on TV and they are professionals. The examples in the Facebook articles were interesting because they were normal people. They didn't really have authority or popularity but they were still solid examples. 

The types of examples and back up statements have to match the flow of the paper. If they quoted famous people in the facebook article it would be out of place and not as strong.

A Modest Proposal

I never thought it could switch so suddenly. I was always a math and science person. Everything was finite and had already been determined for me. There was no "wallowing in complexity"... only formulas and laws to be memorized. It seemed so simple. Then came high school and I think my brain switched. In fact, I am sure that my brain switched. The periodic table no longer created the comforting and wonderous feeling it once had. Instead I found myself loving the satiric creations of Jonathan Swift and wanting to respond to articles I read to give my view on the subject.

When the idea of taking English in college occurred to me I had mixed feelings. Although i do love to read and write, my common conception of English 101 was filled with horrible thoughts of essay writing and boring book upon boring book. But I am glad to announce that so far that is a misconception. I was both surprised and pleased to discover that my English class is  both engaging and interesting. Not only does it incorporate watching clips of some of my favorite sketch comedy and cartoons to drive home a point but it also incorporates the rise in digital literacy. Taking a Hybrid course means les time in the classroom leaving a student like me more time to explore the things I love instead of feeling weighed down by excessive busy work. 

I have a modest proposal, All English 101 classes should be like this.

It's ALIVE, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Ahhh…English class in college. To be quite honest, I had some really low expectations going into the process. I was ready for essay after essay with lifeless facts, and no opinions what so ever. Not only this, but the thought of a hybrid course really bothered me. I didn’t like the idea of meeting for such a long period of time and then doing an ample amount of online work.
Well, guess I was wrong. The curriculum so far has honestly been a dream. The project specifically struck me. Writing in my opinion is like a living thing. It should be able to express feelings, and show all five senses, just like a real person. Project one for me, was the projection of the person within me. It allowed me to say the things I wanted to say and portray exactly what I wanted to create. This alone motivated me to work hard and think critically. I was forced to look within myself. The class discussion further boosted my thinking. The conversations alone struck the circuits of my brain. All these opinions influenced me in so many directions. The flow of knowledge was endless.
As far as the readings go, they were unique and had a wide range of topics. I would like this trend to continue. I also would like the readings to stay simple so that we may relate and bridge the gap. There is no point in reading something that most will not understand.
I hope the class continues on its forward progress. Allowing to express oneself is very relaxing activity. This class has been the outlet for all my emotions, and my flow of energy is still coming.

Fear turned in to Creativity

When I checked yes to the hybrid English class back in July, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. One would think that I would ask friends already in the college what it was like, but I didn't think of that until after. I figured it would be your average English class, just like all my friends' English classes that they take once a week at other schools but I was dead wrong.
From the very first day, this class has been making me come out of my comfortable bubble, frustrating me to no end, and making me be the most creative that I have ever been. The first day I wanted to die when Mr. McCann asked us each to tell an urban legend. This is no big deal, but I get shy and hate having to participate in class, I'd rather just sit and enjoy and join in when I feel ready. But he made us all dive right in, which is pretty much what every class and assignment is like. Then the first blog came and it was exhilarating. Yoy may think that I'm a dork or exaggerating but I've been in Catholic school for twelve years and there has always been a Catholic moral mask over anything a student wishes to write. Then I came Drexel and my first writing was on how much fun I had at Irish Weekend, drinking with my boyfriend. When Project 1 came around I wanted to shoot my computer night after night, staring at the one page I wrote and being stuck there. I had no idea how to make an argument and couldn't grasp how McCann did out of a firedrill, let alone have someone else review it! I was never so nerved up over a project, let alone a paper in my entire school career. I was convinced that I was going to fail this class miserably and then I recieved my peer reviews and they made me feel so good about the crap that I had written. I then finished my paper with no problem, seeing arguments everywhere I looked.
This class has scared me, frustrated me, and has some how taught me in three classes more than I've ever learned throughout twelve years of English courses. I feel so much more creative and free to write what I want to write about. Sometimes I read things back and can't believe I wrote them, I just think they sound to mature to be written by me. At times I feel overwhelmed because we don't get our "to do list" until Thursday or Friday and I have to run around fitting it all in, in between work and other priorities, but everything we've done is making me grow so much as a writer, and makes the class much more enjoyable. Also the text book is great, easy to follow and actually a help when writing.

