from jk rowling to my professor

as someone who writes fiction as well as non-fiction i know one thing. concepts, values, beliefs become clearer when you write. the tag line of my private blog is "i read to lose myself. i write to find myself."

i was watching oprah interviewing j.k. rowling and she said something similar. that writing helps you solidify what you feel deep within your heart.

i think the same is true for teaching. i know my concepts better because i've taught them. because i've answered questions about them. given examples. it helps you realize what you know.

there is a sense to the madness. a reason why we cover certain things, emphasize certain things, etc. all of it is to help student learn the subject matter as well as grow as an individual (by doing things like working in group projects or making presentations).

now that i am a student, i wonder what my professor has in mind when she assigns our readings. sometimes the order make no sense to me. sometimes i am surprised at the choices of articles or book chapters. and i'm sure somewhere there is a strategy - that each reading (and the order it is in) is important and will teach us something of value. i just wish i could ask her what and why.