Norma Iglesias

English 1010-050
Jim Beatty
December 9, 2015
Since analytical, thoughtful writing is not an easy process for me, I came into this class
hoping to gain some tools for fine tuning these skills and the opportunity to practice and receive
guidance and feedback. I feel I didnt sufficiently appreciate English classes I took in the past,
and consequently got less out of them than I could have. I have thoroughly enjoyed this class,
and feel that I gain some useful tools which I will apply to my future writing endeavors. (I paid
a lot more attention here than I did many years ago in my studies.)
First of all, I was very interested in analyzing the issues we did from multiple
perspectives. In the response paper we examined the topic of food and healthy eating from
multiple perspectives, looking at several essays with different viewpoints and priorities. Few if
any issues are one-sided with a single, definable solution or presentation. For example, our
obesity and unhealthy food problems are multi-faceted and many layered. In Dont Blame the
Eater, David Zinczenko was focussed on fast-food overnutrition as a major source of the
problem. While Michael Pollan addressed concerns he had with several variables: the medical
and pharmaceutical industries, the processed food environment, and even our changing traditions
and attitudes regarding food in Escape from a Western Diet. Both perspectives are valid, and
solutions to the problem are complex and dependent on many factors. I particularly enjoyed the
process of analyzing and contrasting the essays, getting to the questions the authors left
unresolved, and their implied solutions. Also the solutions they put forth were multi-layered,
complex and dependent on even more variables - such as whether people could afford healthy
food, whether people had time or interest in going back to traditional ways of growing and

preparing food, and whether fast-food companies could be effectively induced to market to
children less, or market honestly.
I also enjoyed evaluating writing from a technical perspective in the Rhetorical Analysis
assignment on Gerald Graffs Hidden Intellectualism. Rather than critique the issue at hand,
we had to identify the techniques and strategies the author employed to convince the reader of
his point. This made me first obtain a clear understanding of what he had to say whether I
agreed with it or not. (By the way, I really enjoyed his writing, and actually looked up some of
his other work.) Subsequently, I examined his techniques and changing voice throughout the
essay to be able to describe different tools he used. It was interesting to see how the author used
tone, repetition and anecdotes to reiterate his point repeatedly.
Finally, the research process in preparing for the final assignment was a learning exercise
in itself. While at the beginning, I was basically against the Common Core in classrooms, during
the course of researching the topic, my view changed. Again, no issue is black and white, and it
became my contention that some aspects of the Common Core standards are useful and even
necessary, while other aspects are detrimental to effective teaching to students who are all unique
individuals.
Thank you for an interesting, thought provoking class. If I take another English class,
which I am tempted to even though writing isnt easy-peasy for me, it will be because of your
class and teaching. Happy Holidays!