Open Source Learning

Cesilio Sanchez

Dr. Preston

Expository Composition

June 2, 2014

Open Source Learning

            We were always told, “Do what they do in school and you’ll have a good job”, today, students are slowly changing this saying in a more creative, collaborative, and free environment. In Dr. Preston’s class of Expository reading and writing, we change the way the game is played and found new things to learn and new ways to learn. We, as a class, have collaborated and used technological resources to our advantage, using our peers and the world web to help us help them understand what we are trying to do. This class has open my mind to see that we don’t have to learn by the old fashioned textbook system, but that we have bigger doors that have yet to be open and they’re at a click of a button or sitting right next to you. This class has given me new opportunities to not only go to the teacher but to reach out to nearly anyone in the world for help when I need it.

            Throughout the school year, our Expository Composition class has had to work collaboratively in order to succeed in whatever we had to do. This type of collaboration led to a lot of trust, not only to our peers but to Dr. Preston. He trusted us that we were doing the right things helping others when they needed us and asking for help when we needed. I can’t speak for everyone but I believe our class had a great passion for the things they were pursuing, I did. I didn’t always do my work but when I did, I did it. It was always hard starting or remembering to do an assignment, but every time I actually did start on something that had to do with my interest, (Engineering) I was stuck to it. I truly believe that my reading and writing improved because when I went to go take the placement test for college, I wasn’t totally confident in my skill, but once I started, it was literally one the easiest test I’ve taken, all thanks to Dr. P.  Maybe not all of us honored the trust we were given but most of us did. The things that some students actually accomplish were amazing and you could see it in their presentations of their Masterpieces that they had a passion for it.

            One of the biggest things I will remember from this class was when Dr. Preston gave us the opportunity to travel to Cal Poly SLO and talk to a real Architecture class. It was an amazing experience not only because my interest was in engineering but because of the great people we met. Five people from our Expository Composition class went on this trip and their reactions were the same. We all saw that the time past so fast and that we felt comfortable there. This trip was a big impact on me because it actually changed my mind about the profession I wanted to be. I initially wanted to be a Civil Engineer, building bridges, buildings, etc. Then, while we talked to that Architecture class they showed and explained the type of things they did and I was hooked. I now changed my major and am sure it will stay like that.

            All the Masterpiece presentations seem to be very inspiring, not only for us in the class, but for people that they were helping. The presentations hall had to do with whatever the person was interested in, but I think most had to do with the compassion and help for others. For starters more than one person talked and presented about humans and their understanding. Valentina Alvarado talked about Human compassion and the things that we feel. Gabrielle Pereverziev talked about her caring about others and the steps she took to achieve that. Sierra Ramirez’s presentation was about her care for troubled youth and how she wants to start a program that will set them straight. Not all presentations were about helping Humans. Jake Dickens talked about how much he cared about animals and his passion to be a veterinarian. I admire these people because despite the stereotypes applied to people and judgments that they make, they understand what it takes to feel like them, even Jake because they’ve had experiences that made them know how it feels.

            The hero that’s in all of us came out when we exposed the things that makes us happy and showed the disadvantages that made us weak in some areas.  I think I completed the Hero’s Journey in some way. I looked at what I wanted to do and did it. I had struggles in the way like actually getting my work done but I came through.  I had great people to look up to like the students at Cal Poly and their teacher who showed us a day in the life of an Architect. This class help me see that new ways to learn and new knowledge to be learned. It showed me a new path I will be taking and that there is always a network to collaborate with.