I would like for you to reflect this week on how far you have come in AP Language. What have you learned, in what ways are you still struggling and what skills do you most look forward to mastering? Sometimes an honest self assessment is the best way to move forward!
One of my favorite prayers is the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. If you have never read or heard of it before, I highly recomend that you look it up as soon as possible. One of my favorite lines in the prayer is "not try to be understood, but to understand." I really feel like this relates to how far I have come in AP Language and what I have learned.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that I learned is all the diferent words and forms of English people use and the different ways people speak. The goal isn't to be understood, it is to understand. As a class, we have read numerous essay's about "Lazziness" and "Simplicity". When you just speak and write what you understand, it will make sense to other people too. If you try and focus too much on impressing your audience and you use words that you do not fully understand, how would you expect your audience to know what you are saying, or even if you are using the words correctly? Although you don't want to sound unprofessional, you want to sound sophisticated. The important thing is finding the perfect balance.
I feel that I have come a long way so far this year in finding my balance. Even though I still have plenty of room to improve, it's safe to say I'm closer to mastering this skill than I was before. The weekly vocabulary words are also helping so much. I am learning so many new words and it is cool to see the similarities between the words, their meanings, and their synonyms.
Marking up books also relates to the quote In the way that there are so many ways to understand what the author is saying. Different books and poems may relate to everyone in different ways. That is exactly why marking up what you are reading is so important. I could go on and on about reasons to mark up a book, but I won't go too far into detail. I just love the idea of marking up a book and mixing your thoughts into your favorite book. I can't wait to mark up one of my favorite books, The Fault in our Stars.
The school year is far from over, and I am excited to finish strong. Already so much has been learned, and i know by the time school is over I will be so much smarter than I was in the begining, and hopefully my writing and language skills will keep on improving.
Felicia, I have to very much agree that marking things up, such as books, speeches, and articles, helps because it makes us stop from going on autopilot. It makes us stop and fully understand what we are reading. Also what you wrote about wanting to sound sophisticated without being unrelateable was very true. Great work!
DeleteFelicia, I could not agree more that the weekly vocabulary words are very helpful. They are a fantastic way to expand your vocabulary. I also like the way that you explained how it is important to find your balance when writing. You have a positive attitude about only getting better with many skills in the class. That is a great outlook on the class. Great job!
DeleteFelicia, you got my attention right away with your prayer. I also agree with the vocabulary and marking up a book. They are very helpful toward the language and essay writing. Great job, and we miss you in class :)
DeleteFelicia, I really loved how you compared the prayer to how you feel in this class. It's really uplifting it see how positive you're looking at the rest of the year. Good job!
DeleteWhat a way to start the conversation! I love your reference to The Peace Prayer of St. Francis, and t is wonderful to hear your voice, even if through the written word. I appreciate that is sounds like you, it is genuine.
ReplyDeleteI had just read the prayer before I started the blog and I thought it was a good fit, thank you!
DeleteI love the saying that hangs on the board in the front of the AP Language classroom, "I hear I know, I see I remember, I do I understand". I believe this quote is very true. We all listen to what we're supposed to do, so we know. However, just because we know what we're supposed to be doing, doesn't mean that we'll remember what, or how, we are to do it. And finally, "I do I understand". At the beginning of this school year, I remember walking into English class on the first day and thinking that I was in way over my head when Mrs. Messineo started to talk about rhetoric and ethos, logos, and pathos. But, after doing numerous papers and projects with them, we have a tool in the toolbox. Because we wrote the papers and such, we actually understand and it's makes sense.
ReplyDeleteAfter only about about a month into school, I can already see my writing improving. I've learned that even though we're supposed to write in a formal way, we're not to use big fancy and complicated words. We've all learned by reading articles like Slang in America" by Walt Whitman that keeping it simple and just saying what we understand , not only makes the paper better but also more relatable to the reader.
