Final Blog

This summer has definitely been a time of experimenting, expanding, and experiencing new things. Overall I have really enjoyed this class and all that I have learned.
When it comes to experimenting, we did many things that were new ideas for a class room setting. One example, that I don’t think anyone is going to forget, was the 10 minute plays that we picked out and performed. That is one experiment and experience that pushed my limits because I am in no way an actress and I prefer to stay out of the spot light. But looking back it helped me understand the drama/play aspect of literature and that it is much easier to understand a play while watching instead of just reading it. I think overall I was experimenting this summer by taking this class because I do not do well keeping focused on class during school let alone during the summer, but I think this class was good and I was able to learn new things about literature but still have fun in and out of the class. As a class we experimented with writing flash fiction and poems each with their own difficulties. I found that when we were writing flash fiction that I was experimenting with creating a story in 200 or less words. I think, for not being a writer, I did decent on getting the point of my story across. Then when we were writing the poems we experimented with many different types of poems, some of them being difficult (fortune cookie and concrete). But I know that I was able to understand the idea that poetry does not have to be all about rhymes and that you can do almost anything with poetry, given the chance.
I did a lot of expanding this summer also. When it comes to reading I love it but I have a certain set and kind of books that I stick to, I usually read Christian Fiction and a handful of other books, so the literature we read this summer broadened my selection, a lot. I think when we did the mini book clubs that it helped a lot because if we were to have just read the stories I probably would not have learned as much from them. But when we read them and then got into small groups and discussed them it really helped bring the story to life sometimes or bring wiser, more intelligent ideas to the table. I definitely got more out of those stories by discussing them with different people. I was also able to expand my appreciation for poems because before I did not really read poems or read into them. After spending a day writing all different types of poetry and then doing the poetry slam, I learned to watch and learn from others poems and the way they portrayed the feelings that they had written, even if they were silly , made up, or real feelings, telling a short story or teaching a short lesson. I now have a poem that I wrote that I’m proud of, even though it may not be anything huge, but I really like it. Even writing in the blogs every week has expanded my writing abilities. I was so use to writing formally that when I started to write the blogs I was not sure how to start. Eventually I was able to expand my writing technique reading and commenting on others blogs.
Experiencing this class and all that it has to offer has been a lot of fun. Not only have I experienced a different kind of literature but also a different way of learning. When I read the syllabus and it said ‘bring a spirit of adventure’ I thought that meant imagination but we really did have some adventures in this class. We were able to experience acting, given a short play and a short amount of time to prepare it and then present it in front of class. I think we did awesome, considering only a few from the class had ever dealt with drama. As a class we were also given the opportunity to experience the Shakespearean Festival. This experience not only took us out of the class room but also out of, most ours, comfort zones. We had to pay close attention to the play because it was not what we were use to. In the end it was an experience that was well worth it because I think we all learned something from it. I know I learned to not depend on the words being spoken but to also pay attention to other details, such as hand gestures, body language, and tone of voice. We also experienced the imagination and personal adventures of our independent novels.
I think pushing my limits this summer, in experimenting, expanding, and experiencing has helped me grow not only in literature but in life and I’m glad I took this class. Thank You Ms. Stephanie Scott for a great first summer class.