In the "comments" section below, please respond to the following questions. If you need to make it two comments, please just make sure your name is on each.
First, put your name in the comment. Then...
1) Describe the best class you have ever taken (anywhere).
2) What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing? Why?
For Thursday, please have read the assigned sections in the Writer's Reference, and be prepared to test out your grammar skills!
*Vanessa Ramos*
ReplyDeleteThe best class I have ever taken was my AP U.S. History class. This class ranks among my top favorites because it really enlightened me of the history of our beautiful country. Many people constantly complain about our government, society, or economy, but through this class I learned to greatly appreciate our country for what it is. Now, whenever I feel ungrateful, I reflect upon all the struggles and turmoil our country faced in the past, and remember the individuals who acted selflessly in order to create the freedom we now have. AP U.S. History gave me a sense of pride in my country, and despite our Nation's flaws, I have learned to love our country in honor of those who suffered before me so that I may have the opportunities I have today.
1. My favorite class that I have ever taken would have to be American Literature Honors just because it really helped me to improve my writing. The teacher was a really hard grader, so that gave me more motive to pay attention to my mistakes and strengthen my writing. I was able to push myself constantly through the writing obstacles I would encounter because I learned the only way my writing would improve is if I would do more and more writing. We had to do many essays in that class, so each one of my essays slowly kept getting better and better and I was always finding new ways to strengthen my papers.
ReplyDelete2. Something I find challenging about the writing process would have to be the editing process. I sometimes don't know what exactly I have to do to make my writing flow or to make it stronger. Even when I get help from my peers, I still feel like it could be a lot better and then I get to a point when I'm not quite sure what to do. I really want to improve on this as well as my word choice/vocabulary.
-Samantha Castillo
*Vanessa Ramos*
ReplyDeleteEver since I was young writing was always easy for me. I don't usually have trouble writing essays, or drafting them. Commas were always an issue for me, I either used to much, or used too little in alternating essays. I sometimes tend to get off topic and end up needing to take pieces of my essay out but it doesn't take me long. I can say I truly love writing, whether it's creative, analytical, or poetic. Expressing myself and my opinions through written word is a beautiful thing that I enjoy, so I don't mind writing or have very much trouble with it.
Tina Nham
ReplyDelete1) My favorite class I've ever taken was Journalism my junior and senior year of high school. That class allowed me to be more free with my writing and influenced my career choice.
2) The most challenging aspect of writing is stringing all my thoughts together and deciding which idea should be written when. It's the process of putting what's in my head into real and comprehendible sentences that is hard.
Kevin Dam
ReplyDelete1. The best class I have ever taken is AP Art History back in high school. My teacher, Mr. Bowles, made this such an interesting subject that I now love art. Ever since this class I have been viewing art in different perspectives, trying to figure out which time period it is from, or who the artist may be. Before taking this class I liked art, but i didn't know much about, nor did i have an understanding for a lot of it. However, after being educated in its history, art really does speak to me differently than it did before, and I now respect a lot more of it. Although not all art may be visually pleasing to the eye, I have learned to admire the idea behind the piece and the artist.
2. I find organization and transition most difficult in the writing process. When writing a paper I brainstorm a lot of ideas, many of which i wish to write about. However, when I am ready to actually write the paper I have trouble organizing my ideas and transitioning to the next idea. This typically may create confusion for the reader, or the paper will not "flow" smoothly. Finding similarities in my ideas and grouping them together is my main goal, and I have been successful at it, but I definitely do find it quite challenging.
Alicia,
ReplyDelete1. The best class I have ever taken would have to be Calculus for the simple reason that I have always loved math. I'm really not good at English and Calculus was a perfect way of challenging myself as well as doing something that I love. I had had the teacher for 2 years so I was familiar with his way of teaching, he was very strict with his grading. For example, if you had a 89.9% and asked to turn in a late homework assignment to raise your grade, he would not let you. After 2 years, I knew I would have to do great from the get-go and not let my grade drop for any reason. Overall, it was a challenging class but I learned a lot from it.
2. The most challenging aspect I find in writing is coming up with a thesis statement. For the most part, you need a strong statement for which you can back up with details/evidence, but I always found that difficult. Not only this, but also coming up with effective techniques, engaging the reader, and organizing. I usually end up placing details in the wrong sections or not getting my point across. Writing in general is something I have a lot to work on.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. The best class that I have ever taken would have to be my Physio Honors class during my Senior year because it was the only class I actually chose to take. All during high school I was forced to take a mapped out schedule full of IB classes so Physio was my only escape to actually learn something interesting. My teacher was amazing and I learned so much about the human body that I can still recite each process your body goes through for hearing, seeing, etc.
ReplyDelete2. The most challenging aspect about the writing process would have to be analyzing my arguments in a paper. I usually have many arguments for the various statements in my paper but I can never seem to successfully get them across because I have such a hard time including them in the first place.
--Caressa Arias
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTony-
ReplyDelete1. The best class I have ever taken must be any of my mathematical or science classes. Mainly because I really enjoy problem solving and trying to solve problems that require a different way of thinking and seeing things in a different perspective. I am a very competitive person sometimes and these classes usually do challenge me. Even though I'm very lazy and do the minimum required to pass,I tend to do better when I am challenged with problems.
