A Self-Evaluation My Academic Performance In AP Literature

When I first got accepted into Stuyvesant High School, I heard countless of rumors stating: “Oh the workload is terrible”, “The competition is so fierce” or “Out of schoolwork, extracurriculars, or sleep: you can only pick two.” I found it hard to let it faze me, since I graduated from one of the most prestigious middle schools. However, the rumors transformed into reality when I stepped into Mr. Nieves’ Freshman Composition Class. The workload at the beginning of the year was brutal, coupled with assignments from other core classes that seem unaware of the workload of other teachers. Reading assignments were a regular, and there were journal entries and occasional quizzes to keep us in line. What made it bearable was the friends I made in that class; everyone had their own opinion about the topic we were talking about, and listening to other perspectives really broadened my horizon and enriched my learning experience in Stuy. Another thing that this class has taught me is the importance of time management, a skill that I will carry on for the rest of my high school career and life. When I choose to sign up for Mr. Nieves’ AP American Literature class in my Junior Year, I was hoping to relive the discussion-based lesson plans and meet more outstanding peers. I was not disappointed, to say the least, reflecting through all the experiences at the end of the course. The lesson plans he laid out for us were an interesting mix between small lectures and class output, and what I

As a junior, I had three AP classes: AP United States History, AP Language and Composition, and AP Chemistry. I thought taking them was going to be a breeze. As the AP tests approached at the end of the year, AP test preparation accelerated to levels where the question was not whether or not we had homework, but instead e how much time the homework would take to complete. My struggle came with preparing for the AP Chemistry test that coupled complex chemistry topics with difficult algebra. I took practice test after practice test, read test prep book after test prep book, and asked for help constantly on any perplexing concepts and any convoluted math problems. The time came and went slowly, yet very quickly.

At this point in my life I find myself in an interesting predicament regarding my attitudes toward reading and writing; more so towards reading. Years ago I used to love reading books for pleasure but nowadays I find myself reading things that little to no effort to digest. This includes the very basic posts on facebook expressing one’s opinion on something or articles and threads on reddit discussing topics I find intriguing. Perhaps it’s the severe senioritis that has overcome me as I enter my last semester at Chapman University. As I’ve gotten lazier I can see it start to reflect in my everyday life. Deep down I still love to read but I rarely find myself getting truly invested into the action unless it relates to something I am very

I think the most challenging courses I took this year was AP Lang but not because of the work or reading but because I did not give me 100% in that class. I think that is something I did wrong and I should have changed that as fast as I could. My grade could have been better in that class then what I got both semesters. The expectations I wanted to meet did not end up that way and actually ended bad for me which I regret. Some of the strengths I discovered this year was being able to ask questions and participate in class without being embarrassed and also talk to my teachers individually which was something that was really hard for me freshman and sophomore year. There are some assignment that I am really proud of and other that I think I

Throughout the course of this semester in AP Lang, my eyes have been opened to many of the weaknesses I never knew I had in writing. Coming into this semester, I had heard about the difficulty of this class, but was not unduly worried about not receiving an A; I have always considered myself as a competent if not strong writer. However, after failing to attain desired grades on several important essays, I was devastated, and realized that although I had mastered the basics of grammar and writing, there was still much for me to work on. Also, I did not understand that much of my grade in AP Lang would be determined by speaking in front of others, which is not my strong suit. What I have come to find is that writing essays containing all of the new information we have learned throughout the semester, such as requirements for different types of essays and good writing strategies, takes a lot of work, time, and thinking. Unfortunately, my procrastination caused me to only get done what had to be done instead of putting in the extra work and truly understanding everything.

In English 111 I have struggled with many assignments over the course of the semester, picking myself up over time from countless mistakes on papers, to procrastinating on basic class work assignments. Before Fall semester, I had no idea what college would be like, or how hard it could be. Things were not the same as high school; it was different to a point where college seemed a lot harder than it was supposed to be. In English 111, I got the chance to meet new students and different professors that have helped guide me to success throughout the semester.

Looking back at the amount of writing I’ve done for AP Literature, I can see growth in my understanding of poetry and of literature. There are skills and concepts that I need to focus on and refine as I continue on through the class, but I am confident in the abilities that I have picked up so far.

