Handy-Capable: What I've Learned and Possibly Un-Learned

Learning has always been something that I’ve enjoyed, so it’s not far-fetched to say that I’ve gained a significant amount of knowledge within the short 3 weeks we’ve been in class. I’ll admit that some of it has been a refresher of concepts and ideas that I’ve already come in contact with, but there are still things that I’ve picked up.

Most recently, I’ve discovered that if the subject is right I enjoy academic reading. Our article on Dora is something that I’ve enjoyed picking apart as I’ve gone through it. ITS CONTENTS HAVE GRASPED MY MIND IN A WAY THAT I HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED PREVIOUSLY WHILE READING A NON-FICTIONAL TEXT. Usually I find myself dozing off while reading text book type literature because it just couldn’t hold my interest. I’m glad to have learned that grammar actually captures my attention and causes me to want to read more.

I HAD NEVER KNOWN THE PROCESS YOUNG CHILDREN (AND SOME ADULTS) GO THROUGH WHILE LEARNING TO WRITE; TAKING ON A GRUELING PROCESS THAT WILL ONE DAY, AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS, FAILURES, AND SUCCESSES, BECOME THEIRS. I HAD NEVER READ ABOUT A CHILD WHOSE EXPERIENCE DREW ME IN, REGARDLESS OF BEING A FICTIONAL STUDENT BROUGHT TO LIFE THROUGH THE CONGLOMERATION OF MANY DIFFERENT CHILDREN, AND HELP ME THINK IN MANY NEW AND DIFFERENT WAYS ABOUT TEACHING AND THE LEARNING PROCESS. I don’t personally remember my own learning process when discovering the function of periods and word separation, but I’m hopeful that my own teacher was as helpful as the one Dora had the pleasure of studying under.

I’VE COME TO REALIZE THAT MY OWN INTERPRETATION OF TEXT AND HOW IT SHOULD BE PUNCTUATED CAN BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN YOURS. Thanks to Cordeiro, I can feel better about the freedom I have with my writing because “effective punctuation, like effective writing, is the result of good judgment, not of one’s ability to follow so-called rules of good punctuation or writing” (111-112). AS A STUDENT, I’VE ALWAYS BEEN FAIRLY LIBERAL WITH MY PUNCTUATION, USUALLY GOING BY GUT INSTINCT FOR PLACEMENT INSTEAD OF WHERE A RULE DICTATES I SHOULD PLACE A COMMA OR PERIOD; AS A TEACHER, I WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOW MY STUDENTS THE SAME PRIVILEGE. They’ll be able to explore and develop their own knowledge and writing style, and feel good about their progress knowing they’re allowed to make mistakes or take creative liberties.

I am hopeful that I will continue to build knowledge in this class, developing a solid approach to handling grammatical situations with my future students, and learn more about the process of development in writing. I also hope that eventually it won’t take me hours on end to figure out a way to incorporate our patterns of the week. Writers block certainly set in this time. Haha.

COMMENTER: What are your thoughts on punctuation? Do you usually try to follow the rules or your instincts? Do you typically like a lot of punctuation or as little as possible? Are you scared of lengthy sentences with multiple clauses? Feel free to answer any, all, or none of these. Just figured I’d give you a good topic to comment about. =)