MARISOL SILVA'S DIGITAL PORTFOLIO
Project Reflection
In this project, we studied the theory of the hero’s journey so we could create our own stories to tell at an exhibition. First, we studied in depth each stage of the hero’s journey and we read two books that helped us see each stage in action. We also learned what a shadow journey was, rites of passage, and how to identify archetypes. After that, we had seminars for each book and we discussed when we saw those stages in the book. For the next couple of weeks, we brainstormed a few story ideas. The story we picked had to tie in with the hero’s journey. Once we had one picked, we went through many stages of feedback. After they were refined, we told them to the entire class. The next big thing was to get ready for our exhibition. My job was to make sure all the stories were formatted correctly and to make sure that there were no grammar or spelling errors. The exhibition went really well and you could tell that everyone's story was well rehearsed. This project itself was like the hero's journey.
Now that I look back, I can see my growth. I improved my story and presentation skills. In the beginning, my story was bland. There wasn't very much detail or emotion and it was very short. Using the rubric and my classmates as tools, I was able to go back and fill in those gaps. Presenting my story to a small group of people was really hard for me at first. I would be fidgeting a lot, my voice would sound shaky, I wouldn’t speak loud enough, and I wouldn’t make eye contact. As we kept on doing this, I started to feel more confident and comfortable. When I had to tell my story to the entire class, I was told that I did really good on not fidgeting and making eye contact. My voice was still a little shaky but it wasn’t as bad as it was at first. I'm really glad that I improved this much because this helped me see how important these skills are.
Something that I took away from this project was what makes a good story. I learned that you should follow the hero’s journey in your writing and in life. Joseph Campbell original theory is super long so we decided to reduce it to eight stages. By studying in depth each stage, I was well informed on how to follow each stage when telling a story. When we did the storytelling unit, I learned that having emotion and details really empowers your story. By adding emotion, you are helping the listeners see your perspective. Detail paints a picture in the listener's head. If you tie this all in with the hero’s journey, you get a great story!
Now that I look back, I can see my growth. I improved my story and presentation skills. In the beginning, my story was bland. There wasn't very much detail or emotion and it was very short. Using the rubric and my classmates as tools, I was able to go back and fill in those gaps. Presenting my story to a small group of people was really hard for me at first. I would be fidgeting a lot, my voice would sound shaky, I wouldn’t speak loud enough, and I wouldn’t make eye contact. As we kept on doing this, I started to feel more confident and comfortable. When I had to tell my story to the entire class, I was told that I did really good on not fidgeting and making eye contact. My voice was still a little shaky but it wasn’t as bad as it was at first. I'm really glad that I improved this much because this helped me see how important these skills are.
Something that I took away from this project was what makes a good story. I learned that you should follow the hero’s journey in your writing and in life. Joseph Campbell original theory is super long so we decided to reduce it to eight stages. By studying in depth each stage, I was well informed on how to follow each stage when telling a story. When we did the storytelling unit, I learned that having emotion and details really empowers your story. By adding emotion, you are helping the listeners see your perspective. Detail paints a picture in the listener's head. If you tie this all in with the hero’s journey, you get a great story!