SyllabusCritics221Fall2014

Fall 2014

=Advice= At the end of the semester, Practicum Block students were asked, "What advice would you give to someone who is going to take this class?"
 * Mentally prepare yourself for the semester, especially if you are planning to take another class with practicum
 * Start your work as soon as it's assigned. it isn't hard, just time consuming and lots of brainstorming, so last minute isn't an option unless you want no sleep.
 * Time management skills are very important; do your work when assigned.
 * Make sure to get familiar with different types of technology.
 * Get enough sleep to function properly.
 * Always have a Plan B.
 * Get a planner and schedule your time wisely!
 * Get work done ahead of time. It's so much easier to do homework in the afternoon and do whatever you want at night than it is to try to do everything at the last minute.
 * Time management is very critical. There is a lot of work to do in a small amount of time. Stay organized and work on things little by little. This helped in reducing my stress and made the class much more beneficial for me.
 * Focus and get the work done. Don't procrastinate or waste time complaining about it. If you have an assignment, it's for a reason to teach you something.
 * Pay attention to the agenda on the wiki and the due dates of assignments. If you don't, you'll end up finding out about a big project 3 days before it's due when you also have a lesson plan to write.
 * Get enough sleep and eat before you come to class.
 * Make sure you manage your time well. I was terrible at it before, but this class actually taught me how.
 * When you get down to it, the week is not that hard, but there is a lot of it and if you do not stay on top of it, it will overwhelm you. So stay focused and do your work before it is due.
 * Don't put off the work until the last minute. They throw more at you every 20 minutes.
 * Procastination is worse than drugs. Caffeine is your friend.
 * Work ahead when possible. Budget your time. Find a study schedule that works for you.
 * Stock up on chocolate or any comfort food that will help you through this stressful time.
 * Time management is key. Write things down in a planner.
 * Check your email EVERY DAY.
 * You cannot skip class. Always have assignments written where you look often and don't procrastinate.
 * The more you put into this course, the more you'll get out of it. If you have a negative attitude, you will hate this semester. If you keep positive, you will come out with a lot more.
 * Don't procrastinate.
 * Enjoy this experience.
 * When you take this class, you need to be prepared, organized, and have a strong work ethic. You will not survive on all nighters! It is possible, I swear, to go the whole semester without an all nighter. (I did! And I had Calc 3 plus a 20+ hour a week job.)
 * Make to-do lists and stick to them.
 * Be prepared to gain weight from stress eating.
 * Find a roommate who bakes delish food.
 * Beyoncé will get you through the tough times.
 * Get sleep when you can.
 * Be ready to be open about technologies.
 * Keep an open mind.
 * Start work on projects as soon as you know about them.
 * Be positive. Don't give up. Do you best. Never give up.
 * Know when to take a break.
 * Communicate with teachers.
 * Make friends in the block.
 * Check the wiki. Now go do it again...you're forgetting something.
 * Don't put off work at all or you'll be crying in the lounge at 5:30 when the janitor shows up and he'll be worried because this is the second time this week he's asked, "Are you okay?"
 * Cherish your time with Beth.
 * Be open.
 * Keep an open mind and be ready to work. Staying on top of your game is essential and much worth is.
 * Be prepared to bond with about 10 peers all semester long. yes, it's crazy, but these people will also make you sane and able to laugh even in the most stressful of times.
 * You might think the workload is impossible, but if you put your mind to it, you can do it!
 * Your peers will be your biggest support system so don't be shy.
 * Theresa, Grace, and Beth really know what block to play you in and it works out really well. I really enjoyed the different people in my block.

=Surprise= At the end of the semester, Practicum Block students were asked, "What surprised you?"
 * ...how close I became with the people in my block.
 * ...Beyoncé can get you through anything.
 * ...how much I can handle physically, mentally, emotionally.
 * ...how much worth it that it can be but it is productive
 * ...how I survived LOL
 * ...how I got better with technology stuff (even though I still don't like it)
 * ...how close I got to ten people I had never really gotten to know before. They became my practi-family.
 * ...all of the different technologies we were using
 * ...the amount o work involved in projects
 * ...the stress level
 * ...that I'm addicted to caffeine now
 * ...that I did not die from stress
 * ...that I didn't gain 100 pounds
 * ...that I actually did it!
 * ...that I actually like technology now
 * ...at the amount of quality work that I accomplished in these few weeks
 * ...at the bonds I formed with my block 1 crew
 * ...how many technologies there are that I was not familiar with and how many things can be used for educational purposes
 * ...I accomplished what I did
 * ...the incredible amount I already knew about technology. even so, there's a decent amount I did not know and the course exposed to some cool technology
 * ...I can handle a __lot__ of stress; I went slightly crazy and that's okay
 * ...how fast the semester goes
 * ...how different it was than how most people describe it to be--a lot of people told me that it's the hardest class I'd ever take and you'll be lucky to et any sleep at night, but it's not that bad
 * ...how project-based this class was and how much we did with technology
 * ...the amount of work we got done in this class--we accomplished more than I thought possible
 * ...how close i got with my block
 * ...it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be
 * ...all of the different tools, applications and resources that one can use as summative assessments
 * ...how much work you can do in 3 weeks
 * ...how close you can become with your classmates
 * ...how technology an be a huge help but also a big pain
 * ...how close we got
 * ...how much less overwhelmed I felt after Module 1
 * ...the bond I built with my block--I had been told I would become really close with them but did not believe it until it happened