EDCEP 111 First Reflection Paper (Personal Educational Entry)

Name: (Withheld online)
Instructor: Casey Finnel
Times: T 1430-1520
Date: September 2009

First Reflection Paper

Prelude

I chose this class because I NEVER got to take this class in my first year here at K-State! I should have, though! As a Roman once said, "Better Late Than Never," and I felt that I should still take this class because I still have a long ways to go until I finish college.

I also thought that this class was necessary because as I start to take higher-level courses, tutors will become harder to come by. Therefore, I hope that this class will teach me self-sufficiency. I cannot have tutors at every unfamiliar turn in life so this is why I must take University Experience.

Also, I like to stay young for as long as I possibly can. I actually want to go back to BEFORE college, but the best I can do is prolong right where I am. If I cannot find a job I want by the time I get a degree, I will just go back to school and pursue a 2nd. I like to be around the multitudes of Freshmen, as their youthful energy may make me feel younger too. This is one more reason why I am taking University Experience.

Focus Questions:

1. What is meant by “Ideas are Tools” and how can you apply it to the topics and techniques that will be presented in University Experience.

We can brainstorm new possible ways to get to a solution, or make an existing situation better. Then turn those ways into actual actions. We may test them first, see how well they work, and if they don't work as well as we'd like, we can toss those ways and try other ones, in the hope that they will work alright.

2. What resources are available to K-State students who want extra help with a particular subject?

Students can sign up to receive tutoring in Holton Hall 101, and Leasure Hall 204. Also, the ARCK (Kramer) and DARC (Derby) have tutors for select subjects on most evenings. Fortunately, the ARCK and DARC tutoring sessions are open to all students, whether they live in the residence halls or not.

For students registered through DSS, letters can be sent to instructors requesting extra help - for essay tests to be done on a computer if otherwise written down, for note-takers, and other help to fit their need.

Conclusion

I hope that this University Experience class does make a difference to myself and anybody, no matter how far along they are in college. Even though I have not been a Freshman in years, I still think this class is worth taking as it still prepares me for the higher-level classes toward the end of my academic career. For ideas to become tools - that is what Workshops in some classes are for. There, students brainstorm ways to improve each others' papers so this is where ideas become tools for improvement.