I absolutely love when we seminar in class. I believe that it helps people come out of their shells for the lack of a better phrase. It allows myself, and others, to bounce ideas off of our fellow classmates, increasing our own personal ideas and perspectives. Every seminar we've had this year, whether I was participating or just overseeing, has made me look at the book or speech from a different angle. I think that this is very important.
As I said earlier, we're only about a month into school, but I've learned so much. I hope to expand my knowledge of writing in a formal setting but with writing like I speak during seminars. I still have a lot to learn, but I am looking forward to making myself into a better writer and helping my fellow classmates overflow the toolbox.
Jessica, I enjoyed the way that you started your blog out talking about the saying in the classroom. The saying "I hear I know, I see I remember, I do I understand" is a good saying to live by. I like how you stated that after only a month of school you can see first hand that your writing has improved. I can see that mine has progressed too. It was a good point to speak about seminar. I think that seminar truly helps everyone because of the interaction with other classmates. Good work!
DeleteI love the quote you used from the classroom. I really like that quote and the classroom was the first place I ever saw it. You made some good points about seminar too! I agree with everything you said about it. At first, we were all a little bit shy and awkward, but we have really come a long way. It's good to know that we will only get better throughout the year too. Good job!
DeleteI loved the way you used the toolbox. You were clever when writing about it. It put you, the author, and your classmates, the audience, in the same group. I also liked the anecdote in the first paragraph. I thought it was very relatable. I also felt like I had bitten off more than I could chew for the first few days. I still feel that way sometimes, but I am steadily growing alongside all of you, and I think that is a pretty incredible experience.
DeleteThis year, the class of AP Language with Mrs. Messineo has been a total success. I have learned many skills, strategies, and tools to use when in the process of writing a paper. I have come a long way with my ability to read essays, mark up pieces of literature, and identify ethos, pathos, logos. These talents have improved just about everything that I do in AP Language class. I have gained a lot of confidence so far in English class, but I am only looking to take steps forward for the rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that we learned this year in class was ethos, pathos, and logos. When Mrs. Messineo spoke about these aspects of language, I felt as though the class was going to be a struggle. As we did projects and wrote various papers on ethos, pathos, and logos, I comprehended what they truly represented. Whether it was in a book or a commercial on TV, I can now pick out what they are, and how they were used all of the time. This skill has benefited me when writing my papers now because I am always considering how ethos, pathos, and logos are going to be included.
When our class learned to mark up a book, I thought it was a crazy idea. It just seemed like it was something that was not necessary. I figured that I could just read a piece of literature and then go write a paper on it. Now that I do mark things up when I am reading them, I realized that this skill actually makes a huge difference. When a person critically reads something they will comprehend the material much better than just skimming through it. Marking up a book has helped me to enhance my ability to write about an essay or even analyze what the author is trying to get across to the readers.
My entire vocabulary has been expanded throughout AP Language. The vocabulary notebook that we keep really assists me when I am writing a paper. Being able to learn ten new words each week has been a success because I can then implement each word into my vocabulary for assignments that are due later that week. Another thing that has progressed is my sentence structure. It definitely still has a long way to go in the future, but I am constructing my sentences better now than I did at the beginning of the year.
Overall, the class of AP Language has been very good to me. It has only been about a month of school so far. There is still a lot of time to learn some more skills and tools to add to our toolbox. I am looking forward to improving in all aspects of the class as the year goes on. My ability to critically read and write has already progressed and it is still climbing to the top of the ladder.
I agree with the vocabulary completely, so many words! I also loved your third paragraph about marking up a book and your opinions on it throughout the acquisition. This was so relatable. Good job, Drew!
DeleteDrew, I agree with basically everything you stated. Marking up books at first seemed unnecessary, but now I also realize the importance. The class has been a a success so far! That's good you are improving already just one month in. Great job!
DeleteNice job reflecting, Drew! The vocabulary notebook truly helps when it comes to writing essays. I am also looking forward to adding more tools to our toolbox as well!
