Metacognition: First Semester

First semester was a chaotic one for me. I struggled to balance my life for a good amount of the semester. The unique thing about English though was it actually helped me get back on track and allowed enriched learning in my classes. In class, we emphasize the importance of having an open mind, and I see that in the assignments we complete. The broad array of tasks we complete address multiple types of skills that varying people are suited for. We have the formalized vocabulary tests, the spontaneous reading quizzes, “philosophic” essays if you will, creativity spread across numerous projects (like those King Lear skits), explorative discussions, and much more. English class helps me find my strengths and weaknesses and be able to focus on improving that. Something pretty cool I noticed was that once I started finding the right balance between all our “genres” of English assignments, I simultaneously was balancing all my other classes much better. It could be all the skills English puts to use or maybe there’s something magical about English class (ha-ha...I kind of the like the second one).

The main influence English class has had on me this semester was massively enhancing my ability to EXPLORE. Rhythm within sentences- that’s what jumpstarted this idea. Once I learned the power that the simple formation of words could yield, my mind completely viewed things from a different perspective. From then on, I was able to discover deeper meanings in literature in a new and unique manner. I try to pay attention to the details of the way it’s structured. It’s like I’m competing in the author’s own scavenger hunt. I love our discussions in class because it really pushes my thinking to go the limits. After hearing an interesting idea, I ponder it awhile and new ideas continuously branch off as I explore it.

In Sophie’s World and in some other discussions, we’ve talked about the thinking process. Now, more often than ever, I attempt to find middle-ground thinking in any given situation. It helps with my exploration process.

When my thinking is driven by exploration, that’s when it’s at its best. I also tend to enjoy these results more because I felt I plunged into something deeper independently. Independent discovery guided by classroom assignments has an awesome feeling. Something I was frustrated about with my thinking was the fact that on numerous occasions it was stunted. I think the reason for this was because I couldn’t choose to stick with one idea to explore. I tried dealing with many at once. This pertains most well when being forced to write class essays. As I transition into the second semester, I’m going to choose more effectively what I explore to hopefully avoid these “brain stunts”. Overall, this semester helped me explore myself down to the roots of my thinking process and it helped me discover myself to a fuller extent.