Midterm Self-Assessment!

Learning Outcomes:

1. This course has really helped me in understanding Shakespeare. Before I really struggled with Shakespeare and understanding what was going on in the plot. But I have found that as I have continued through the course, I understand more what it happening. Don't get me wrong, I still have big help! Not only this but when I read the Dover Thrift Editions I understand the symbolism a lot more because of the footnotes. In class I have also gained a greater understanding of the conceits, analogies and themes that are repeated throughout all of Shakespeare's works. I guess what I'm trying to say is because of this class I definitely have a greater appreciation for Shakespeare's rhetoric.problems sometimes comprehending what just happened, but at those hard times I have found that Sparknotes is a

2. We have been challenged to critically analyze Shakespeare in our readings. I have done this in some post by simply breaking down lines and

talking about what I think they mean or what Shakespeare is trying to convey. Again I have done this by trying to find a common theme in all of the Shakespeare plays, specifically I have tried to find ties to reality (and dreams), that is how people construct or conceive their own. I also have tried to look at why Shakespeare makes certain stage and plots choices (see this post). I find that when I do this, I get more excited about Shakespeare and the messages he is trying to convey.

3. Engaging in Shakespeare creatively has been one of the harder things for me to do. I am a science person and we aren't very often encourage to be creative in our school work, we are more formal. So it has been difficult for me to try getting out of my solely academic mind frame. But I have tried. One of my more recent attempts has been to show how names play a role in Shakespeare's plays, specifically The Tempest. Another way I have attempted this is to compare Hamlet to one of my favorite novels The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.

4. Sharing Shakespeare meaningfully is another things I have tried hard to do this semester. I find that a lot of times the way I

posts I actually incorporated pictures of children I had worked with in orphanages this past summer. I also have tried to talk about nature in some of my posts because I am a Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation major. In addition to blog posts I have also talked to my roommates a few times about what we have

learned. For example after watching A Winter's Tale, I was really excited about the productionhave done this is through some of my blog posts. In one of my and bothered by Paulina's character, so I talked to my roommates about it. I told them the cool aspects of the play and tried to vent some frustrations. But I guess the most recently I have shared Shakespeare meaningfully was actually through this past assignment about sharing globally and locally.

Self-directed Learning:

I think I can definitely improve on my self-directed learning. I think a big part of this is getting the plays in text again. For the for few plays I obtained the Dover Thrift Editions to read and these actually really helped with my comprehension and with what I was getting out of the text. The last couple of plays I haven't been able to get a hold of and had to read online instead and I noticed that I just didn't get as much out of it. However, I always have kept up on the reading and I have tried to critically analyze the text. I don't feel as if my documentation of my learning through my blogging is always a good portrayal of what I have learned though. Sometimes I can't adequately describe what I am thinking or how I feel through my posts. This is especially true with the strange fascination I have with reality. It is really hard to document what I have been thinking or discovering about this. I guess finding some research or psychology papers about how people construct their own reality.

(By the way my blogging and my reading of the assigned plays has always been on schedule and I have been able to keep on top of everything. I have also been able to make it to both of the live productions, and I really loved Winter's Tale.)

Collaborative and Social Learning:

I like working in assigned working groups because they really help me discover new things about Shakespeare and even fuel some of my own ideas. However I do think that it would be nice sometimes to get together with another group so that we can get fresh ideas moving. I do really like when my group has a text to work with, and I know I can do better on bringing a written text to refer to, so hopefully I will be able to obtain a copy of the next play. I have found that Chris is especially involved in my blog and helps me think of new ideas. Kara has also inspired me a few times or caused me to think about new thinks in Shakespeare that I hadn't even considered before! As far as it goes for involving others in my learning experience I have talked to my roommates, my mom and even coworkers about Shakespeare. A lot of times it is as am thinking about what I am going to blog about. But sometimes I get too excited about it and I just want to tell somebody what I am thinking.

Looking Ahead:

I think I can definitely try bringing in more outside sources in my learning experience. That is researching more instead of just looking at the text so much. I mean I have done both but I can for sure use more research. I also need to work on making my blog posts more personal and so I am going to try to break out of my academic bubble and let myself shine through in my blogs. Part of bringing in part of my personal interest and hobbies I hope to bring through the final project. I hope to be working with Avril on the one act. I was talking to her on the way up to The Tempest and we came up with a few ideas and actually a whole new direction. She is thinking we may actually hope to write a play showing some of the common character and theme choices that Shakespeare has. I think this would be really fun and since I would be more personally involved in this I think I could be more open in my blog posts.