DeleteTowards the end of last school year, I had to decide what classes to sign up for. What math to take, my sciences, but the hardest decision for me was choosing what English I should take. Last year, my brother struggled in his English 1 class in college. After seeing the challenges of the college course, I began to think how important and beneficial the AP Language class would be. I knew it would be it would be a challenging course, but I was ready to learn!
ReplyDeleteThere are several topics I have already learned this year! I never heard of ethos, logos, and pathos until several weeks ago, but now I feel as if I have them mastered. The paper and projects really helped me learn the rhetorical devices. The commercial was my favorite project so far, and I do believe that that assignment enabled those terms in my brain. I also feel that I am beginning to "loosen up" when I'm writing. The seminars are great to spit ideas out of my head. Another aspect I've learned is how to anecdote a paper or essay. This helps me to comprehend the topics so much better. I never thought I would actually see myself becoming a better writer, but now I do.
I still feel that some subjects are more challenging than others. I am beginning to understand diction, but I do not feel completely comfortable with it yet. I understand how important word order and words used are, but I still want to get better at picking out how to change words to make them great! I also feel that my thesis statements are not very strong yet. I understand where the thesis statement should go and somewhat of how it should be composed, but I do not feel completely confident with that yet. I enjoy doing the vocabulary notebooks every Friday, because they are really enhancing my vocabulary, which was very weak at the start of the year.
There are also some subjects I am looking forward to mastering! I want to master the thesis statement soon, because once a thesis statement is developed I feel my actual essays will be much stronger. I also want to master picking out exactly what to write about when I am in need of interpreting the paper. I want the audience to whom I am speaking to be interested in my writing. Most importantly, I would like to accomplish a basic knowledge of what college english is going to be like, and I feel like that is what I am doing now.
Great analysis an reflection on AP Language so far! I like the point you made that by mastering a thesis statement will also lead to stronger essays and writing. I never thought of that, but I definitely agree!
DeleteJolene, English was also the hardest class to decide on for me, too! However, I am thrilled that we chose AP Language. This class is very beneficial, especially since you described the hardships your brother faced. I totally agree that some topics are more difficult than others, but with hard work and dedication, we will be adding them to our toolbox before we know it! I'm excited to master thesis statements, and by the sounds of it, you are, too! Good reflection, Jolene!
DeleteJolene, I didn't know what logos, ethos, and pathos were either before this class. I liked how you said you were looking forward to mastering thesis statements, because I am too. You're right in saying that it will make our essays much stronger! Great job!
DeleteJolene, I loved how you talked about diction and how it is important because I feel the same way. I also enjoyed how you spoke of the vocab notebooks helping you. It's very true, they help all of us increase our own personal vocabulary. Great job!
DeleteJolene, you did a great job in this blog. I liked how you pointed out wanting to be able to make your audience interested in your writing. I also enjoy the Socratic Seminars. I really like being able to bounce my ideas off of other people and being able to hear what they thought of a piece.
DeleteSo far, my experience in AP Language has been a rewarding and learning experience. First of all, I do not think the class would be what it is without a great teacher like Mrs. Messineo. She has such a positive and upbeat attitude, and does not make the course seem so scary. Our class is such a perfect size, not too big nor too small. Everyone is so supportive of each other, and I feel like we are a team working together to conquer the course and the AP Exam!!
ReplyDeleteI have obtained a lot of information in my first few weeks of the class. I learned about pathos, ethos, and logos, which are words that were completely foreign to me before this. I have also learned how to read and analyze books, essays, speeches, poems, and other forms of writing. Before, I thought the only way to read something was for 'pleasure.' However, now I know how to critically read and analyze by thinking differently and annotating the piece of writing.
Additionally, I have learned to not freak out about when we are instructed to write an essay on the author's particular style. If someone asked me on the first day of school to analyze a speech and write an essay on the style and how the speaker used rhetorical tools to persuade the audience, I would have flipped out and cried. Now, it seems more routine, and I only freak out a little. ;)
I enjoy completing the Vocabulary list every week, because by doing so, I am expanding my vocabulary which will ultimately enhance my writing and mind. I learned so many new words, and I look forward to try and incorporate these new words into my writing and everyday life.
