Reflecting on the Year
This year I have written a plethora of pieces including expository, argumentative, and synthesis essays. Covering a variety of writing styles has helped me expand my abilities and become a multi-faceted writer The learning and understanding of rhetorical devices such as diction, figurative language, metaphor, tone, and syntax helped me write in a more fluid and consistent style. I enjoyed the 40 minute timed essays we did in class, and I believe they have helped me prepare for the AP Exam and get used to being “on the clock.” My favorite of these timed essays would have to be the synthesis essay on monuments. I learned a few historical facts about monuments (including Mt. Rushmore) and more importantly honed my skills of incorporating documents into my own perspective, while still forming a strong thesis and substantiating my assertions. An example of this skill is when I pointed out "the placement of a monument does not have to directly relate to its history, i.e. the Holocaust memorial in D.C., but it should serve as a gathering place of recognition for the community honoring the subject (Source A and E)." Another interesting piece of my writing was the response essay to Mike Rose’s essay, “I Just Wanna Be Average.” This piece of writing explained varying viewpoints on education reform and gave insight to the lives of many high school students. I implemented knowledge of other classes including AP Psychology and AP U.S. History to bulk up my essay with educational cognition and relative facts. This helped my writing process thoroughly and made me enjoy writing even more. Overall, this year has been a literary journey and I have learned multiple techniques and strategies to improve my writing and achieve high rates of success on the AP Exam.