First choice: Justin 341
The first English 200 class I went to was some section from 0930-1045 on Tuesdays & Thursdays at Justin 341. The TA looked more like a fraternity guy than a real Expos teacher. That probably meant he'd be a cool guy to have as an instructor, so I felt indifferent to that.
The turn-offs were how old and unrenovated the classroom and desks looked. Also, it seemed more crowded than I wanted it to be. We sat in circles and for the first 20 seconds, I couldn't find a seat so darting my eyes around the room for an empty desk in front of the class made me feel a bit embarrassed.
Some guy from Phoenix (whom I couldn't find here on FB because he probably gave me a false last name) didn't seem like the friendliest guy in the class either. He'd probably be on the same league with "Alphonse Sleevehardy" (of the Nagasaki GaiDai, for those of you who don't know.) I noticed him mutter something quietly to a girl next to him, and although I couldn't tell what he was saying, I'm sure it was something demeaning about me. My gut just thought me this. I guess the heat of one's home climate sometimes does shape one's disposition. (I'd feel more miserable in consistently hot climates, like in Phoenix, and so would he I suppose.)
2nd Choice: Seaton 127
I wasn't going to get comfortable in that class so I looked through the list of ENGL200 classes on the iSiS system. Brenda S. M. seemed like someone I'd like better (just from the name, unfortunately) so I tried hers on Thursday.
(Note: I decided to take classes on any day but Friday so I'm only in Tuesday & Thursday classes. That means I get 5 days off from classes each week! =) )
When I went to Seaton 127, the classroom looked much more modern and roomy, but I knew just from the look of her that this wouldn't be a fun class. Deep down, I was kinda hoping to get proven wrong, but alas, my instincts were right once again! Even though an info page on her said she got an MS in 1988, she looked older than my mother, who is now 47. She also looked like a boarding school teacher.
I got bored within the first 90 seconds of her lecture. Brenda sounded like she belonged in a military school's faculty (or that of any school where Discipline is the #1 fad.) I couldn't absorb her lecture any better than a water could go in rock! Some girl who sat to the left of me was more friendly to me than the usual girl right away, but even though I appreciated her overly compassionate and amicable demeanor, that wasn't enough to keep me in the class. (No offense to her. It was the teacher's way of instructing that caused me to change again.)
3rd Choice: Willard 120
I chose a 1430-1545 section in Willard 120 taught by Callie Fitzgerald K. I thought that sounded like a younger girl's name so I had a feeling this class would be more fun. As this name-trend website would prove, I was right. Search Brenda & Callie to see for yourself.
My memory got skewed so I thought it was Willard 127. It turns out Willard didn't have a Room 127; I confused it with the previous room in Seaton. I found out it was 120 and came in a few minutes late because of my confusion, but I didn't interrupt much because my new classmates were working on a quick writing essay to describe a won argument.
As soon as I laid eyes on the new instructor, she looked quite a bit more attractive than the other instructors I have had in the past few semesters (save for one or two of the GaiDai instructors, I suppose.) She also looked about my age, maybe three years older, tops. I knew this was going to be a fun class!
I am not too fond of writing essays manually anymore so I was about to start on my laptop and she told me we're not using computers, so I had to get out a pencil and a sheet. I went ahead and had the laptop recharge, and did what I could to manually write such an agonozingly long (seemingly long) essay. (By the time I got through two paragraphs, a few others got through an entire page.)
I easily overlooked that because this would be a pretty darn small price to pay for being in this class. The real papers would have to be done only on computer anyway.
We shared our won and lost arguments with our partners, with a few of us sharing it with the class. All that was pretty fun to hear, so this attested to what my instincts thought me.
Later in the class, we had a class discussion about what to use and not use when making a persuasion/argument, and I still felt fun from that.
I'm striving to be the best negotiator in anything, and English 200 is also a class that teaches persuasion (albeit in written form. I'll take a Debate class in a future semester, I suppose.)
I wish I had known about Callie earlier, because I would've chosen her class in a second. Better late than never though. The only issue right now there is that particular class section is full; the maximum allowed is 22 students, and I was the 23rd. Callie said she didn't see (expect) any more students dropping, so she suggested I take the section immediately after that she also teaches, but ends at 5:10. There were four seats left as of then. I'm hoping to stay in the 2:30 class instead. It seems good enough for now.
Besides, that next section she mentioned is in a basement room of Eisenhower, and I've been to it. It doesn't look as modern and aesthetically appealing as Willard 120. The basement classrooms have butter walls, and I don't think my mind responds well (as in gets stimulated) by butter-yellow, whereas Willard 127's walls, desks, and floor have varying accents of sky-blue and lavender mixed together. (What is the name of the color you get from mixing sky-blue and lavender?)
I've never taken any class (that I remember) that ends after 5 (the traditional end of a work day) and I don't think I'm about t o. I'm pretty hesitant for that so although she's the same exciting teacher, I hope to stay in the 2:30 section.
Other than that, I'm definitely staying with Callie's classes now! If only more students would know about her. But then again, her classes will fill up too fast if they do!
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