Because my Professor Heather Bruton took the time

You wouldn't know it by looking at her serene composed photo in meditative Yoga pose, but Professor Bruton was a tough teacher! She was also just what I needed. Having not set foot into a classroom in over 25 years, I was ill prepared for the multifaceted college workload of reading, research, writing, class participation, testing and study.

Professor Bruton, was at that time; a new mother of a biracial baby, newly married, a Doula specializing Yoga instructor and held a Masters in Social Work. I knew all of this because, with strong self-assurance, she used her life as example of what could be done. With Dave Ellis' twelfth edition Becoming a Master Student in hand, Professor Bruton guided the class through the Chapters: Transitions, First Steps, Time, Memory, Reading, Notes, Tests, Thinking, Communicating, Diversity, Money, Health, and What's Next.

*"Instructors are very selfish of your time and attention. When you are in their classrooms, they want your undivided attention and want to use every second to teach you what you need to know."   ~Professor Heather Bruton

Professor Bruton was a prime example of this statement. She packed so much information, instruction, and activity; enmeshing all with her personal life experience, into every session, that I would most times leave the class with my head swimming. New ideas, varying perspectives and questions about questions were all enveloped in an aura of self doubt. "What if I can't make the grade at my age?"

Discovery wheels, visualization, and metacognition all seemed a bit "New-Agey" to me, but I did the assignments anyway. I was determined to get the most out of this class and my tuition dollar. With patient comment on my assignments, Professor Bruton skillfully guided my sometimes detoured path.

A critical essay on bilingual education was my first writing assignment. "Aha! something I can do well with not too much effort." The lack of effort reflected in my grade, a meager 6 out of 10 points. I was crestfallen and on the verge of giving up on college. All I could see was a near failing grade.

Original photo by Kattekrab

I gave it some time. One bad apple of a grade was not going to spoil a whole bushel basket full of dreams I had for my future in both work and academia. I concentrated instead on Professor Bruton's positives of  "Good Beginning/Great Topic" and "Rework this...could be an "A" Paper."

Photo by BuzzFarmers

As I trudged through each assignment, I discovered something. By engaging myself; reading and re-reading a new concept, working and re-working an exercise, using and applying the lessons to fit my life as an Adult Learner, the class got easier. I was less and less afraid to ask for help from Professor Bruton or discuss assignments with both my traditional and nontraditional classmates.

Four years, one Degree and one election later, I find myself still using many of the skills and lessons I learned in Professor Bruton's College Success class. The Master Student Map of Why, What, How and What if, helps me drill down  to core, my research for article and website construction and aids in problem solving.

Of all the lessons learned, outweighing even portion control (pun and duality of meaning totally intended ; ) researched, intelligent voting is the one that sticks with me the most. Every election has me devoting countless hours in research of the issues, political platforms and candidate voting records of bills and legislation that affect my family, work and community. And yes, I did submit a paper Debate Project Election 2008 to Professor Bruton. This once self-doubting nontraditional student finally made the grade.

*This is a not verbatim quote. It's pretty close though. Guess I'd best review Chapter 3 on Memory. ~Kathleen

Sources:

Ellis, D. Becoming a master student. St. Charles, IL: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2009. Web. <college.hmco.com/pic/bams12e>. 

Ackroyd, K. (2008). "Press "1" for English Bilingual Education versus Total Immersion"

Ackroyd, K. (2008). "Debate Project Election 2008"

Images:

Linkedin: Heather Bruton 

Flickr Creative Commons:

kattekrab

BuzzFarmers

College of Southern Nevada 2012-2013 General Catalog and Student Handbook (pdf)

www.csn.edu

 

Because my Professor took the time: A Compendium of Gratitude