With all I have accomplished so far in this course, I know I still have a long way to go. For one thing, I need to work on mastering the multiple choice section for the AP exam. I struggle with the questions, and I often have a difficult time narrowing it down to two choices. I am looking forward to doing more prep work in order to do my very best on the AP exam.
Another area in which I feel I need more work is analyzing poetry. I think poetry is okay, but for me, I don't always understand the meaning and tone of the poem right away. Additionally, I forming a good thesis statement is not one of my strengths right now. Before this class, I thought a thesis statement was just a sentence about the topic of the essay, but I am beginning to realize a lot more goes into forming a thesis statement. With practice and more understanding, I know I can grasp the skill of forming a solid thesis statement.
Overall, I am happy I enrolled in AP Language this year. Even though the work and class can be a little stressful at some points, it will all pay off in the end. I also feel like this class is good preparation for college. I am looking forward for what is to come.
Vicky, this was a great reflection, and I absolutely love your third paragraph! I agree with you that our class is the perfect size, and we are all supportive of each other to take down that AP exam. I, too, am excited to master the multiple choice section on the test. This class is a lot of work, but it definitely will pay off. Good work, Vicky!
DeleteTori, I agree that AP English can be stressful but it was still a good class to take and that it is a lot of work! Good Job!
DeleteTori, I agree with your point in the second paragraph, about how you only thought there was one way to read a something and that was for "pleasure". Now that I have analyzed so many speeches, poems, and essays I have realized that there is more than one way to read something. I can pick out diction and symbols, and I can also annotate the paper, so I can go back and review my notes. After reading your blog, I also realized that I need to strive to get better and better at the multiple choice of the AP exam. I think the more I practice it the better I will get, and hopefully I can do well on it during the AP exam. Nice job, Tori!
DeleteGoing into junior year, I wasn't really sure what classes I wanted to take. I absolutely love math and numbers; in fact, I want to be a math teacher when I am older. I wouldn't consider myself to be a strong writer, or a critical reader for that matter, so that is why I decided to take the AP Language course. I'm very happy to say that I do not regret my decision because I've learned so many new things, and I plan on continuing to learn new things until the end of this school year.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I learned rhetorical devices like ethos, pathos, and logos. Personally, I believe that I have mastered these tools! Every time I am watching television and a commercial comes on, I decide how it appeals to me, the consumer. I think I we were truly able to add this tool to our toolbox when we showed off our knowledge through our advertisement projects.
Secondly, I learned how to analyze the works we read. Before this class, I never marked up or annotated any books, essays, stories, or poems. Now that I have learned this critical skill, I think I am a better reader. I actually am able to comprehend the works, and I can finally understand the messages the authors were trying to express. On this same point, I also love our vocabulary journals! My vocabulary is much more extensive and my writing is more sophisticated.
Additionally, I think the blogs we do help us in many ways. They allow us to express our opinions, analyze works of literature, and in this particular case, reflect on ourselves. I can share my thoughts and ideas with my fellow classmates, who are all working together to achieve the same goals. I think that is why I like the seminars so much, I learn to work with others and agree or disagree on certain topics.
Even though it is early in the year, I think I have come a long way! I am finally starting to become more creative and loosen up. This is a lot better than the uptight robot who walked through Mrs. Messineo's classroom door on the first day of school! However, there are a lot of things I need to work on. I am struggling with diction, but I hope this weekend's assignment will help me with it. Secondly, I need to master thesis statements and outlines. Once I have this skill down, I think my papers will be better and easier to write. I also struggle with putting my thoughts done on paper. I know what I want to say in my mind, but it all slips away when I pick up my pen. The seminars are helping, and I hope to overcome this obstacle before the end of the year.
I am keeping an open-mind as I look forward to the future. I cannot wait to master certain skills, specifically the ones that will help me to triumph over the AP test. This class requires a substantial amount of effort, but the benefits will always outweigh the work load; after all, I am getting prepared for college!
