Dear Future AP
English Student,
Take
a deep breath. This class is not as scary as people make it seem. People often over emphasize the bad moments
they had in the class to grieve over a bad grade they received or feedback they
got back from the teacher that did not say what the student wanted it to say.
The purpose of this letter is to tell you that AP English Language and
Composition is not “hard”, or “impossible”, but rather challenging and will
eventually force you to live up to the expectations of an AP student.
The
reality is that the expectations of an AP student are not to get straight A’s
on the report card to bring home to mom and dad, or to immediately understand
the concept of an idea the day the teacher introduces a topic to you. The
expectations of an AP student are to strive and be determined to be the best
student you can be. An AP student does not give up when a class becomes
challenging. An AP student does not cease to work hard when he or she does not
understand something. An AP student takes the frustration of the effort and
puts it toward positive reinforcement in his or herself. An AP student does not
cry about a C or a D on an essay, but rather he or she will use that as
motivation to work harder and achieve something great.
Mr.
Yost will tell you in the beginning of the year that the course is a marathon,
not a sprint. With respect, I disagree with that statement. I would describe
the class more as a relay race. The key to the class is the understanding of
connections between topics that are taught in the class. This course is not
like a math course in which you cannot understand one topic but move on to the
other. This course requires you to use information in past units to fully learn
how to write like an AP English student. The relay race comes into play when in
the first quarter of the year one cannot see the finish line, but one has to
push hard and eventually pass the baton to the next unit or “racer.” Then,
relying what the prior unit, or “racer” the next unit/racer takes off and
eventually you will get to the last unit/racer and you will see the finish
line.
It
takes hard work and dedication to achieve great things in this class. Be proud
of your work and it will come easier to you. Being able to enjoy what you write
will make writing better, easier, fluid, and overall more intriguing.
I
only wish someone were to tell me this in the beginning of my junior year.
-Ryan
Dalsemer
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