Throughout many of the arduous AP courses I took in high school I was pushed to my limits, but I accomplished my goals through hard work. One example of this would be my AP United States History class. This class was one of the most difficult courses I had taken, mostly due to the sheer amount of information being presented and needed to be memorized. Even though the basics of U.S. history had been taught to me in one way shape or form every school year, there was brand new information on people and important dates. At first I struggled with the work load and text, but I eventually made it through and succeeded by diving

So, that leaves an important question to be answered: how can you stop procrastinating? The first thing I would recommend doing is buying the book or checking the story you must read out from the library. If you wait all summer to complete the reading assignment, you might find that your local bookstore is completely sold out of the novel you need. Or, when you finally get around to stepping into the library, the waiting list for the copy of Legend by Marie Lu that you need by next week is twenty people long. If you read the book earlier in the summer, you won’t feel nearly as rushed to find a copy of the novel and finish it as quickly as possible, which gives you much more time to relax. Another tip for not procrastinating comes from the University of Alabama, “there are three primary considerations in creating your study environment: Your most effective and efficient learning style, the nature of the learning task, and the availability of learning resources.” With that being said, the first thing you need to take into consideration is your personal learning style. You might have an easier time reading the book if you determine how you learn in advance and create a better reading environment for you to study in. If you are an auditory learner, determine whether you learn better with or without background noise, and place yourself within a suitable environment when preparing to read. If you are a visual learner, be sure to read in a place with adequate lighting and minimal distractions (like highways and other busy roads). If you are a tactile learner, be sure to find a suitable place to sit and read- a workspace that is not too comfortable (so you don’t fall asleep) but not unbearable. When determining the nature of the task, it is important to know that you have no say in what you must read; the nature of your learning is

Alves. She mentioned how well I had done on the AP test in her usual Texan boisterous tone that could only be Mrs. Alves, and I folded into myself to admit that I never checked my AP scores because it gave me too much anxiety. Mrs. Alves is the teacher that brought me out of my shell and challenged my writing more than anyone before, so naturally I was pleased to learn that I had earned a 5! Mrs. Alves was a perfect vessel to deliver the news and I felt so happy to make her proud since she made such a positive impression and lasting impact on my high school experience. Going into AP 12 now, I grew a little weary as I saw AP 11 students drop like flies to go into honors this year, but was easily quelled at Mrs. Alves saying to me “I knew you were able to do this” and “your spirit has gotten so much lighter since the beginning of last year.” My goals for AP Lit are to write essays passionately and effectively, and to mature as a writer. My only concern for AP Lit is the difference between the approaches to writing and analyzing between last year and this year; I got very comfortable the way I was writing last year and it may be a little shell-shocking at the beginning. Change is good! Change is challenging! Challenging myself is good! Positive

2 - I have all the traits of a three (3), but need reminders or am "out of step" with class

During these past three weeks I have realized that college is going to be very challenging, it is not what I expected it to be like. This class has helped with my reading and writing experience and has contributed to my understanding of expectations for college and goals for my future. It has helped me with preparing and planning my work ahead of time. Dr. Sariscany has helped me with becoming a better writer and helped me prepare for college level work. She has showed me that college is not going to be easy and we should get used to it and put in all our effort and time into everything we turn in.

Bethel provides several excellent tools that can be utilized in conducting a self assessment. However, the tool I would like to use first is a book entitled "Discover Your God-Given Gifts".

From a young age, I have always been passionate about helping others. In the future, I see myself as a counselor or therapist; a professional that others can rely upon in the community. As an international student, I hope to gain a bigger world view and use my abilities to support others on an international and global scale. One of the most frustrating parts of growing up, is the inability to aid those in need. Witnessing first hand the tragedies many of my close friends had to go through, prompted me to spend many nights researching different coping strategies and related support to help them. When a laugh and a smile became not enough, I made a promise to myself to become someone others could professionally turn to. Taking AP Psychology

My number one tip is to have a plan for your reading week! Set out what assignments or exams you need to study for and when you want to complete them by. Having a to-do list is a perfect example of keeping track of all the stuff you need to do. Start by grabbing a piece of paper, write the date and all the things you need to get done that week. Keep adding on to the list and cross off the ones you finished. This is a simple, yet effective way to make sure you stay productive and get work done. Also, set reasonable sized goals for yourself. For instance, if you are working on an essay, set a goal to work on one paragraph per day and once you accomplish your goal, reward yourself