Honors Voices

Vol 1 No 20

Something of a long one this time....

The other day. in the face of a beautiful spring day, I thought my HON 200 - Analyzing Alice class might need a moment to gather their thoughts and focus on the class at hand before I turned class over to Linda Ross.  She was going to spend that class time talking about attachment (and attachment disorders) from a psychological standpoint and how it might relate to Lewis Carroll or even Alice herself.  So, I asked them to take out a sheet of paper and write for five minutes on this question I posed to them:  

What does Honors mean to you?

These are the responses I got...

"I preach to everyone how much I enjoy honors studies.  To me, it means seminars, a connection with your classmates and professor, and a jillion different interpretations of a common theme.  I feel like there's this amazing fellowship and mellowship that comes out these types of classes.  The students that are in these classes are dedicated to learning about the topic at hand and are typically very talkative and at times, argumentative.  Honors classes make learning fun an worthwhile.  It's not a chore to attend class, it's something to look forward to.  The professors play devil's advocate and warp your way of thinking to meanings originally thought unimaginable"

"Honors means curiosity.  It means wanting to take something, such as a topic, and wanting to learn more.  It's about exploring a new realm of learning that one may have never thought of exploring.  Honors is about taking something and diving into it deeper than ever before.  It's not about more work and being smart.  It's simply about being curious."

"Honors to me means being able to explore what interests me and the things I find interesting.  As a book lover and writer, Honors gives me the opportunity to read a lot and write a lot (!), which other classes don't allow or want.  Be being in this Honors class, I have realized how much I adore analyzing stories and writing about what the stories mean to me.  Honors therefore has helped me realize and understand more of myself, by being able to dig into, explore, and discuss what I like and what to learn more about.  Overall, Honors means being able to be me, and learn what I want to learn, by offering cool classes, which allow me to explore who I am."

"Honors here at FLCC means a more student-lead learning environment as opposed to a traditional lecture style college course.  This means lots of group discussions and participation as we are learning together not being taught at.  It also means reflecting on your learning experience.  By reflecting on your journey as a learning, you are better able to grow your ability to learn.  You will find what works for you and what you can improve upon.  Honors is also a better opportunity to connect with your teacher.  For me, my teachers are mentors not just lecturers.  Most important, Honors is a group of people excited to learn, just like you, not just people force to take a class."

"Honors was something initially that just mean another good way to get accepted in a four year college.  While this is true, it now means so much more.  Honors became something that I could be involved in outside of tedious, constant needed work.  It was Perspectives on Tolkien that I first took and now I am someone a bit different.  I was able to read and discuss something that I truly have an interest in, unlike most classes in high school.  I also was able to make friends in that Tolkien class that I have now outside the class, another aspect I didn't have my first year at college.  The community sense that I get in this 'elite' group of Honors students is of devotion, respect, and a feeling of ultimately being wanted."

"Honors means to me that it helps you to look deeper into a meaning that you would normally just brush upon somewhere else.  It's a chance to find something new in yourself.  English 101 Honors has us analyzing ourselves as a writer while Alice analyzes ourselves as a learner and how to understand deeper meaning.  Honors is a chance to step our of our boundaries and try something new."

"To me Honors reflects a community pursuit in an accountability-minded atmosphere.  We have a capability to discuss as opposed to being lectured and to grow in relationship to others in a more conducive atmosphere than a typical class.  In another sense it has an active palpability to discern via worldview and disciplinary confines."

"Honors means a different way to view subjects that 'regular' classes may not have the time / desire to do otherwise.  It's a place where I feel my opinions not only matter but are validated.  I don't feel excluded because I don't have the knowledge for a certain subject but rather it's a place where I can learn freely without fear of judgments"

"Honors is a means to challenge myself while having fun.  Most classes involving something that I actually like are Honors classes"

"What Honors means to me is a more challenging / higher level class that requires extra work and effort.  Also, I think of it as a more specialized / focused course rather than a introduction course.  It also presents some more interesting classes than what is normally offered in my opinion.  I also feel that the courses are better since they seem to be more focused and in smaller classrooms"

"Honors means a more interactive way of learning that provides the opportunity for classroom discussion and practical applications with a more discussion and writing-based curriculum that helps students to more easily express their thoughts and ideas.  The more hands-on approach also provides a sense of accomplishment for finished projects"