Blog #3

    Creating my own myth was definitely a unique experience that I hadn’t done before. It was an assignment I never really gave much thought to. I’m familiar with myths and studying them, but actually writing one was something new. After taking the time to develop my own, I gained a stronger appreciation for the creativity and thought that goes into making a myth. When studying myths, it’s easy to focus on analyzing their themes, symbols, or lessons. However, writing one made me realize how much effort it takes to build a story that explains something larger. 

    This experience also taught me that while myths are creative, they still follow a clear structure. I had the freedom to come up with my own story, but I needed to include certain elements to make it feel believable. One thing I focused on was using vocabulary and phrasing that sounded more traditional, similar to the language in older myths. This helped make my story feel more authentic and was, in a sense, challenging.

    In the future, I can use this experience in my teaching by having students create their own myths. This would help them connect personally with the genre and better understand common mythological themes. It could also make studying myths more engaging and creative. Plus, it would give students a chance to practice their storytelling skills while exploring deeper ideas. Overall, this was a fun and meaningful experience that gave me a new perspective on myths and how they are created.

Here is my myth website if anyone wants to check it out!! 

The Legend of Iron Jaw: Why Mike Tyson Bites 

Blog #2

    I think writing poetry and writing about poetry are pretty much connected but to a certain degree, they also require different approaches. When writing poetry you focus on things such as creativity, expression, form, and imagery. It’s about playing with words to create meaning beyond face value. On the other hand, writing about poetry is more analytical. It's more about breaking down the elements of a poem and how those particular elements contribute to the poem's overall message. Essentially when you write poetry you are creating your own message while when you write about poetry you are dissecting someone else's message. 

    Personally, I've never been a big fan of writing poetry I have always found it difficult. It is probably one of the literary genres I struggle with the most. In the beginning, I honestly was not excited to be doing a poetry unit in class but now my mindset has completely shifted. I was shocked that I had an easy time writing my own poems and even enjoyed it too. I think the assignments we did in class were all super fun and approached poetry in a way that made it seem managble. 

    After this experience, I learned new ways to make poetry units fun for students. I really liked the wrecking the first person assignment, it was super creative and made lots of us in class come up with awesome poems. I also enjoyed the whole poetry slam reading we did in class. I think reading our poems in front of each other brought us closer together as a class. I can definitely see this activity work as a team-building exercise. In general, though I think what I took away the most from this experience is how it's absolutely possible to make English class fun. 

Blog #1

    Hi everyone my name is Rosemary, and I'm an English major. I'm currently student-teaching at a middle school and want to become a full-time English teacher once I graduate. Some little info about me is that my birthday is June 24, I like going to concerts, my favorite food is sushi, I love coffee, and I really love K-pop. 

    As a future educator, I think technology has both negative and positive aspects in the classroom. On one hand, when used well, it can enhance learning. For example, multimedia tools like videos, podcasts, or apps can make lessons more engaging and help students connect with material in new ways. It’s great for visual and auditory learners, and it opens up a lot of opportunities for collaboration. Tools like Google Docs or online discussion boards make it easier for students to work together, share ideas, and get instant feedback. On the other hand, if not used carefully, technology can be a distraction. I’ve seen instances where teachers overuse technology just to keep up with trends, without thinking about how it truly serves the learning goals. Long, unengaging videos or apps with too many features can pull students' attention away from the lesson itself. Without clear guidance, it’s easy for students to get lost in the technology itself rather than the content. 

    Overall, I think technology is one of those topics that many may be 50/50 on as it can be quite nuanced, but in general, I personally like to use technology both as a student and educator.