Sam, I always enjoy reading your comments because you have good points to relay through your blog. I like your comment about uptight robots. I guess I felt that way too on the first day of school, walking into class. I definitely know how you feel about writing essays, getting an idea and then loosing it. But you'll get there! Good work.
Delete
DeleteSam, I am also struggling with using diction properly and also hope to get better with this weekends assignments. I love how you spoke of how you're not the same "uptight robot" you were on the first day of school. I think that this applies for all of us in the class. We're all learning to step out of our shells and be more free but sophisticated with our writing. Good work!
English has always been one of my favorite subjects. I love spelling and grammar, but analyzing and voicing my opinion were not my strong suits. So, I decided to take AP Language to help me become a better writer and reader.
ReplyDeleteI have learned so much in about a month and a half. I now know how to use and find pathos, ethos, and logos in speeches, advertisements, and stories. The vocabulary notebooks that we do each week already shows an improvement in my word usage. I'm still not the greatest at analyzing pieces, but I have improved a lot since the first day of school. I have also learned how to ask deeper, broader questions about written works. And now, I also somewhat know how changing the diction can change the tone and meaning of something.
I'm really looking forward to reading another novel. I absolutely love reading, and I like how Mrs. Messineo has us find the deeper meanings behind some of the books. I am also excited to learn and understand more. It is extremely important to understand our tools at our own paces. I will admit, I am a little scared for some of the bigger projects and papers to come. But, I know with the encouragement from my friends and Mrs. Messineo, everything will work out.
My biggest struggle is the whole seminar thing. I'm not comfortable with sharing my opinions and thoughts. But, I hope to overcome this difficulty by the end of the year. I also hope to improve my thesis statements. I'm also nervous for when we have to give speeches to the class. Public speaking, obviously, is not my forte. In fact, it terrifies me. I just want to become alright with standing up in front of everyone and talking. Also, I am still struggling with analyzing essays and stories. I guess I am used to having teachers directly tell us what everything means or they don't have us analyze at all. But, I am glad we are doing it now and it will prepare us for college courses.
My journey through AP Language so far has been like a roller coaster. I have learned so much in such little time, and sometimes, it is a little bit too much to bear. But in the end, i know the class is worth the amount of homework and stress. There is also a lot that I am looking forward to throughout the school year. Everyday is struggle, but it is up to me overcome those bumps and actually understand.
Natalie, I loved how you related our class to a roller coaster. It definitely feels like that some times. I was also confused though when you said you feel uncomfortable with seminars. You always do a good job when we do them. I never once knew you were nervous. I forgot to mention the questions we've learned to ask about what we've read. You had many great points! Great job.
DeleteI've never known if my love for English stems from learning the language itself, or from my love of all languages. Despite my reservations about taking this class, I was excited to extend my knowledge of the English language. When I walked into our classroom on that first day, I immediately felt calm. The room was very creatively put together, and I knew I was going to love the class. But it wasn't that simple.
ReplyDeleteOur first topic, rhetoric, was something I'd heard of once before, in seventh grade, when I looked at the projects another class had done on the topic. I'd never been taught about rhetoric, and since it was our first topic, I felt a little queasy about how well I was going to do in the class. But then we started to learn about it, and Mrs. Messineo worked with us to help us understand it. When she decided to put ethos, logos, and pathos into our toolbox, I felt confident that I knew it well enough for her to do so.
I also learned so much from our Socratic seminars. I already knew going into our class that we had some of the smartest people in our class. The seminars only cemented that fact. I have learned so much from my peers about the novels and writings that we discussed in our seminars. They are also very good for me, because they help me express myself and collaborate ideas with my peers, as do the blogs we do. This is an especially good skill for me to master as it will help me later in life.
