Once again the students at the College of Alameda, where I have taught for the past fifteen years, have shown me how generous, compassionate, and understanding they are. In my English 1A Composition class, we study medical humanities for a few weeks and within this unit, students read my blog and complete this assignment: Read the first blogpost “Why Horseshoe Crabs?” in order to see why I started the blog 2 and 1/2 years ago. Then read four posts of your choice and complete the following written assignment: For each of the four posts, note title, date, why you chose it (title, drawing, photo, video, subject) and make a Comment (i.e. pretend you are commenting on the blog itself by writing a sentence or two, similar to commenting on Facebook).
I just finished reading my last batch of homework assignments, and I am very moved by the experience. Everyone reached out to try to understand; everyone was compassionate in their responses. I want to thank all of the English 1A students for taking my work seriously and giving so much of themselves. One of the reasons community college students are wonderful to teach, I have found, is that they are so appreciative of any effort a teacher makes in sincerity to teach them. I have taught at several other institutions, two of them four-year colleges, and the students at the College of Alameda are the most gracious and generous. Their responses to myincision have again shown this to be true.
What’s also astounding is how much people can relate with my blog even if they haven’t had infant surgery or medical trauma. The healing aspect is what catches their eye–the focus on empowering oneself. We all want to grow and be the person we were meant to be, it seems to me, and thus myincision speaks to many on this level. Blogging is a powerful tool and can be used for so many different purposes. I hope the students take away some tools for self-understanding and even get inspired to start their own blogs about subjects important to them. Again, thank you CoA students!
You are so right! All of us are troubled by both obvious and secret battles and surely most of us want to understand our pain and grow in accepting ourselves and making the most of our lot in life. I’m sure that it is your openness and honesty with your English students and blog readers which together with the way your students know you elicits their heartfelt and caring responses. When this comes together it is such and important part of the healing and wholeness for which we all long. Go Wendy!
You are so right! All of us are troubled by both obvious and secret battles and surely most of us want to understand our pain and grow in accepting ourselves and making the most of our lot in life. I’m sure that it is your openness and honesty with your English students and blog readers which together with the way your students know you elicits their heartfelt and caring responses. When this comes together it is such and important part of the healing and wholeness for which we all long. Go Wendy!
Thank you, I am so moved. I would be nowhere without those like yourself with, most importantly, hearts to feel, ears to hear, and words to share.
Thank you, I am so moved. I would be nowhere without those like yourself with, most importantly, hearts to feel, ears to hear, and words to share.
Hey Ms. Williams, this is Cuong Ha. I just thought of you today, so I’m going to let you know that you are one of my greatest teachers of all time, and I want to thank you very much and much more. You treated my horrible grammar with huge respect, and you personally challenged me. I wish you well like an wishing well. Love and peace…
Thank you so much. You are a strong student who I know will succeed. Thanks for taking time out to make a comment and wish me well. I hope you are continuing to do well in your classes and in your life. I am smiling remembering you.
Hey Ms. Williams, this is Cuong Ha. I just thought of you today, so I’m going to let you know that you are one of my greatest teachers of all time, and I want to thank you very much and much more. You treated my horrible grammar with huge respect, and you personally challenged me. I wish you well like an wishing well. Love and peace…
Thank you so much. You are a strong student who I know will succeed. Thanks for taking time out to make a comment and wish me well. I hope you are continuing to do well in your classes and in your life. I am smiling remembering you.