Thank you for visiting me – whenever you found/find me.
I’ve got a lot out of doing this blog but it’s turning into a link-blog, rather than my own comments. So I’m ending here. We have reached the end of the teaching on the course; it’s ‘just’ the final assignment and the 4,000 word End of Course Assessment now. And my time is about to get swamped again with marking. And I need some time away from the computer, and the sun is shining…
I’d hoped to write 100 posts – just as a round number – and perhaps would have if I’d continued to the end of May. But this is no.86. I’ve had 156 comments (maybe half of those are me, though, commenting on yours). And thanks for your feedback via polls as well. I’m guessing that I’ve had around 60 regular readers, though reader numbers have soared on occasions and average monthly views have been between 1500 and 2000. I’ve been visited particularly when mentioned in a student message in the OUSA forum or the EA300 Facebook site; ‘search’ information tells me I’ve most been found by the terms ‘ea300 tutor blog’ but the searches have sometimes been hopefully specific around essay-writing time.
I’d love your feedback: please leave a (kind-and-constructive) comment.
As you’ll have noticed, I think Children’s Literature is an endlessly rich, enjoyable and stimulating area to study. I hope you have found it so, too.
Best wishes
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
I just want to thank you for the very informative blog you created for EA300. The links were very informative and I applaud your effort, as I know how time consuming a blog can be. Thanks to your blog, I also had a visit increase, especially for ‘Tintin in the Congo’, (which ironically is again in the news).
I wish all fellow students best wishes for the ECA – which already has me weeping in my beer with fear, as, to be honest, I thought that the course was the hardest piece of brainstorming I ever did in my life…but it was absolutely fascinating.
I only found you towards the end of this study year, but I have enjoyed reading your blog.
I am doing EA300 next year and hope that I find it as enjoyable as your blog has been.
thank you
Beauty x
Thanks for putting the effort in to write this blog. I’m not studying EA300, but I’m very tempted to do the course in the future. Your posts have given me an interesting insight into the course content.
Helen
Hi Cathy
thanks for taking the trouble to write this blog it has been most interesting to read your take on different aspects of the course and bringing to my attention other items too
Chantal
Thank you for the blog. I found it quite early in the course and I’ve enjoyed the mixture of your comment and the links to useful sites. The direction to sites which helped with specific TMAs was also appreciated. It was a particularly good idea this first year of the course when we needed all the different sources of support we could get.
Hope the marking isn’t too painful, and that some at least is enjoyable.
Kate
Hi Cathy, Just a quick thank you for the blog which has been very informative and has served to remind me to get on with my reading!!!
If you decide to keep up a personal blog anytime, let us know the link!
Good luck to all with your ECAs
x
You were absolutely invaluable this first year, Cathy. Thank you so much. Your wider perspective, especially seeing classic texts given contemporary contexts was exactly what a tutor is meant to bring to the teaching of a course. Like a giant, amazing tutorial session. Good luck from here on in.
Many thanks for this blog – it has been one of the highlights of the course and helped especially when the tutor group forums ground to a halt. Even if you don’t write it next year the idea of such a blog is one I would love to see continued for the next year of the course. Well done on an inspiring resource!
Best wishes,
Linda Riches
You are generous, thank you.
LORE – your Tintin work is amazing. It must have taken days and days. I reckon I’ve only spent an hour on average (with background reading) per post)
BEAUTY – enjoyment as well as challenge have been the keynotes of this course, in my opinion
ANON – sign up! especially if you live near Derby and would be in my group..
CHANTAL – I don’t know what I think till I see what I say (not an original comment). This blogging has helped my focus.
KATE – I’ve kept my eye on a number of other blogs, some CL discussion lists, and where would I have been without the Guardian? The marking is a physical challenge (a real commitment to sitting in front of a screen) but a great mental workout
KATE – I’m going into blogging silence now…
ANON – I blush. Tutors of course have their own strengths and weaknesses.
LINDA – forums notoriously go quiet – I think they just don’t have ‘critical mass’ (they’re too small) – typically (not for EA300 but generally) one third of students comment, one third just read, one third don’t even read them! You found the OUSA student forum?
Hi Cathy,
Just wanted to say thank you so much for this blog. The resources have been very useful and thought provoking, and it has been very interesting seeing ‘the other side’ of the course.
Becky
Thanks Cathy – please do this again next year it will be nice to come back and visit for fun rather than fun and research!
Becky – I appreciate this. I seem to have flown under the radar of nearly all other tutors; which has sort of made me feel more comfortable!
Sue – thanks but I just can’t continue; I’m going to have other projects taking up my time. But there are many more general blogs on CL out there. I’ve particularly enjoyed http://awfullybigblogadventure.blogspot.com/ and http://bookwitch.wordpress.com/ as well as some of the illustrators’ ones I’ve mentioned. Check out the course wiki (resources) for a huge list. And I know you’ll still be reading children’s literature as well for fun.
Hi Cathy
Just to let you know how much your blog has been appreciated, even if I’ve not commented before. You’ve pointed me in the direction of sites I would not otherwise have found, and I’m sure this has contributed to the very pleasing marks I’ve been getting! I can’t imagine how you’ve had time to keep it up, as well as tutoring. What will next year’s students do without you??
Fran
Thank you so much, I found you fairly early on through a google search of a TMA phrase. You have upped my grades on a number of occasions just by gently suggesting a bit of further reading. Its so hard to find the time to go to tutorials or get on the phone, but having this here at 2am when I was deep into the TMA meant that I got the support when I needed it! Otherwise I know from previous course experience I would have no contact with other students or tutors. Im just not a forum writer and cant make tutorials (although I must point out my tutor was faultless). So a BIG thankyou for helping me get the degree classification I wanted, I can say with confidence this blog expanded my thinking enough to get those few extras % each time! (as long as I dont muck up the eca!!!) Thankyou once again!
Jennie
thank you so much for this blog, I only found it late on in the course but it has been invaluable in suggested reading and expanding my ideas – enjoy your summer – and marking
Fran – there’s just so much out there, and I keep tripping across things – did you read Germaine Greer on Old Wives’ Tales (I’ve put a link in the course ‘resources’ wiki)? Why not feedback to the course team, as I will, about the value of a blog?
Jennie – I wonder why you (and most students) don’t comment usually? (Not a criticism – it’s in no way an obligation). Anyway, I’m a big believer in sharing ideas (that ‘Open’ philosophy!) and I’m delighted if you think this has helped. I’m sure your hard work has much more to do with your success, and that you’ll continue your success in the ECA. Break a leg!
Viv – ooh summer!! I’m thinking of you all working so hard on your ECAs – you’ll be earning your summer, too. All the best.
Dear Cathy,
I am just beginning my journey on EA300 and have been browsing through your blog, wow amazing links and ideas. So I would like to THANK you for all your time and effort . This site will continue to help students on this course in many years to come. I am a little sad you are not continuing the site BUT understand that in today’s world TIME is precious. So from past and future students I say a huge THANK you for the time and effort you have invested in this blog.