Words: 592
Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think”. A person is not born as a good critical thinker. I believe the first thing that is needed is a level of maturity, as well as having the ability to conceptualize and understand the world. I have always been a thinker, but throughout this preparatory class, I have greatly sharpened my critical analysis skills. I can now say that I have attained the ability to listen, analyze, and research issues ore quickly and with more focus to accomplish the mission than in my previous years.
Instead of focusing on proposed meanings or biographical background, I have learned to continuously ask “why” on many different levels. I challenge myself to dig into a text as deeply as possible and unpack every detail to develop a satisfying close read. The idea of being narrow-minded when it comes to the concept of critical thinking stops the analyzing of new information. Being a part of this class, it has also challenged me with newfound learning in an exciting environment.
I am amused from the new concepts and principles that have greatly enhanced me as a critical thinker, reader and writer. Amazingly, I retained the information exceptional well because of the involvement of practical work that was given. Overall, I am grateful for the experience and skills that I now can introduce to be applicable to my life. As I reflect on the weeks learning, I could not be more excited about what is to come. The weeks spent in this course, I have acquired the knowledge to appreciate the peaceful, et exhilarating moment when my mind engages with an author’s thoughts on a page.
Quoted by Toni Morrison in The Dancing Mind, “[reading is] to experience one’s own mind dancing with another’s”. In my late days as a high school student, Eve always wanted to know the “true” meaning of a work or what the author intended, however, I have now realized this would void literature of its most remarkable elaboration. Individual interpretations bring varied insights to a work and it is also interesting to point out messages the author may not have realized s/he included. Writing is an activity which allows me to express thoughts I can’t always verbalize.
It was challenging to take that initial step past high school, three-paragraph essay form that constricted my ideas for so long. Moving past this form, however, has greatly opened my mind. My thoughts are now able to be more complex because I have learned how to sustain a logical argument in an organized manner. This English course has also taught me how powerful the written word and language can be. Words tell so much more than a story. Stories tell about life and the human indention, they bring up the past and people and cultures that are long gone.
By writing about what we learn and/or what we believe, we are learning how to express ourselves. I know that my ability to write and express my ideas, thoughts and knowledge has grown stronger this semester. I have always struggled to put my thoughts on paper in a manner that is coherent and correct according to assignments. I can also remember being told numerous times in high school to this course, I can now say that I have achieved a level that is expectable and earned my way to my advancement class.