Growing up, I lived about 5 minutes away from my school and church, where I felt like I was a part of a small town community inside a large city. The one thing I miss most about San Antonio life is this delicious thing I miss called Bill Millers tea. You can get 50 cent/quart refills in one of their hideous orange and brown mugs, decorated with pigs and cows.
Describe yourself as a reader:
Me as a reader: Entertaining novels like Villette, Count of Monte Christo, travel narratives like Travels with Charley or diaries and non-ficiton like The Story of My Life, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader--I can usually read through it in a couple of sittings, just absorbing the stories. However, I have realized as a student, especially a grad student, I have difficulty reading criticism, history, and theory for longer than 30 minutes at a time. I am not an “all-nighter” or “lock myself in the library basement for 4 hours” type of reader. I have to plan to space out my reading and take multiple breaks to clear my eyes. This may have something to do with combination of how reading on a computer screen can give me headaches and my extreme nearsightedness. I love to scribble notes in the margins of my books, although I'm experimenting with alternative methods of recording my thoughts as I learn to read online and on my Kindle. I'm still experimenting with how these other reading technologies help me process information.
Describe yourself as a reader:
Me as a reader: Entertaining novels like Villette, Count of Monte Christo, travel narratives like Travels with Charley or diaries and non-ficiton like The Story of My Life, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader--I can usually read through it in a couple of sittings, just absorbing the stories. However, I have realized as a student, especially a grad student, I have difficulty reading criticism, history, and theory for longer than 30 minutes at a time. I am not an “all-nighter” or “lock myself in the library basement for 4 hours” type of reader. I have to plan to space out my reading and take multiple breaks to clear my eyes. This may have something to do with combination of how reading on a computer screen can give me headaches and my extreme nearsightedness. I love to scribble notes in the margins of my books, although I'm experimenting with alternative methods of recording my thoughts as I learn to read online and on my Kindle. I'm still experimenting with how these other reading technologies help me process information.
Describe yourself as a Writer:
As a writer, I learned the "process" method of writing before I was even introduced to it. I've kept a journal since I was around seven, and I will flip through those little books and notice where I cross lines out to reword what my little mind was trying to say even back then. My desk is cluttered with stationary, post it notes, and notepads so I can quickly grab anything to freewrite and jot down notes whenever I have an idea. I keep telling myself that I need to turn these notes into word documents to save in files. That happens occasionally, but I have probably written more first draft outlines on bulletins in church than I have on an office document. However, I am in love with the copy and paste function of Word Documents because I obsessively change my mind.
What are your goals for this semester?
American lit. is very unfamiliar for me and not my area of focus, but I imagine that if I ever teach high school again, I may have to teach it again. The last time I taught American lit. I had no clue even how to structure a syllabus for that class. Perhaps this class will give me new eyes in approaching early American literature. I also hope to continue developing skills in periodical research as I am sure I will be using the same research strategies as I study Victorian women writers.
Describe the worst class or the worst teacher you have ever had.
The worst teacher I ever had was actually brought a stack of books to each class, passed them around the table, talked about each one of them, explained and how he knew (or knew about) the author, made a wisecrack joke, and dismissed the class. The books were great resources to be sure, but the class was called “Composition Pedagogy.” We never created a syllabus or one single lesson plan in that class. The one assignment was a 20 page essay written from the prompt--"Did composition instruction improve or decline from the 1900s until now?" When students asked the professor what he expected—a historical analysis? a focused argument?integration of personal voice? he refused to extend any clues and instead told us to “figure it out for ourselves.” Not a profitable class.
List three books that have deeply touched your life.
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman--I love the way her mind works. She writes personal essays on mail, coffee, arctic exploration, and used book stores. If I had my way, I would just make my living writing personal essays like she does.
Describe the worst class or the worst teacher you have ever had.
The worst teacher I ever had was actually brought a stack of books to each class, passed them around the table, talked about each one of them, explained and how he knew (or knew about) the author, made a wisecrack joke, and dismissed the class. The books were great resources to be sure, but the class was called “Composition Pedagogy.” We never created a syllabus or one single lesson plan in that class. The one assignment was a 20 page essay written from the prompt--"Did composition instruction improve or decline from the 1900s until now?" When students asked the professor what he expected—a historical analysis? a focused argument?integration of personal voice? he refused to extend any clues and instead told us to “figure it out for ourselves.” Not a profitable class.
List three books that have deeply touched your life.
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman--I love the way her mind works. She writes personal essays on mail, coffee, arctic exploration, and used book stores. If I had my way, I would just make my living writing personal essays like she does.
Journals of Jim Elliot: compiled by Elizabeth Elliot--This book inspired me to live my life to the fullest and passionately pursue what I believe in...and keep records of everything I learn.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was the first book I remember reading on my own. I've read it at different stages of my life and now realize that it has inspired many of my ideas and interests. I learned how sisters should get along (my little sister had just arrived the first time I read it), and I'm happy to say we live with each other and are the best of friends. I also experimented with painting lessons like Amy, took up piano like Beth, and began to believe that the best writing I could do would come from what I knew and loved best, like Jo learned about her own writing.
List three things that you know about the US during the years 1770-1830.
The nation declared its independence in 1776.
The “Star Spangled Banner” was written in 1814.
Edgar Allen Poe was achieving fame a successful literary critic and writer.
The nation declared its independence in 1776.
The “Star Spangled Banner” was written in 1814.
Edgar Allen Poe was achieving fame a successful literary critic and writer.
Tell me three things that I ought to know about you.
--I am studying the rhetoric of women's writing about aesthetic pursuits (like painting, crafts, and gardening) in late 19th century/early 20th century England.
--I'm quiet in class because I process ideas better in my own thoughts and on paper, but I always make a concentrated effort to participate verbally at least once every class period. That is my goal, anyway.
--I hope to teach either at a private Christian high school or private Christian high school when I leave TCU. (I've already had experience at a high school.)
1 comments:
I love that you paint, and I love that LITTLE WOMEN is on your list of books. Starting in high school, a couple of friends and I would get together during the holidays and have a LITTLE WOMEN-themed meal and watch the movie. I usually re-read the book during the holiday season, too.
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