Beth Wilkerson English 885 Dr.

Cynthia Haynes 3 March 2009

B1: From this class, I have already begun to make gains across the five dimensions of learning
outlined in the Learning Record. In terms of confidence, independence, and reflection, I learned
how I write best and learn material through the technoliteracy and composing process
assignments. These papers helped me gain a better perspective of not only how I learn but also
how others learn. This understanding will help me when teaching 103 because I will be careful
to adjust to the various learning styles of my students. For skills and strategies, I have learned
much about the “know-how” aspect of learning through the individual teaching presentations in
our class. I learned ways that I may introduce collaborative writing assignments into my 103
classroom, how I can recognize and address cultural differences among students, and how I may
teach them about research and technology. In terms of knowledge and understanding, the
articles by Covino and Joliffe, Berlin, Berthoff, Elbow, Wysocki, Faigely, and Woo have helped me
gain a better understanding of rhetoric and how it applies specifically to the teaching of English
composition.

Adding to the prior experience and knowledge from my Rhetorical Theory class, the readings in
Composition Theory have taught me that all language is rhetorical. However, everyone’s
definition of rhetoric may be different, and that’s all right; it’s not necessary that we and our
students learn one definition of rhetoric. Instead, perhaps we can use one or two definitions as
our rhetorical backbone—i.e., our guiding principle to our own writing as well as the driving
force of our composition pedagogy—and then supplement that definition with others as the
situation warrants it. As I have learned from the readings in our class and from the writing
assignments, reflection and collaboration are key in any learning environment. Reflection
allows us to focus on what we have learned, place that knowledge in context, and use it as a
building force for future learning, something I aim to do for the remainder of the semester and
then eventually apply to my teaching of English 103.

On a practical level, I have gained a lot from this class because I have done the following:
 Completed all the assigned readings, engaging in the material thoroughly.
 Attended every class and arrived on time, prepared to discuss the readings.
 Completed all writing assignments on time, drawing on material from the readings and
class discussions while relying on my creativity and prior knowledge.
 Completed weekly observations of my learning; for an in-depth discussion of my
learning gains each week, please see www.mapc885.blogspot.com.

C1: Because of the specific reasons listed above, and because I have made gains along the five
dimensions of learning, I believe I deserve an A in this course thus far. I recognize that I still
have a lot to learn about the teaching of composition, but with an open mind, I can certainly
improve my own writing and learning ability over time. I look forward to increasing my
knowledge and skills necessary to teach English 103 successfully through continued readings,
class presentations, in-depth discussion of English 103 materials, and the final multimedia
assignment.