Kefaya Diab
STUDENT TESTIMONIES
Students in an expository writing course that I taught in Spring 2020 at Indiana University gave me permission to use their end of the semester growth letters attached to their first names in my teaching portfolio. I left their quotes as they are without editing to honor their words.
Grace: "While I feel as though I deserve an A, I think this number is just a number. It means nothing to me. The only purpose it serves is as a letter on a transcript. You've taught me to look at myself as an individual and as an individual I am more than a letter grade. In this course, I've grown as a writer, learner, and human being and that to me is the most important aspect."
Patric: "You challenge your students academically, but also want to make sure we are growing as human beings. I personally want to change my mindset about the world around me. I want to apply the equity not equality mentality you mentioned early on in the class. I want to always remember to recognize we all have different abilities and that it is okay to be different. In the classroom and outside the classroom, you always make sure to check in on your students professionally and personally which I admire about you.
Monisha: "When yourself, Dr. Diab, candidly discussed your vulnerabilities, it felt as if a sign was being directed my way, that similarly, my time had come too. I learned in this process, the importance of challenging myself. Through the process, not only did I grow personally to become more comfortable with myself, to be more open to critique as well, as well as ask support from others, but I gained a lot as a writer."
Alec: "This class has really made me think about how I can impact my community, and effective ways to reach the audience I need to in order to inact change. I had to make sure I was correct and make sure that I was discussing something I am passionate about, which I have not had to think about as deeply before this class. Things that I will transfer from this class are the importance of revision and the atmosphere that a class should try to attain. The importance of revision and peer feedback has always been stressed in an English class, but this is the first class where the teacher openly discussed her revision process and how hard it it to really write a paper of importance that can cause change."
Grace: "While I feel as though I deserve an A, I think this number is just a number. It means nothing to me. The only purpose it serves is as a letter on a transcript. You've taught me to look at myself as an individual and as an individual I am more than a letter grade. In this course, I've grown as a writer, learner, and human being and that to me is the most important aspect."
Patric: "You challenge your students academically, but also want to make sure we are growing as human beings. I personally want to change my mindset about the world around me. I want to apply the equity not equality mentality you mentioned early on in the class. I want to always remember to recognize we all have different abilities and that it is okay to be different. In the classroom and outside the classroom, you always make sure to check in on your students professionally and personally which I admire about you.
Monisha: "When yourself, Dr. Diab, candidly discussed your vulnerabilities, it felt as if a sign was being directed my way, that similarly, my time had come too. I learned in this process, the importance of challenging myself. Through the process, not only did I grow personally to become more comfortable with myself, to be more open to critique as well, as well as ask support from others, but I gained a lot as a writer."
Alec: "This class has really made me think about how I can impact my community, and effective ways to reach the audience I need to in order to inact change. I had to make sure I was correct and make sure that I was discussing something I am passionate about, which I have not had to think about as deeply before this class. Things that I will transfer from this class are the importance of revision and the atmosphere that a class should try to attain. The importance of revision and peer feedback has always been stressed in an English class, but this is the first class where the teacher openly discussed her revision process and how hard it it to really write a paper of importance that can cause change."