Dear Mat,
Oh my, has this been a rollercoaster of a class. I went into ENC 2135 thinking that I would dread the class because I have always had bad (to say the least) English professors. They always struggle to make it interesting and to make me want to write. They made me want to pull my hair out and run out of the room screaming. While you didn’t necessarily make me want to write, you make it a hell of a lot easier than anyone else ever did. You always started with a smile and with some sort of greeting, thought I can tell you are fond of the classic “Good morning”. You made waking up for an eight am class easy, and on top of that, made the class itself fun. So, thank you for that.
During the semester we had three projects that we had to complete. Even while we were working on the second project, I realized part way in that all of the projects were connected, which made everything a lot easier. My first project was not the best by any means, but my projects seemed to get better as I went. Before we started the projects, I was not sure I would get all of them done, or at least done right. I read the descriptions of them over and over again and came up with questions to ask because I was always confused about them. But no matter how many questions I asked, you answered them and almost always followed them with a laugh because you knew I just needed validation. It may not be the best thing, but I am a perfectionist at heart.
My first project was a little personal for me, because I decided to open up and talk about my stutter throughout my project. There is only one other assignment I have ever talked about my stutter with, but that was back in high school. The first project, in a way, almost felt like venting. I felt like I could explain myself in a way that made sense but was also connected to my schoolwork. At first it was weird talking to a blank audience about my stutter, but the more I did it, the more confident I felt that my words might be able to help someone else. I have always been a strong advocate for standing up to bullying and having no tolerance for violence. I realize how that sounds considering the fact that I am in taekwondo, but taekwondo is made for self-defense, not offense. While I could hurt someone if I had to, I would avoid it at any cost.
One thing about these projects and the class is how lenient you were. Not necessarily that you grade easy or anything like that, but more so along the lines that our writing was ours. I would always ask you how to write it and what all should be in something and I would ask questions until I felt like I knew exactly what you were expecting and wanting out of an assignment or project. The more I was in the class and the more I asked you questions, the more I realized that when you said that our writing was ours, the more I knew what you meant, and knew that you meant it. When we complete assignments, we are all writing for a teacher. The only time that I felt like I have not felt like I was writing specifically for a teacher, is in your class. At first when I was writing my essays for my projects, I was always thinking about what you would want me to write, or what you expected. Even now as I sit here writing, it is in the back of my mind. But I know that with you, I can write how I want and I can say what I want without it penalizing me or my grade. Once I got to the point where I realized that you meant what you said, my writing took on a different form, and a different meaning to me. It became more personal and easier to write because I was writing the way I wanted to, not how I was supposed to or how my teacher wanted it. I was not writing for the grade (I mean, to a certain extent I was), but for myself.
This has been, by far, the best English class I have ever been in. The people in it were nice (and entertaining), I had one of my good friends in it, and you made writing easy for me. I have never hated writing or English classes, but I also have never particularly enjoyed them or looked forward to going to them. I appreciated your approach to the class, and I appreciated how my writing was my own. Thank you for all the funny things you said to make my mornings, and for not being too hard on us throughout the semester. I could not have asked for a better English professor to have my first semester of college. Thank you for everything. I look forward to seeing you in the future.
A friend,
Heidi Anderson
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