Introduction to English Studies (Eng 281)
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Sample Self-Reflective Essay #1
When I think of books, I can’t help but smile in anticipation of the journey I will embark upon from cover to cover, the secrets that will be revealed within their pages, the additions to my vocabulary I will collect as souvenirs, and the new avenues that will be excavated in the realm of my mind. Beginning as early as I can remember, books were read to me by my mother, my father and my sisters. The thrill of an outing to the public library while growing up in rural Wisconsin was every bit as exciting as a trip to the carnival or the circus because, as my earliest discoveries conveyed, books could take me any place. I believe I must have been born with a
When a student understands the purpose of adjectives, adverbs, phrases and clauses, and practices writing and reading them, a student will feel comfortable in using them in everyday communication. It is that level of comfort which nurtures interest over fear in tackling the reading, writing or discussion of literary works. It is never too early to introduce children to language tools such as metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, etc. Children tend to have natural abilities in using such tools when talking to other children or their own parents, so why not cultivate that natural ability before it hibernates in favor of other more socially acceptable forms of communication? A good teacher should bring out the natural and unique best in each student at every age level.
In secondary education, I believe that students should have opportunities to become reacquainted with the children within themselves. I believe that students will be better able to tap into their creativity if they return to their grass roots and recall what life was like when they first discovered bubble baths or ice cream or butterflies or when they first realized that boys and girls were not the same. Stripping away some of the sophistication people acquire as they get older, and the cynicism that often accompanies it, frees them to view ideas in a different manner and provides them the opportunity to read literature with a mind open