My favorite thing we've done so far this year though, is marking up writings. I am one of those people that has a brilliant, or maybe to so brilliant idea, and then forgets it if I don't write it down. I always carry a pen with me and often have writings all over my arms. So discovering that I am actually allowed to write in pieces of literature made me extremely happy. Plus, this helped me develop my critical reading skills as writing always helps me to think even more intensely about what I am reading. It also helped me learn more about deciphering an author's style, which I was clueless about before this year.
Our most recent topic, diction, is even more intriguing to me. As an extension of my love for all languages, I love words and their meanings. So being required to find ten words each week that I would like to incorporate into my vocabulary held great interest for me. I'm not quite sure about my strength in this area yet, but I feel like I'm getting there. The pyramids we received this week were challenging but something I felt I could master with a little work.
I still have issues with thesis statements and keeping my essays to a good topic, but these things will come with time. Our whole class has progressed very steadily, and I know that we will continue to do so. I'm really excited to take the AP test at the end of the year. I know many of us feel like we've been thrown into a completely different world, because of the difference between AP Lang and our other classes, but we have all adjusted well. I am excited to see how the rest of the year turns out.
Life is full of expectations. From trying to pick food for lunch to deciding what college to go to, people have some idea of what they think will occur. Coming into AP Lang I had only a few expectations. I knew that there would be much homework, and I knew I would be smarter at the end of it. I did not expect, however, just how fast the differences would appear.
ReplyDeleteOne of the changes I have discerned is my ability to write. I still have a long way to go, but it has certainly improved. While taking my World Cultures test I noticed how much easier the essay section was. I was able to say exactly what I thought. I have also started to see ethos, logos, and pathos while reading or watching television.
However, despite all of the improvements I have witnessed, there are certainly trouble spots. I believe that I may still be having troubles with diction, more precisely how it changes the tone. Another problem I have noted is that while I can see the use of tools, I have troubles using the tools myself. To fix this, I think that I need to start using them little by little until I understand them.
Once I understand the tools, my writing ability will escalate. That is what I most look forward to learning. I cannot wait to be capable of writing well. No matter what field I go into, I will need proper English to make it where I want to be. Therefore improving my writing is most important to me.
Taking AP Language was a leap of faith. Before taking it I had no way of knowing if I would be able to adapt to such a high level course. Now I am so happy that I did. Though grades are important, this class is not all about that. It is about taking that leap and learning about things that are beyond your wildest imaginations.
Meghan I really like how you said that taking AP English was a leap of faith. I also agree that taking the class was a good idea. Good Job!
DeleteMeaghan, your blog was well written. I agree that taking this class was a step outside of my own comfort zone. Using the tools and diction are a problem spot for me too but I know we'll both nail them before the end of the year. I also believe that English will be important for all of our future careers and it is important to get a solid foundation now.
DeleteMegs, even in this blog I can see that your writing has improved! I also liked how you mentioned how essay it was it write a cultures essay because I felt the exact same way. Your last paragraph is good, too, because I don't think any of us new what to expect. Good job!
DeleteMeaghan, I really enjoyed your blog. I like how you pointed out that the essays in our World Cultures class have become easier to write. I have to agree as well. I think that AP Language has really enhanced the way I write. I can think about things in my mind and then put them to paper without much trouble. I also like how you described how AP Language was a "leap of faith". I think that I was uptight in the beginning of the year, but I am also starting to take that "leap of faith", so I can expand my learning capabilities. Good job!
DeleteThroughout my years in school English has never been one of my favorite subjects. My parents also preferred sciences during their schooling and became successful pharmacists. When I started discussing with them what classes I should take my parents told me to take AP English, because they regret not taking more advanced English classes in school. So far the decision to take AP English has been a pretty good one.
ReplyDeleteOne of the major things I have learned this year in AP English is Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. We started learning it the first day of class and during that time I had no clue what it was all about. During the first couple days of class I just continued to think if this was really worth all the hard work. Now after almost a month in the class I realize that taking this class was very much worth it.
