Essay 1: Option 1z: Describe and evaluate workshops / draft exchanges.

Alana Nesteruk

The Right Environment for Learning

            Literature 3731: Creative Writing was unlike any other class I’ve taken before. I think that what really set it apart from other classes I’ve taken was the round table discussion group. I had such a great experience in our class and our presentations were my favorite part.

            The presentations were a great learning experience. Not only are they benefiting the writer who is presenting, but also they teach others how to effectively criticize. It is always less intimidating when you know that everyone is going to have to do their presentation at some time or another. I looked forward to coming to our class every Thursday because I knew I was going to get to hear someone read their writing—and that was fun. Dr. White made it clear from the beginning that we weren’t going to bash one another and that we would maintain a friendly but rigorous atmosphere. That made the class comfortable. A lot of people have a hard time sharing their work anyway and if they felt like they were going to have to share it in an unfriendly environment they probably would have dropped the course.

            I felt closer to the entire class as a whole because of our workshops. People who I thought were shy came out of their shell because they knew it was okay and that they wouldn’t be judged. It was interesting to see the way the class developed over the semester. At first, people weren’t as open with one another but by the end of the semester people weren’t only sharing their own work but they were sharing opinions about other things and even two classmates discovered they were both bipolar. The presentations and workshops really brought the class together and it was a special thing.

            I am working towards my degree in Education and I hope to be a 7^th or 8^th grade teacher one day. I would love to use this type of classroom set up for my future students. Middle school students are especially worried about sharing their work and I think creating an environment that models what we had would be a very useful tool. Being able to get a classroom close or feeling comfortable with each other can be extremely beneficial for learning.

            I really enjoyed the draft exchanges. I was lucky to have such a dedicated draft exchange partner. She really went the extra mile in editing my work and providing helpful suggestions. I enjoyed draft exchanging for her as well. It was interesting to see how much my work improved just from getting one person’s opinion. I have learned that writing isn’t something you should do all alone. Reading your work aloud and letting other people look at it can be so helpful.

            As I mentioned in my other essay, writing is really hard! I didn’t realize the work that is put into good writing. I had a classroom of eyes look over my fiction piece and I did several drafts but it is still not a finished product. Writing takes a lot of work and dedication and I have a much greater appreciation for writing because of this class.

            The course website was something else I really like about our class. I liked being able to look at the changes that my fellow students decided to make and being able to read their revision accounts was fun. Not only were we able to see our own work develop and change but we were able to look at the changes other students made too.  It was also helpful to have students work up from previous semesters. I like being able to get an idea of what was expected.

            Dr. White had a very effective way of running his classroom. He guided us instead of dominating us. We felt like he was part of the class instead of just the professor. It created that comfortable environment. Everyone was equal and that made people feel good about themselves. I have had teachers who put students down if their ideas or answers were different than theirs. In my opinion, those kinds of teachers are only making it harder for themselves because they are creating a harsh environment where no one wants to participate for fear of being wrong. I like an environment where it is okay to be wrong because being wrong is how you learn to be right.

            I loved our class! It was a model for what I want my future classrooms to be. Our classroom was one where we could be ourselves. We could feel good about our work but also receive helpful criticism. We felt comfortable giving advice even if we weren’t sure that it was right. We weren’t scared to participate and relax and because of that learning just happened on its own.