Nathan Garrett

ENG 100
3/29/15
Planning Goals and Outcomes
Partially Prepared
There are four main goals of the English plan of study at Illinois State University. These
goals are, as directly stated in the text, as follows; the program teaches students how to critically
read, speak, write, and revise across an extensive range of texts and technologies appropriate to
the disciplines of English Studies, the program will teach students how to understand and be able
to apply practically the research methodologies appropriate for the disciplines of English Studies,
the program will teach students how to evaluate and synthesize ideas and information from a
range of sources relevant to English Studies and to use that knowledge productively, the program
will teach students how to understand the social and cultural effects of language and use
language rhetorically. Each of these goals has a list of measurements that will be applied for the
student to graduate with their degree in English studies entwined with sub discipline(s). This
being stated, I as an English education major have only achieved a fraction of all the masteries I
need to.
The first goal stated, in summary, states that students will be able to aptly read and write
across cultures, texts, and technologies. The first outcome measure of the plan says that students
will be able to decipher and assign meaning to a text, familiar or unfamiliar, with knowledge of
its historical contexts. Partially, I am capable of doing this, having read Edith Whartons Ethan
Frome, and being able to apply the concepts of infatuation and the explicit feeling involved in so

much as a moment of holding hands or smelling a garment. However, there are a large number of
texts that I cannot relate to historical periods or events. The way that I shall improve this is by
taking courses that will expand my knowledge in time periods that I am not culturally relevant
in. The second outcome measure is along the same lines in historical concepts, and again, I
intend on broadening my horizons. The third goal states that there will be a familiarity with a
wide range of texts of different geographic, cultural, and historical contexts. I am somewhat
diverse in my readings, including the basics in Shakespeare, Thoreau, OConnor, Lao Tzu, but
not nearly as nationally diverse as I would hope to be. In order to help mend this situation, I will
be taking courses similar as I have in the past (World Religions) but in a setting focused
explicitly on literature. The next goal says that students will be capable of critically reflecting on
texts. I feel that I have mastered this, based on papers written for an anthropology class
inspecting aspects of originally oral tales, and then breaking them down into what was originally
in place, and what had been added because of new age morals and concepts. Not only this, but I
have written an abundance of papers on critical reflections, including most of the previously
listed authors. Critical reflection is a strong point. Next, themes and issues have to be examined.
I believe high school does a good job of preparing students for this; not necessarily historically,
but good at identifying basic thematic cause and the rest. While I cant connect to the themes of
The Great Gatsby, I am still able to identify, and write papers on the themes. This has been true
through classes like Intro to Fiction, English Composition (I and II), American National Politics,
and a plethora of others. Empathetically, Im rather apt at identifying such, but the historical
contexts are a struggle. Next, an English major should be able to identify rhetorical strategies. I
cannot do so yet. I have no prior experience in doing so, and will be taking courses in rhetoric
and rhetorical theory to help myself understand better. Otherwise, I can always do a bit of side

research, and look into rhetorical theory on my own time, which would be of assistance to me in
the analysis of literature (Im assuming). The next English Education goal is to write an effective
lesson plan. I am not fully clear on how to write a number of effective lesson plans, but I have
written a few. I wrote some for a teaching class in community college, for a teaching day in high
school, and one or two in child development for the educator. In order to improve, ISU has me
going through a gambit of teaching courses, and student teaching will be very enabling to move
forward. After that, the plan states that students will be able to present well (in essence). I am
very capable of doing so, and feel I have mastered this. My evidence lies in several successful
performances in speech classes, a senior teach day again at my high school, and a general and
hopefully obvious confidence when I speak. Creativity is the next concept that students will have
mastered by the time they get their degree at ISU. I have a large abundance of creativity. I write
poetry and creative fiction or nonfiction in my free time, and have been published for such
works. I have taken several creative writing courses, and done excessively well in both group
discussions of student written stories and on the stories and impacts themselves. That being
satiated, it is expected that I will comprehend instructor feedback and accordingly revise. Again,
I feel adept within these parameters. When editing a paper, I take literal meaning of changes, and
add a twist to them in order to not only produce the result that the teacher is looking for, but to
exceed the expectation.
The next goal, as stated previously, is understanding and applying practical research
methodologies. I have some work to do in this area. The goal as a whole is certainly a weak spot
for me, and if offered I will gladly take a research methodology class. The first measurement is
within the use of credible sources. With a bit of research I can discover a sources reliability,
including based on author and author research, evident in the Eng 100 course I am in right now. I