What I am looking forward to mastering in this class especially in the coming weeks is how to write a better paper. Mastering diction and syntax will help me write a paper much better then I ever could write one before. My writing has already improved since the beginning of the year, and after mastering these skills writing good papers will me much easier. Writing better papers will also help in the future such as writing in college.
AP English has he helped and will continue helping me with many things. My vocabulary, my writing, and my understanding of English has already gotten much better and will continue to get better. Participating in this class has been a good decision and will continue to be until it is over.
Austin, I find it amusing how similar our ideas are in our blogs. We both learned all about ethos, logos, and pathos this year and want to improve our writing. I completely agree that this class will continue to improve and challenge us through the remainder of the school year.
DeleteThis year in AP Language I have learned and relearned a lot. I learned all about ethos, logos, and pathos and how they are used to attract the audience's attention. I also learned how to analyze text. This is helpful when I am trying to comprehend a hard work or even to help keep me focused on the writing. By analyzing the text I am able to study it and pick out the writing style and the figures of speech used. Both of these are important to truely understand the writer and their purpose.
ReplyDeleteSomething that I have been struggling with is writing a solid essay, beginning with a thesis statement. Learning to write a thesis statement is something that I was not taught before and how to write it is still a little shaky for me. It's one thing I would love to improve on. As for writing the essay as a whole I have difficulties. I run into trouble because I usually understand the meaning of the writing, the problem is writing down what is in my head clearly to illustrate the point. I could improve a lot in this area.
As for something I would love to master this year it would be the research paper and the steps to writing an amazing one. Being frank, I am going into a branch of the medical field (prosthetist) and am not going to need much English background for it. Learning how to write a solid research paper though, is going to effect my college career. I will need to learn to look for the information that is needed and learn all about it. This technique will continue even after school is over because I will need to keep updated on the latest advances, materials, and designs so my prosthetic limbs are as modern as they can be. To me this is the one thing I want to master this year. I believe that it is very possible for me to accomplish my goal.
When I first picked out my classes I wasn't sure what to expect, for any of them. Moving to a new school is difficult, but I'm extremely glad I chose AP language as my English. I've already learned so much this year. I was expecting it to be a difficult class with a lot of work, and it is, but I think it's paying off.
ReplyDeleteBefore this class I didn't know anything about egos, locos, and pathos. This class taught me how to use it, find it, and analyze it. I now completely understand all three of these points. I'm also really starting to write better than I have. I can see the improvement in my work and it's exciting to be becoming a better writer. I'm starting to get the hang of thesis statements, but I don't quit have it down yet.
The other things that've learned so far are how to use tone and diction. I never realized before this class how important the words are that you chose. I've learned that just using one different word can change the whole tone of an essay. Plus I learned how to write to the audience, or change the tone of my writing for different audiences.
I've learned so much in this class already, but I'm no expert and I can't wait until I become a better writer. There are still so many tools that I have to master. The next one I want to get down is my thesis statement. I really enjoyed writing the papers about what we are passionate about, and I really want to be able to apply that kind of interest into everything I write and I think this class will give me the tools to do it.
Erin, I really liked how you mentioned that you didn't know what to expect with this class or any class. I'm personally glad that you took AP Language because you bring such a fresh perspective! I agree that we have learned so much and we're going to be so good at writing and analyzing by the end of the year. Nice job!
DeleteErin, I really enjoyed reading your blog! Just like you, I had no clue about pathos, ethos, and logos. I also agree with you about how just one word change can alter the entire tone of an essay. Great job, Erin!
DeleteWhen it came time to sign up for classes last year I had absolutely no doubt that I wanted to be in AP Language. But as sophomore year went on all I heard about AP Language was how hard it was and I started to get worried. What if it turned out to be a load of homework and nothing more? What if it stifled my love of English? Then I heard that Dr. Deullio was retiring and I really panicked. Usually I enjoy having new teachers but this wasn't a subject I wanted to take chances with. So on the first day of school I walked into that classroom feeling uncertain and anxious and I can honestly say that I walked out feeling smarter already.
