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English 102
October 6, 1999
The classroom is a place of learning – or is it?
For most of my life school has been ritualistic. The teacher calls
the roll, gives us our assignment, and a set of instructions. Another
words, it’s a pretty closed system of guidelines and expectations of what
the “teacher” wants. What was being taught was the truth according
to god: teacher. We sit back in our seats and humor the teacher by
mindlessly watching them point to their blackboard and pear down at us
over the rim of their glasses. How inviting this must seem to the
average student to want to share their views. Yes, it is plain to
see that we are to listen and they are to teach. No room for real
learning. We are just there to get the high-test scores so the teacher
can prove that they did teach us something.
Many teachers seem highly educated in the manner
in the way they speak to their students. They use big words that
intimidate students. Using the big words is not a problem if you
define them when you see your students don’t understand. But, most
don’t, and it does seem silly to me that they miss the obvious reason of
why they went into their profession – to teach. I wonder sometimes,
too, if the teachers are actually “aware” of what they are teaching.
Or, has it simply become a routine for them – the same lesson year after
year without one ounce of critical thought. Will they inspire their
students to learn: to go out on a limb, to think about what they previously
thought was impossible?
This brings me to English Composition
102. It is the only open system that I have encountered since coming
to Baton Rouge Community College. The first day we were given an
essay assignment. Names of colors were scribbled on the board and
we were told, “Okay, now write.” We had no guidelines as to what
to write or how much to write, only that it be well developed. It
was totally open, and that was hard to do considering I have had over twelve
years of writing and learning in a closed system. As terrified as
I was I began to write! My mind slowed me – telling me that I need
the closed system, but my heart leaped for joy to be free to say whatever
I wanted!
Another essay assignment was gathering five advertisements
and drawing some sort of similarity between them. This assignment
was so hard for me because I couldn’t find similar ads that had the same
meaning. After getting a message on the forum, which I will discuss
later, I got a whole new outlook on my assignment. My teacher said
to forget the rules of the assignment – just think of the ads, look at
the picture, the colors, what do you see, look beyond the obvious.
That’s what I needed. I was released from an obligation of “having”
to write to “wanting” to write. For me, this is an open system!
It was like a hand grabbed my shoulders and shook me! It made the assignment
“personal” for me and instead of “required” by me.
Really looking back, my teacher didn’t say anything different on the forum than he did in class. I think the forum that my teacher has provided for us has improved the way I write and think. The forum takes the students and removes them from a “classroom” setting. Instead of concentrating on “performing” for the teacher, the forum throws the assignment in your lap. The forum makes the subject come alive and requires you to think “true” thoughts, not thoughts that are “safe”. The forum allows you to go out on a limb and say what you feel.
This class has become a way for
me to expand my skills at being open. This is something I have been
conditioned not to do by my parents and by educators. This class
is a way for me to learn and grow: to become stronger and have confidence
in myself that I am worth the effort for someone to lend an ear.
I don’t have to conform to the ideas that the closed system tries to place
on me. I am open to new ways of thinking and new ways of writing
-- thoughtfully.
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at nandoman1@zdnetonebox.com
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