Course Evaluation

I first signed up for ENG 111 because it is a required course. I chose which section I’d take based on it’s time slot and paid absolutely no attention to the instructor name. Even if I had, it would not have had any impact on my choice. I was new to TCC and college in general, so I really didn’t know much about any of the instructors. I also assumed the course would be incredibly dull with loads of essay writing and so figured the teacher would make little difference. If all else failed, I could switch sections. It turned out I was half right in my assumption. There really has been quite a bit of essay writing in Mr. Gasparo’s class, but it wasn't nearly as boring as I first thought it would be.

Mr. Gasparo catered to numerous learning styles which made it easy to listen, learn and participate in the class. Even someone like me, who is so shy it's almost crippling to speak to anyone unfamiliar, was able to feel comfortable enough to occassionally muster up the courage to contribute to the class. There were many open discussions which could get very lively whenever students were so inclined to participate although they could often veer off topic. The assigned readings were usually interesting enough for me to actually read without complaint, and were always relevant to the day’s lesson. The videos, music, and movies shown ranged from funny to informative and always helped strengthen my understanding in whatever was being taught that day.

My only real problems with the class were ones I created myself. I am a terrible procrastinator, and I was at my worst in this class. I would often wait until the very last moment to write an essay, and ended up missing out on peer reviews because of it. I was constantly stressed, and often had to stay up late to complete an assignment which would leave me cranky and tired the following day. It also left me time for little else. When I wasn't working I was putting off work, which often seemed nearly as bothersome. My memory of the last semester seems to be nothing more than a blur of cramming, staying up late writing, and worrying.

I’ve tried to excuse it to myself by saying that it’s because I’m new to college and not used to the workload. It's not untrue, but I realize it's also not the right way to think about it. Any time over the semester I could have attended a time management or study skills Knowledge is Power session on campus. I could have easily given myself more time for any of the assignments. I have no job and even though I am a full time student, most of my classes don't assign very much homework.

I would definitely not suggest any future students in Mr. Gasparo's ENG 111 class, or any class, use my method of getting work done. Because of my experiences over the last semester, I am definitely going to work on cutting down on procrastination from here on out so I don't have to worry so much.