Reflection on Basic Writing Theory and Practice

This course has been quite life changing for me as a teacher and as a student in the Language and Literacy program. I've been in the program for a year, and it is the first time that I have sat through one of the courses and have said to myself, "Hey! I think I get it! I actually know of the things my peers are talking about! And, these names are familiar to me: Freire, Mina, Elbow, Bartholomae!" In this course, I have felt much more confident as a student and I have started to believe that I can make a valuable contribution to our class dicussions. It is definetly a change from the way I felt in my first class, Adult Literacy and Language. Back then, I felt overwhelmed by all the information that was being given to me. A year later, I feel like I have been able to process what I have learned and I feel determined to learn more. This course has further sparked my interest in teaching adults and educating those who have not received the education they deserve. I have also better understood the need for adult education, the impact it has on our society and our world, as a whole.
The most important thing I will take away from this class is how to create a syllabus. At first glance, this assignment appeared easy to me. I had it all figured out and it was only a matter of typing it. Once I began, I was surprised at how invested I became in trying to put together a course that I felt would meet the needs of my students and prepare them for future college courses. I was forced to think about what exactly I wanted my students to get from the course. I was faced with the reality that these students are spending their money, putting their hopes up and working hard. It was important for me to maximize the experience for them. I think a part of me thought, "it can't be that hard". But this assignment made me realize that Basic Writing is not just having students read a couple books and write up some papers for the hell of it. It is having students read books that in some way, have meaning to them and asking them to write for a purpose. It is structuring assignments so that students are exposed to a variety of writing that they will encounter later on when they enroll in other college courses. Basic Writing is providing feedback that students can use to better their skills as readers and writers. It is criticism that they can use to help themselves.

Another aspect that made this course very life changing for me was meeting Smerlyn and Juana. We can sit in class and discuss theory all we want. But, being able to meet a student and have him share his experience as a Basic Writing student is what really helps us understand the importance of what we are doing. It was amazing for me to listen to the obstacles that Smerlyn had and how he overcame them in the effort to become the first college graduate in his family. I think is listening to his perpective will make me a better teacher.I can finally put a face to the student and know that these are people who are trying working hard to better themselves.