Dear New APELC Student,
You have ahead of you probably one of the most difficult classes you have ever taken. While this may sound a little terrifying, don't be discouraged. Even if AP English seems to be hard towards the beginning, it gets easier as time goes by, and it's always a fun, interesting course.
You will probably get your summer essay back soon, and the grade you receive might be a little bit alarming compared to grades you received on essays in ninth and tenth grade. However, remember that the essay you wrote was a new type of analysis with a new grading system, so it's no wonder that you're not used to it. And, of course, that essay is just one grade in the first marking period, and you have plenty of time to improve. People often say that it's impossible to get an A in APELC, but this isn't true. It is true, though, that it's very difficult to get an A in the first marking period – only seven people did this year – but as the year went on, those numbers kept going up, and it's completely possible to get an A for the year even if you don't for the first quarter.
Throughout the year, you'll learn how to write analysis, argument, and synthesis essays. You'll use sources ranging from essays by famous philosophers like Thomas Hobbes to the Progressive advertisement in last month's TIME magazine. It may seem surprising, but you can actually write essays over 430 words long about the packaging of a bottle of fruit juice (trust me, I did just that for one of my TOW posts). One of the best things about AP English is that it exposes you to an amazingly wide variety of sources and truly opens your eyes to how much thought goes into a document, whether it's a movie poster or an essay by Henry David Thoreau.
Looking back on the year, I'm actually amazed that we managed to learn as much as we did in such a short amount of time. Not only did we learn how to write the various aforementioned essays, but also we learned extensively about grammar and vocabulary. While the class may seem daunting at times, it's definitely worth it.
I'll leave you with some parting tips:
1. Take your TOWs seriously. These are your best chances to improve your writing, and if you truly make sure you write the best TOW you can every week, you will notice your essays getting stronger and more effective.
2. Don't be afraid to ask for help! If you're stuck getting the same score on your essays for a long period of time (this happened to me during the winter), try going to Mr. Yost and/or Ms. Pronko. They can help go through your previous essays to see what you should change, add to, take away, etc. Their opinions are always helpful because, after all, they are the ones grading you!
3. Make the most out of it. Sometimes it's best to think of APELC as less a class and more an opportunity. If you read, write, and present everything simply with the goal of being successful on the exam, you'll miss out on one of the best parts of AP English – experiencing all kinds of writing. Of course, don't forget that the exam is coming (Mr. Yost's 5.08.15 poster will certainly remind you, regardless), but just don't forget to approach everything with an open mind.
Good luck! :)
Sincerely,
Annie Graves
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
TOW #29: Music Saves Lives
The main message of The Lady in Number 6 is that music has restorative and even life-saving powers. In the documentary, playing piano was able to keep Alice Sommer happy and alive during the Holocaust. Today, many musicians attest to others' or their own music being something that kept them alive through personal torment such as depression or disastrous events in their lives. Even just listening to music can be calming and can allow highly stressed people (like high schoolers) to de-stress, which leads to a better, happier life. Therefore, music can definitely be a life-saving medicine.
Musicians often cite playing music as something that has saved their life. Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, who has struggled with his bipolar disorder his entire life, attempted suicide in February 2005. He wrote a song ("7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen)") about the suicide as a way of coping, and being able to express himself and his feelings through music was extremely helpful in his recovery. In this case, music quite literally saved Wentz's life by helping him through recovery and helping him deal with his depression and bipolar disorder.
On a less extreme level, music also has the ability to relieve stress. For Wissahickon's own Andrew Ge, playing cello at his Philadelphia Youth Orchestra concerts is a "positive experience" and can often be very calming. Additionally, even simply listening to music can decrease stress. In fact, as I work to finish this TOW before it's due, I am listening to music ("Skulls" by Bastille, on repeat) as a way to calm my nerves and make sure I don't produce sloppy, rushed work. Too much stress is unhealthy (both physically and mentally), so by listening to or playing music, people can have healthier and happier lives.
Music's amazing life-improving or even life-saving powers are found in many situations, from helping famous musicians cope with mental disorders to calming down an AP English student as she writes her penultimate Text of the Week, and everything in between. As Alice Sommer said in The Lady in Number 6, music can be "the only thing which helps [people] to have hope ... a sort of religion, actually. Music is God." Music is extremely powerful and important to many people, and its abilities to help and even save lives should never be underestimated.
Musicians often cite playing music as something that has saved their life. Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, who has struggled with his bipolar disorder his entire life, attempted suicide in February 2005. He wrote a song ("7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen)") about the suicide as a way of coping, and being able to express himself and his feelings through music was extremely helpful in his recovery. In this case, music quite literally saved Wentz's life by helping him through recovery and helping him deal with his depression and bipolar disorder.
On a less extreme level, music also has the ability to relieve stress. For Wissahickon's own Andrew Ge, playing cello at his Philadelphia Youth Orchestra concerts is a "positive experience" and can often be very calming. Additionally, even simply listening to music can decrease stress. In fact, as I work to finish this TOW before it's due, I am listening to music ("Skulls" by Bastille, on repeat) as a way to calm my nerves and make sure I don't produce sloppy, rushed work. Too much stress is unhealthy (both physically and mentally), so by listening to or playing music, people can have healthier and happier lives.
Music's amazing life-improving or even life-saving powers are found in many situations, from helping famous musicians cope with mental disorders to calming down an AP English student as she writes her penultimate Text of the Week, and everything in between. As Alice Sommer said in The Lady in Number 6, music can be "the only thing which helps [people] to have hope ... a sort of religion, actually. Music is God." Music is extremely powerful and important to many people, and its abilities to help and even save lives should never be underestimated.
Music Saved My Life:
Even while she was in a concentration camp, Alice Sommer was able to remain happy by playing her piano.
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