Participatory Classroom Assignment

In my first participatory classroom assignment, I assigned myself two overarching goals to complete this semester. These goals, based on attendance and classroom participation, were accomplished to the best of my ability. My second participatory classroom assignment is a detailed analysis of this and the extent of my learning in Joe’s class. After assessing my completion of my previously stated goals and depth of learning, I believe that I have earned an A/A- as my participation mark. This mark takes into account my overall successes and shortcomings in achieving my goals for this semester. Thus, this grade pertains to my overall attendance, participation, adherence to the student agreement, and depth of learning in this course.

Because of Joe’s class, I have a greater sense of the world and my place in it. My attendance goals made me pay attention to my physical presence in class for the first time in my life. It made me realize that my participation in the group conversations mattered, not just for my learning but everyone else’s as well. My participation goals forced me to re-evaluate how I acted in class. The student agreement in particular, made me realize that it is much easier to trust and feel trusted when I do not assume nor judge anyone’s gender identity or experiences. Every aspect of this class taught me something about myself. While each part of Joe’s class is important to me, the biggest thing I have learned is that I am not alone in my personal suffering. This is something I feel I could have only realized through our course material. I took the biographies on D2L as proof that I am not “abnormal” or alone in my struggle with trauma or mental health issues. Everything including my own efforts to do well, gained me a greater self-awareness and self-understanding. When I look back at how I accomplished all my goals for the most part, and how much I learned in the past two months, it only inspires me to continue on with Women’s Studies at the University of Calgary. All of these factors are why I believe that I deserve an A/A- grade in WMST