Dear Future APELC Student,
It’s going to be a good year for you. Actually, I can’t tell you that, because I don’t know your life, but APELC won’t be that bad. I’m sure people have told you that this class is hard, or that it’s impossible to get an A. That is not strictly true. I am here to myth-bust (or prove true) the rumors of L08.
Firstly, something that is true: you will have to work hard this year. Unless you are a timed-writing natural, you will have to put in the time and the hand/forearm strength to improve your writing. Additionally, you will give your brain a workout improving your reading skills. You will be digesting a lot of complex texts this year, but if you take it seriously in the beginning, you hopefully will struggle a lot less by the end of the year. You will have the opportunity to synthesize your new reading and writing skills in your weekly TOW blog post, which will really help you to keep your abilities sharp and applicable. If you work hard and take your assignments seriously, there is no reason to think you cannot get an A, or at the very least become a better writer.
Now for a rumor that is absolutely false. Word got around last year that Mr. Yost (supposedly) told the kids in gifted that if they worked hard they could get an A, whereas if someone who came from honors English worked hard, they would likely end with a B. Whether or not Mr. Yost actually made such an offensive statement (though I very much doubt a teacher like Mr. Yost would ever say something like that), do not let it go to your ego, gifted kids, nor should you honors kids let it give you low expectations for yourself. You all have to work hard in APELC to succeed, regardless of your backgrounds in English. You all have a chance to do well if you take hold of your resources. Ms. Pronko is often around to offer writing advice and feedback, as well as interesting NPR stories. Mr. Yost also offers office hours once a week after school, and is critical but insightful with his feedback. With the guidance of two talented teachers and your own dedication, you can get an A, no matter who you are.
Another rumor I shall bust is the idea that your summer essay destroys your grade for the year. While it may seem that way for a while if you do poorly, which many people do, it will all balance out. The first marking period tends to be the hardest, given the transition, so your grades should only rise! Additionally, Mr. Yost opened the option this year for students to rewrite an essay of their choice at the end of the year, which should hopefully alleviate some of your new-to-APELC anxiety.
A final rumor I shall bust is the one that in APELC you write a lot timed essays that kill your grade. While you do write a lot of timed essays, only a few are “for realsies” (count for your grade), so do not worry yourself too much over that.
On that note, I wish you good luck. Though I do not agree with Mr. Yost’s famed “Relax, it’s only school” mantra, I would agree that you should not sweat the small stuff or take criticism personally, and know that no matter what, you can be something awesome in life, no matter how junior year goes for you.
Good Luck!
Grace McStravock
