(As seen in the gallery: (1) place setting in the dining room of Charles Dickens, (2) a hastily-taken photo of the Globe Theatre just before a woman told me the show was starting and I had to put my phone away, (3) a feature of the Golden Hinde that sailors would touch in hopes of dispelling bad luck from the ship, (4) My friend Maddie and I doofily smiling in front of the stage at The Globe after seeing Richard II.)
I’ve been having such a grand time exploring London that it’s quite easy to forget I’m here to do schoolwork! I’ve signed up for a six-credit program, so I am taking two classes (which here, are called modules) that are coincidentally taught by the same professor: London and its Literature and Shakespeare: Reading and Performance. I have each class twice a week, generally following the same schedule: 10:00-12:00: lecture and discussion, 12:00-14:00 (still trying to get used to the 24-hour clock): lunch break, and 14:00-16:00: the “interactive” portion of the class. It is during this time my classes typically explore a part of London that coincides with our lecture from the morning. Thus far, for example, I have seen Samuel Johnson’s home after reading his poetry, Charles Dickens’ home after reading Oliver Twist, and the Globe Theatre (!!!) to see a performance of Richard II after reading the play. I’ve also been able to do a tour of the Globe itself, as well as a tour of the Golden Hinde, the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the world (with its captain, Drake, still on board, as Magellan, who is typically associated with this feat, died before its completion). This city is so rich in history and I’m grateful the opportunity to learn about it goes beyond a textbook.
Because I’m only here for a month, the amount of times a class can meet are obviously limited, and therein lies the greatest difference between classes at Kingston and classes at New Paltz. However, unlike New Paltz, all the classes at Kingston are supplemented with the aforementioned field trips, which I find has been incredibly rewarding in the sense that I am able to fully immerse myself into the world of the texts we have been covering, especially because we do not have as much time to dedicate to a single text as we would during a standard four-month semester.
I have not received any of my assessments back yet, but I am told the major difference between schooling in England and America is the grading system. Though they are working towards a 100-point scale like American universities, they are currently on (I believe, as it was only briefly explained to us) an 80-point scale. A 30% is passing, and a 70% is considered an A.
I’m enjoying my classes and all that I’ve been exposed to; so writing papers has not been difficult. I’m hoping at some point during the rest of my stay here, I can gleefully say that I received a 70 on a paper—something I would be horrified in the States!
Bridget is studying English and Creative Writing at SUNY New Paltz. She loves to write poetry and hopes that attending school in London will provide ample inspiration for her to do just that.
My Classroom is the Globe Theatre (No, really!)
(As seen in the gallery: (1) place setting in the dining room of Charles Dickens, (2) a hastily-taken photo of the Globe Theatre just before a woman told me the show was starting and I had to put my phone away, (3) a feature of the Golden Hinde that sailors would touch in hopes of dispelling bad luck from the ship, (4) My friend Maddie and I doofily smiling in front of the stage at The Globe after seeing Richard II.)
I’ve been having such a grand time exploring London that it’s quite easy to forget I’m here to do schoolwork! I’ve signed up for a six-credit program, so I am taking two classes (which here, are called modules) that are coincidentally taught by the same professor: London and its Literature and Shakespeare: Reading and Performance. I have each class twice a week, generally following the same schedule: 10:00-12:00: lecture and discussion, 12:00-14:00 (still trying to get used to the 24-hour clock): lunch break, and 14:00-16:00: the “interactive” portion of the class. It is during this time my classes typically explore a part of London that coincides with our lecture from the morning. Thus far, for example, I have seen Samuel Johnson’s home after reading his poetry, Charles Dickens’ home after reading Oliver Twist, and the Globe Theatre (!!!) to see a performance of Richard II after reading the play. I’ve also been able to do a tour of the Globe itself, as well as a tour of the Golden Hinde, the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the world (with its captain, Drake, still on board, as Magellan, who is typically associated with this feat, died before its completion). This city is so rich in history and I’m grateful the opportunity to learn about it goes beyond a textbook.
Because I’m only here for a month, the amount of times a class can meet are obviously limited, and therein lies the greatest difference between classes at Kingston and classes at New Paltz. However, unlike New Paltz, all the classes at Kingston are supplemented with the aforementioned field trips, which I find has been incredibly rewarding in the sense that I am able to fully immerse myself into the world of the texts we have been covering, especially because we do not have as much time to dedicate to a single text as we would during a standard four-month semester.
I have not received any of my assessments back yet, but I am told the major difference between schooling in England and America is the grading system. Though they are working towards a 100-point scale like American universities, they are currently on (I believe, as it was only briefly explained to us) an 80-point scale. A 30% is passing, and a 70% is considered an A.
I’m enjoying my classes and all that I’ve been exposed to; so writing papers has not been difficult. I’m hoping at some point during the rest of my stay here, I can gleefully say that I received a 70 on a paper—something I would be horrified in the States!
Bridget
Bridget is studying English and Creative Writing at SUNY New Paltz. She loves to write poetry and hopes that attending school in London will provide ample inspiration for her to do just that.
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