ReplyDeleteAP Language may be the hardest class I have ever been in but it is easily one of my favorites. In this short amount of time we have been taught so much. I can't tell how far I've come because I don't really know where I was before. But this class had given me a different perspective on English. I don't just read things anymore, I understand them. And, even though there is a lot of homework, I don't mind because I know why we have to do it and I can already see that it is helping me.
My favorite so far has probably been diction because I think words are wonderful! Now I that I actually understand it I will be able to use it instead of just admiring the word usage of others. Diction has made analyzing pieces so much easier! It is like a whole new world of meaning within the pieces I thought I was families with. It's also very nice because good diction will really enhance my future writings.
I look forward to mastering thesis statements. As the beginning of every essay, the thesis statement is one of the most important parts. I want my thesis statements to be interesting and intriguing and I definitely think that I'll be able to learn how to do that. However, I think I really struggle with making my essays interesting. I try to put a little bit of myself in everything I write but when I try to write seriously I loose a bit of my style. It's obvious that I'm going to have to relax a bit if I want to get better at writing good essays.
Ann, I have to agree with you that AP Lang. is a hard class, yet it is one of my favorites! Also, I was surprised when you said that you lose some of your style when you write a serious essay. I just always assumed you were a creative person that put your touch into everything. I am also glad that I wasn't the only person who was worried about taking AP after hearing all of the bad comments and complaints. But on the bright side, I am so happy that we both took the class! Great job, Ann!
DeleteI was really scared for AP Language this year. I did not think I was cut out for it. I never have considered myself an English-type of person, but this year has proved me wrong. I feel like I am starting to grasp how to use diction and syntax to set the tone for my papers. I like being challenged to think, you never know how smart you really are until you are challenged. I think that in previous English classes, I could get by with a careless paper, but now I am forced to think. I feel good when I think hard and spend a lot of time on assignment, and then to receive a good grade on it only makes me feel even better. I think it is awesome to voice your opinion about something through writing, because there is no wrong answer. English is a way to freely express yourself.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most important things I have learned this year is to identify logos, pathos, and ethos. When I watched a commercial or looked at an advertisement before AP Language, I never really understood how companies "reeled in" their audiences. Now that I understand logos, pathos, and ethos, I analyze every advertisement. I do it almost subconsciously, because I have used them so much. I would like to say that I have mastered logos, pathos, and ethos.
While I do not consider myself a master at identifying symbols and meanings in literature or poetry, I do consider myself well-experienced in it. The poems such as "My Papa's Waltz" and "Those Winter Sundays” help me identify symbols and meanings. For example, last night I was watching the movie "Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", and I began thinking. Aslan, the lion, could be symbolized as a "Jesus" figure. He sacrifices himself for Edmund sort of how Jesus sacrificed himself for his people. After I thought about this, I realized that before AP Language I would have never been able to figure that out. I read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" a couple of times as a kid and as a teenager, and I never figured that out. AP Language has helped me think more deeply about literature, poems, and even movies.
Something I am struggling with would definitely have to be thesis statements. I never wrote many before AP Language, and I am hoping I can learn and improve on each one. I think through the help of the vocabulary notebook and the ten new words I learn each week, I can develop concrete and meaningful thesis statements. The vocabulary notebook also helps with writing my papers, not to mention that the words could possibly be words on the SAT test this year. I can use new words I learned to "spice up" my papers, while not making them pretentious.
Socratic seminars are very enjoyable for me. I like to share my ideas about things. I think it has been pretty apparent that by talking to each other, the whole class thinks better. I have learned a lot since our first seminar. I learned that it is always important to keep the conversation going. I have also learned not to be afraid to say what you feel. Even if people disagree with you, it opens the conversation for more discussion and debate. I hope to improve in every single seminar we have.
I was pretty close-minded about AP Language before I started, but I think I have loosened up a little bit. While this class is a lot of work, I am learning something everyday. I am definitely not wasting my time. This class is going to be challenging, but I am up for it, and I have already come a long way.