VIPS Summer Sessions 2010 - 2020
3-Week writing & critical thinking course
Theme: Social Justice
Self-Definition in/through/beyond Blackness: Alignment of Your Aesthetics, Actions, & Aspirations
Most Recent Student Feedback:
Summer 2020 (40+ Participants)
The course prompted me to think analytically. | AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE: 100%
The course topic held my interest over time. | AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE: 82%
I felt comfortable participating in class. | AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE: 80%
The course’s format allowed me to get to know my instructor. | AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE: 88%
I was exposed to new ideas from other students. | AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE: 80%
I would recommend this class to other students. | AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE: 97%
● The most important thing I learned was about generic wording, and that I use it way too much. I also learned how to properly cite and source information when doing research related topics.
● The College vs high school standard of essay writing.
● I learned many new things that inspired me to talk and ask questions of my friends outside of VIPS. We discussed many things that are important to me and my black identity and I would recommend the course to anyone.
● While also learning better writing skills, I learned more about myself and how I see/define myself.
● The writing class taught me beyond what I expected. It made me a better writer. I got honest feedback! My high school always told me that I was a great writer, but never gave me feedback. The feedback made me grow my writing skills.
● This class taught me beyond writing. I had an interesting discussion about social equality, aesthetic and aspiration, blackness, myth, and so much more. I [had] personally never gotten any space to discuss very important topics [before], but I learned a lot from our discussion.
● I learned the value of perspective. In a confusing debate about race and values I learned that to effectively be able to give insight on the situation you have to take a step back from it and look at it as an outsider. Without this skill you will take the debate personally and then form resentment and hatred for the people involved.
● I learned more about critical thinking and how to accept feedback from instructors.
● I learned how important it is to follow directions closely, always read over work out loud and be specific in writing
● I learned how to properly cite and how to be more formal in my writing
● The writing class gave me new tools and strategies that I had never used before in school. I took different approaches and my writing skills grew stronger like expected they would when I signed up for the program. We learned about various other topics opposed from writing and guest speakers assisted on adding more information to those topics.
● I learned how to become a better writer, how to really organize my thoughts and back that up with evidence.
● I learned how to properly write a research paper, and how to do a works cited page.
● I learned that doing just the bare minimum is not enough and I need to check over my work multiple times. Also to follow all instructions and use all of the resources provided.
● I learned how to listen to directions and that is important for college. When you don’t follow directions even in the slightest a professor can not grade you or deduct points. In high school teachers let some things slide and it is important to want and do what is needed to get 100%.
● I have overall learned new vocabulary including anti blackness, binary, and spirit murdering etc. Not only did my vocabulary grow but my mindset on being black in America and what I can do better to play my art in the community.
● I learned how to write a college level research paper and what it takes to survive in college
● In-text citation also I learned how to pinpoint ideas and properly relate them to my paper.
● That I write how I talk and I need to be more professional and formulate my sentences better.
● The things I learned that improved my writing I find extremely valuable. I also learned a lot more about myself and how I want to represent myself. There were also many valuable lessons about blackness and social justice.
● In my writing class I learned to never be ashamed of myself and to be confident wherever I go. I also learned that my input is important and that I should always speak out.
● Don’t procrastinate.
● I learned how to write a strong 5 page essay. I feel much more confident in my writing skills than before.
● new written skills
● College level writing
● Read over your work, then read it again, and again. Do not turn in work with errors to a professor.
● I learned more ways to improve my writing structurally and better proof reading skills
● Pretty much everything but more specifically how to truly write on a collegiate level.
● I learned how to prepare my essay and how to write a 5 page essay.
“97% of students rated Ms. Poston highly.
97% of students rated the course highly.
Most students wrote that they enjoyed the class as it was structured.”