TOW #29: Letter to a New APELC Student

To the futures students of APELC,

I would first like to warn you to not believe the rumors and horror stories of analyzing incomprehensible texts and receiving low grades on essays in AP English and Composition. I once believed such stories that I considered not taking APELC; however I am glad that I did. APELC has been a great class where I have grown closer to those in my class, due to the small number of students, while becoming a better educated student and citizen.

Throughout the year, I can honestly look back and see the drastic improvement in my writing skills. This can be seen not only through the grades that I have received on my essays, but also in my way of thinking that can be seen through my writing. This course has taught me to become a writer who is more educated, more informed, and more mature. My ability to analyze and argue has improved due to the two units that are centered on these two forms of writing. Despite the beginning, which was a bit rough and difficult, I was able to quickly adapt to and improve in the course.

Over the eight months, I advise you to not be disappointed in the beginning of the course. Do not be upset about the first score you receive for your summer essay about Eats, Shoots, and Leaves; the first score is merely a baseline so that you can understand where you, as a writer, are at, and the score shows you the areas where you can improve. In addition, I recommend you to make use of the resources you have around you; I have learned to appreciate the Office Hours that are held every week. The Office Hours provide a time to meet with Mr. Yost for review for Unit Tests and essays. I strongly advise you to take advantage of the meetings. Through frequently meeting with Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko, I have seen a drastic increase in my writing ability and in my essay scores.

This course that you are about to enter will be difficult at times; the texts may require hours to analyze and dissect, the essays will require much more time for brain-storming and revising, and the projects will consume some of your free time. However, the work, the stress, and the hours of sleep you may have sacrificed will all be worth it in the end. The moment after you finish your APELC Exam and sign your name of the exam date poster is exhilarating. You are able to reflect and honestly say that your writing skills have improved and that your way of thinking was changed. You realize the importance of becoming an educated, active participant in your community, which this course tries to help you become.

TOW #28: TOW Reflection

From the many TOWs that have completed over the span of about seven to eight months, I am able to see growth and improvement in my writing through: changes in my ability to write clearly and fluidly and the establishment of a more sophisticated tone. As I re-read the TOWs from the beginning of the year, I noticed my lack of topic sentences; therefore, I was unable to properly introduce the purpose of the paragraph. In addition, I saw that I did not create strong theses with consequences that connected them to a bigger idea. However, as time passed, my writing progressed. Not only has my writing improved grammatically, but I was also able to create my own voice that now distinguishes me from my peers.

Rather than mastering, I believe that I have greatly improved so that I am on my way to mastering my writing skills. Over time, I think that my ability to create a stronger thesis has immensely improved; I now understand the importance of the three components that a thesis must consist of: context, claim, and consequence. In addition, I try to have a stronger conclusion that answers the question of "So What?" All these improvements reflect, in my opinion, how I have almost mastered the mentality and mindset I am to have as a writer. I now have a better idea about the mind and thoughts of my audience, and I try to accommodate my writing to provide as much clarity as possible.

Despite my improvements, there are still many areas in my writing where I can improve and grow. I can always strive for being more concise with my writing; I often find that the peer advice given on my Timed Essays suggest being less repetitive. Another thing I can strive to improve is my vocabulary so that I will be able to express and relay my ideas and messages in a better, clearer way.

Overall, I believe that the results I have received from the many TOWs I had to write was well-worth the effort. The TOWs constantly made me practice my ability to analyze different types of texts. I think this reflected in my increasing scores for my Analysis essays; the Analysis portion was my weakest section, yet now, I am more confident when it comes to analysis. The practice that I have received also prepared me for the Mock and the AP Exam. With a diverse group of texts, from visual texts to autobiographies, I felt ready to tackle any kind of analysis that I was expected to complete.