Tow #29

Dear APELC student,
 Welcome to the hardest year of your high school career and one of the most academically challenging courses you will ever take. This class is great for strengthening your weaknesses and reinforcing your strengths. Although this class is going to be challenging, you are going to get a lot out of it, as long as you keep up on top of your work. You are going to get what you put into this class. So don't be discouraged if the first marking period you get your first C, or for those of you who are straight A students, if you get your first B in the first marking period, hooray for you! I know I was devastated getting my first C ever in the first marking period, but that did not stop me from working hard during the duration of the course and I brought my grade up to a B. It's even possible to get an A (hard, but not impossible). This course is challenging at first because you are transitioning from a 10th grade class to a college class. This is what AP English is- a college class. However, don't let that scare you, this is an experience and a class you want to take because you will get a lot out of it. You will write a lot and chances are you will not always get a 9, but if you sit down with Mr. Yost and Ms. Pronko to conference before and after your essays, you will definitely see improvement. This class is not a sprint, but a whole marathon. It is important to always come to Mr. Yost or Ms. Pronko for anything regarding the class because they will always help you out if you are struggling because they are extremely understanding no matter what the situation is.
The most important thing in this course is to keep writing. You will do a lot of writing in this course whether it be for a timed essay or a weekly TOW and you'll notice that the more you write, the easier it will be to excel in this class. You will also learn a lot about rhetoric, so make sure that you really pay attention to that when you read and write.
Always keep up with your work and never leave it for the last minute. Mr. Yost is really good at giving the week's worth of homework in advanced, and sometimes even a couple weeks in advanced, so timing should not be a problem, even for those of you taking several AP's like myself. It is just very important in this class, as well as in any of your other classes to disperse and manage your time efficiently in order to excel.
When you are having a hard time in the class or feel like you can't bear it anymore, go talk to Mr. Yost or Ms. Pronko who are always willing to help and push you to get you to where you need to be. Mr. Yost always offers extra practice, IE's, and even after school time to help you with whatever you need. So extra help is never a problem as long as you are willing to do it. Mr. Yost is not going to let you fail the course and if he sees how hard you are trying, he is definitely going to help you get better. However, it is important that you keep up with your responsibilities and put in a lot of effort and hard work into this class because that is the only way to succeed.
So to sum this all up, don't be discouraged. You made a wise decision in taking this class. It is a very challenging class, but is it a class that will greatly help you in the future with your writing, and even all the non-fiction works that we read and analyze, will provide you a lot of insight and knowledge in the world. So it is not only writing skills that you learn, you can get really well-rounded information from this class. You must always be on top of your work and make sure to put in a lot of effort. Always come to Mr. Yost or Ms. Pronko in times of struggle because they will always be there. Whether it be editing your paper before it's due, or giving you tips on how to improve in the class, they are always there! So try to enjoy your junior year, and never give up!
Best of luck,
Elizabeth Sitkovetsky!