Say "Hi" to Hybrid

The worldwide web has become a universal tool for students pursuing an education. Students use the internet for research, finding resources, and communication. The hybrid setup of this class takes advantage of a very popular branch of the internet, the world of blogging. On the blog site, we are able to communicate our thoughts in a formal or informal way, depending on the nature of the topic at hand. Since our peers have access to our individual posts, blogging becomes a way to pass opinions and information between students studying the same subject matter. 

The curriculum of this course ties very nicely into the hybrid format of instruction. We are not analyzing the works of Shakespeare or any classical novel, but rather we are attacking English and writing from a more modern angle. For this reason, it is rather appropriate to incorporate a modern technological tool into the curriculum. Debating about the pros and cons of Facebook or deciding whether college makes us smarter are addressed through discussion based questions on the blog. The blog becomes an open forum of conversation and ideas. One must think critically and outside general parameters to pose a new idea that was not already discussed in another student's previous post.  This generates a higher standard across the board and forces students to put in the extra effort. 

 

The best of both worlds

i have always had a love for writing. At first i used to hate it but then i realized that after people told me that I'm pretty good at it and after editing my school's old newspaper, i actually like it. Drexel has furthered my love for english and my motivation to write. As soon as Professor McCann showed us some clips from Goodfellas, Saw, Godzilla, and Monty Pythons, I knew that this would be a fun and interesting class.

I love movies a lot. They are one of my favorite things to study. The director, the cast, the audience, the special effects, it's all great. I was even thinking of minoring in film and video. What i love most about this english class is that we integrate current and not so current sources to supplement our learning. Such sources as recent as Saw and as old as Scooby Doo. I think it is a great way to keep things interesting, yet still have us think analytically. 

My last and final love in this class is the freedom to be creative. I am an engineering major so English is the one class i have that allows me to think creatively. I am definitely a math/science person but i absolutely have a deep rooted love in music, art, and other such humanities. If it wasn't for this class, i would go crazy. 

All these reasons are what help me to think critically. I mean yeah, it's fun to sit around and watch old TV shows all day, but it's fun and interesting if you can think critically about it and draw inferences such as the questionable sexual orientation of Fred from Scooby and the gang. All in all, this class combines the skills and motivation to be professional in my writing, yet it allows me to have fun while i do it. 

Motivation and Interest On The Rise

The curriculum of my first college english class has easily increased my motivation and interest about writing. We have in depth class discussions about things that are relative to the world around us and we are able to speak our opinion much more than we could in high school. We are able to be more opinionated and we are able to incorporate our opinions into our work at a higher rate which is a big part of increasing my motivation and interest in english. Project 1 was a great assignment because it took an event of our choice, obviously something that we had a lot of passion and interest for, and then allowed us to write an argument that was centered around our chosen event. It was easily one of the more interesting assignments I've ever done in an English class before. The readings have also helped since they have been relatable to us and important. Two of them that stick out in my mind is the one about wall street and the one about facebook. Overall, through the first 4 weeks of class I have gained more motivation and interest about writing than I ever thought I would have.

Motivation Class at Drexel

English class has given me a new perspective on writing. Throughout highschool fellow students and I have had trouble coming up with a thesis for our papers. If we were to spend just a week in the begginning of Ninth grade on, "Wallowing in Complexity," this would have greatly improved our writing. Our readings and class discussions have been more engaging which ultimatly causes me to use my mind more effectively. Project one especially has probably been the most helpful assignment I have had to do to this date. This is because Project one caused me to think critically. Prior writing assignment have all been basic reports with no real examination. Project one has allowed me to start to create writing that has more depth and meaning. I believe that this type of writing is more interesting and persuasive. Therefor I know I will benefit from this class despite its difficulty. Knowing this causes me to be more motivated to spend time on each written piece I create. I wish that this idea of, "Wallowing in Complexity," could be expressed to high school students. Chapters 1 to 3 in Allyn & Bacon have also been helpful. This book has shown that there is more to writing than I previously thought. Overall I have realized a new importance for writing. This class allows me to practice and grow my writing skills, which is definetly one of the most important skills to have.