currently have no idea on how texts are produced, even locally, so the cultural and geographical
spread thats expected of me is not a reality. I will make an effort individually to research into
publication and the steps and processes involved, but expect a bit of a crutch in classes that will
help me in discovering where to look. The next measurement is about cross English
juxtaposition. I take just about anything in any class and apply it to life, so bringing these into
classrooms that are topically relevant should be easy. The evidence is in college papers that have
references to physics courses, and anthropology papers with English tones and humanities
evidence and really just about every paper I write has a connection to another. Sequential
strategies that I was taught in my first composition course are being applied in this paper.
Research methodologies and citations are expected of English majors. I have a ways to go with
this. The biggest resource at my disposal for including doing these citations correctly is through
the Purdue writing owl, which has explanations of different citations. I am also aware of MLA,
APA, and Chicago style citations which opens up a world of research possibilities.
The third goal of an English major is to evaluate and synthesize ideas and information
from a range of sources relevant to English Studies and to use the knowledge productively. The
first measurement discusses appropriate uses of instructional materials to design lesson plans
properly. I have some minor experience in dealing with this, having written just a few lesson
plans, but this will be just a foundation for the methods courses I shall be taking over the next
few years. I anticipate growing in this area immensely. Integration of secondary information is
the next applicable measure, and again, I apply what I learn in most classes across the spectrum,
or at least try to. I may not have achieved mastery yet, but I will continue to apply this method
and achieve mastery through implementation. As an English major, I will be able to be familiar
with applicable technologies. I am not very good with technology as it stands, however, in a

classroom setting, and through proper training, I feel that the program at ISU and the instructions
of my school and district will enhance my ability to apply this concept.
The final goal of the ISU program is to understand the social and cultural effects of
language and use it rhetorically. At face value, I feel this is the exact reason that English majors
go into English in the first place, and I feel adept. Vivid recreations of a story with examples,
narrative, data, and emotional appeals are the first method of measurement of this goal. I feel that
through papers analyzing stories about men in gorilla cages, and a plethora of other types of
writing have made me adept. There have been papers in intro to fiction, English compositions,
and just about any other class that has had any type of literature involved. Students will be able
to demonstrate clarity is the next measurement. I feel that once I have read a story, I can apply
whatever contexts were presented, and aptly discuss them, with provided evidence, again
referencing a lot of papers that I have written for English courses thus far. The next is English
students demonstrate good prose. After several creative writing classes, essays, and a sufficient
number of other writing sources such as free writing, and writing for pleasure, I have found my
own style of prose that satiates a mastery clause. The next measurement is understanding
correct language usage and dialect. I have written two papers on the dialect uses in Twains
writing, and another on dialect use in conversation, and I feel that I am near mastery in the
concept, but would enjoy settling into a different dialect based paper. After that, the next goal
states that students will demonstrate knowledge of history and the structure of the English
language. I am nowhere near mastery on this topic. I will have to take a few courses in English
roots, and the only real applicable information I have is in relevance to Shakespeares style of
Olde English. I also cannot fully understand the complexity of grammar, and work mostly by ear,
so a grammar course and some individual research into the Purdue owl writing guide will be of

great assistance. Students are expected to use visual aids, and multi-media material. I have done
my share of presentations, from prezzis to power points to posters, and it has been ingrained into
me that visual aides are helpful. I have mastered civility through a number of experiences,
including experiences at the Special Olympics, working as a server, and working as a carnie. The
final goal is that graduates will articulate how their understanding of language has helped them
post-graduation and in the work place. This is something that I shall achieve when the time
approaches.
In summary, I have a lot of things that I am proficient in, and I have a mastery in some
things. However, as is most likely common throughout students in general, I have some
improvements to do. Studies are a struggle. Mastering content is a struggle. College itself is a
struggle, and thats what makes it such an exciting endeavor. To tackle the concepts of mastery
that have been placed in front of me, Ill be enduring some rigor, some self-motivated selfbettering, and general personal improvement. I may not know everything that I need to now, but
it is nothing more than a statement when I say Ill give it my all.