Blog #1: Welcome To Blogging & Fall Semester 2010

Note: If you have taken a course with me in the past you will notice that this prompt sounds very familiar. Skim through it and go to the bottom that refers to those who have had a blog in the past.

It's the beginning of a new semester and with that comes the stress of delegating classes, studying, tests, maybe work, family, friends, personal and fun time along with trying to be successful in all areas. Have you ever really thought about how you manage everything in your life? Really thought about it; broken it down sort of thing? Maybe you don't have time to really think about how you manage your everyday life, and maybe it isn't that important to you to think about it. But if you're not thinking about how you manage your life and just going with the flow, chances are you probably don't really think about other issues.

And it's more than just thinking about issues, it's about challenging, questioning, analyzing and exploring issues. Breaking them down into pieces and examining each piece and how they work together to make a whole. Just like a business person or accountant would do with numbers, or how a biologist/chemist would do with cells/atoms and elements.

If this is your first time writing in a blog I challenge you to examine, question and analyze this idea of writing your thoughts or opinions on an internet blog as a journal. How does this make you feel? Uneasy, excited? Consider the fact that you have security settings that you can manipulate and that you are being required to do this for a class rather than a decision you have made on your own. Consider its purpose and who your audience is. Do you want for the whole world, or just for your teacher? What kind of style should you write in depending on that audience? Will you write in first or 3rd person, will you speak directly to an audience or not?

Will you put up a picture of yourself? Your interests? Your email address? How much information do you want people to have access to about you? What did you name your own URL? How does it make you feel to have a URL?

This isn't your first time blogging??

If you have had a blog in the past, your own, for my class or for another class, then I challenge you to examine, question and analyze your experience with having a blog. Consider why you had one, how it made you feel, and how you manipulated the security settings for your own sense of security. Consider changes you may make now that you have grown and developed as a writer/blogger. Consider how writing a blog may have helped or hindered your writing ability. Will you continue writing in the same style, tone and voice or are you going to change? Who will be your audience?

So, this is your very first blog prompt/journal entry for the semester!! Are you excited? LOL! Probably not, but that's ok. Maybe, hopefully, eventually, you will begin to actually enjoy this process. Just remember: Always think outside the box!

Farewell Summer B 2010

Dear class,

I like to end the semester with a letter to all of you, my students, who decided to stick around with me even after the warnings and the high expectations, particularly for a summer semester. And, I have to give you props simply for that. Taking a writing course during the summer (a short one at that) could possibly be one of the most difficult challenges you could face in the college; so I applaud you. But for future reference, I recommend taking easier classes during the summer. :)

I have, however, for as quickly as it went by, had a blast with all of you. We had great conversations and arguments, listened to each others perspectives and learned from one another. My hope is that through all those conversations, blogs, powerpoints, group activities and presentations I have equipped you all with the tools that you need in order to continue on with your undergraduate studies and be strong critical thinkers who are intrigued and enticed to ask question after question after question; because it is the questions that lead to research and research leads to solutions and new ideas.

As you have become critical thinkers, you have in turn become stronger writers, and we all know that you did a lot of writing, granted some more than others, but I have seen the growth and the development. Some of you simply becoming more refined, while others have made huge growth. I would like to think that most of you have walked away with a better appreciation for the art of writing and the art of rhetoric now that we have come to an end. Additionally, now that you know the techniques involved in argument, whether it be to persuade, inform or entertain, you can appreciate the importance of knowing who your audience is, what your purpose is, how to appeal to your audience through the use of logos, ethos and pathos, what kinds of claims can be used, and how not to commit a fallacy.

For this final blog I would like for you to write an entry describing your experience during this semester in class. Additionally, I would like for you to write about what you have learned, how you feel as a writer after taking this course, and what you would recommend that I could do differently or better. Touch upon whether or not the expectations you had of yourself and myself at the beginning of the semester were met or not. And lastly (and most importantly for me), what you wish you would have learned in high school that would have potentially helped your performance and understanding of writing and rhetoric prior to this class.

My final thoughts...if you see me around campus don't be afraid to say hello or think that I would have forgotten you. One of the greatest aspects of teaching college is bumping into a student over the years and witnessing their growth and change. If you ever need to get in touch with me for help or advice or a letter of recommendation, please feel free to ask (but remember that I won't lie, so make sure I'm the right person you want to ask!). Feel free to keep in touch via twitter and you can always follow my crazy mom stories on my blog stumblesthroughparenthood.com :)

In one way or another you have all touched my life and you will not be forgotten. I wish you all luck with your future endeavors and college experience and that you make the most of it and your potential. (can you tell I'm a mom!? :) )

With love,
Natasha