English 1101 is a required class for all students in college. At CCGA, it is no different. I hadn't noticed the "Service-Learning Course" next to the title as the whole process was a bit new to me and I had no chance of knowing anything different. So when I initially came into this class I imagined it was going to be mostly writing. I was wrong in the best way.
This class has taught me how English is used in many ways through show, not tell. We learned about rhetoric. How our different decisions display who we are, and how to identify and analyze those rhetorical decisions. The multimodal portion of this class was both interesting and engaging. Being able to create a podcast and formulate a script was just really cool. I felt like my own little broadcaster, and that was something I had always wanted to do. I love podcasts, so having something to push me to create one was neat. The Service-Learning portion of our class emulated that of a real workforce. My group worked to create a Public Service Announcement for the Glynn County Animal Control about how to be a good pet owner for a cat or dog. Our group learned how to manage our time (sometimes the hard way) and that was a valuable lesson. I had never worked so much in a professional setting like that before. Doing things such as writing a memo were simple yet important examples of what it is like in the workforce.
I was happy to see the themes of this class evolve and that it was relatable to what is going on in our country. Being able to discuss difficult conversations about our country and its culture gave me a chance to take a moment and have serious introspection. Being introduced to greats such as Beverly Daniel Tatum blew my mind. I had never seen that kind of writing, the way she can give her argument so effectively was inspiring. Her words have stuck with me. I gave a lot of effort into our weekly discussions because they matter, and I believe dialogue on the topics is vital to make progress and head in a healthy discussion. The fact that these discussions also displayed our focus on rhetoric did not escape me. I developed, grew, and formed a sense of who I am, what I believe, and how I portray these aspects of myself through the decisions I make, whether it be how I dress or what I buy, and especially how I interact with others.
This class has started me off strong on an effective college experience where I can truly form myself into a productive and engaged member of our society.