These are a few of the  classes that I have taken at Longwood University, though it is not every class, I did choose the classes that I deemed most relevant to the skills that I possess.

I firmly believe that each English class that I have taken has taught me something valuable, which is excellent, considering the fact that one of my minors is English. In writing and research, my professor taught us how to identify good sources, analyze quotes, and most importantly, write as educated adults. This class was a staple in my career as a children’s literature minor, despite the fact that it was not a minor requirement for my catalog year. My introductory children’s literature class ignited a fire for children’s literature, and I found out that I have quite the knack for analyzing literature while I was at it. I learned what a typical children’s book is like, and what to look for in a book that one would want to give to students, as opposed to a run-of-the-mill book. Diversity in children’s literature taught me what to look for in a book so that I can choose books for students that represent people from all walks of life. After all, to expand the mind, one must be exposed to different cultures. Young adult literature taught me what an average teen book looks like, and then what it doesn’t look like, so that I may go above and beyond in my choices for older students.

My other Minor, Communication sciences and Disorders, taught me how to identify language delays and disorders. Though it did not teach me how to help students with these disorders, I now know what to look for in students who may be experiencing delays or impediments. This is important because as an educator, I could refer at-risk students to the school Speech-Language Pathologist.

The most important class that I have taken, in my opinion, was English 400. This class taught me how to really analyze and understand exactly what a writer is saying. We learned how to identify who the speaker is, and what they want from the reader. This class helped me to get through every other class I have ever taken. I began taking textbooks with a grain of salt and trying to see how biased they really are. This class also taught me how to be an active citizen. We had to write letters to congressmen and come up with plans on how to go out into the world as citizen leaders. Our professor taught us how to be taken seriously when writing, and being careful with the words we choose. Words, after all, are far more powerful than violence. In this class, we looked at three different authors with three very different perspectives, which helped to open my mind up to new ideas.[table id=1 /]