2. In my opinion, there really isn't anything that is really difficult in particular. More than anything it is just me keeping focused on the subject. When I am confused it is usually because I wasn't paying attention, I got bored, or because I got lazy. Also, there are times when I have a really great idea but cannot seem to put it across paper. Perhaps focusing, paying attention, working diligently, and not being able to write down what I am thinking is my greatest difficulty in writing.
Angelica Cano
ReplyDelete1.) My favorite class that I've taken is American History. The reason I choose this class is that it has been the most challenging class I've taken so far. There was a lot of reading assigned everyday and the exams were very detailed. Even thought the class was difficult I really enjoyed learning about American history and was pleasantly surprised that I was able to remember a lot of the material that I had studied. It showed me a lot about the stages in American history that have made society what it is today. I found it interesting that every event affects every other event in one way or another. I liked learning about the history of the US and realizing the importance behind studying history itself. I like the challenge and the fact that I was able to do well in the class was rewarding when looking back at all the work I did.
2.) The thing I find most challenging about the writing process is the formation and organization of the paper. I find it difficult to form a strong thesis sentence that can be supported for the duration of the paper. Its hard to organize the key points so that they are not repetitive and present new ideas. For me it is difficult to make a paper sound well organized and thought thoroughly . On a minor note I also have some difficulty with common grammar mistakes and spelling errors. Though not so serious it is something I would want to improve on.
Maria Cortez
ReplyDeleteMy favorite class that I have taken up to this point would have to be Chicano Studies 1A. I completed this course throughout the summer in FSSP. This class allowed me to understand how Latino's of different countries come together and face the same struggles and the American Dream. Not only was this an eye opening class, but it has motivated me to overcome the expectations that us Latinos have, I want to prove to those who have such low expectations that Latinos can graduate from college.
What I find most challenging in the writing process would be punctuation. Going into writing 1 in my summer, I was caught with putting commas in just about anywhere. I really never understood the reason behind a coma. Throughout Writing 2 I want to come and understand the meanings behind punctuation and when and where I should apply them.
Kaylen Clifford
ReplyDelete1. My favorite class that I took in high school was my AP English Language and Composition class. Coming from a high school that was on the list of lowest performing high schools in California, educational opportunities at my school were scarce. During my junior year, however, I was surprised to find that this class was challenging for me. My teacher graded more on the quality of my work, rather than quantity or punctuality. Even after composing multiple drafts of essays, I would still obtain a B and sometimes even a C on the papers that I would turn in. This was hard for me to face, because in the past, I had always gotten A's on everything. Nevertheless, I was very glad that I was given an opportunity to be challenged that year, because it showed me that not everything is supposed to come easy and that once I got to college, it was going to be necessary for me to try as hard, if not harder, than I was in that class. This class also helped me to improve my skills in writing and opened me up to the different types of writing that there are out there. I really enjoyed it.
2. The only trouble I seem to find with writing an essay is constructing an outline. I typically just like to sit down at my laptop and type away; however, most teachers want to see that I've made an outline and have written multiple drafts before I turn in my finished paper. I mostly see outlines as time consuming and as a restriction of creativity; therefore, I would really benefit from learning new ways of outlining so that I don't end up with a Jane Schaffer style essay.
1. My favorite class that I have taken so far was my AP psychology class. I really enjoyed my class because of my teacher. She was fun and outgoing, which made the class more enjoyable for me to be in. Her lectures were well done and they tied into the material well. I loved learning about psychological disorders and aboutt social psychology. I also found Freud's concepts interesting and experiments such as the Milgram experiment interesting.
ReplyDelete2. The most difficult part of the writing process for me is forming my ideas and then getting them across my paper. I need to learn how to develope my ideas in a way that does not sound like I am repeating myself.
Maria Orozco
ReplyDeleteMy favorite class would have to be Virtual Enterprise. This class was all about making a business and having the students work together to make it work. People from different ethnicities and experiences came together and treated each other like family. It allowed students to see what the outside world's expectations were as far as goods and services are concerned. We competed in trade shows across California and New York, allowing each student to reach their potential and see what they can bring into the world.
My flaw in writing is to make the whole piece of work flow. I have a tendency of wanting to change subject when I find something more interesting to write about. My goal is to become more discipline in this area so that I can make my work fluent.
Artisha Thompson
ReplyDelete1) Describe the best class you have ever taken (anywhere).
The best class I have taken so far has been Drama which I took during my senior year of high school. I enjoyed this course for a plethora of reason some which will become prominent over the span of the fall quarter as you and my fellow peers become more familiar with my personality. But my top three favorite aspects of that class was that it helped nurture and better develop my acting skills as well as provide me with freedom to explore some of my hidden talents and openly and positively express my thoughts and opinions. It also helped me perfect and learn new means of communication as well as perform accents (British, Caribbean, etc.) and be entirely confident while in front of an audience regardless of how large or small.
2) What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing? Why?
In my opinion deciding how to start whatever one is writing is the most exasperating aspect because if you don’t have a “strong” intro or opening statements not only will you lose the interest of your readers but I feel as if whatever you have to “say” is irrelevant. I find it the most difficult because I always draw a blank or am too overwhelmed with the perfect words yet it’s so hard to write them all down before they flee my mind.
Merylynn Valencia
ReplyDelete1. My all time favorite class I have ever taken would be an Algebra class that I tutored in. I was a math tutor for Algebra 1 students, (mainly freshmen) for a period a day. I loved it, I got to interact, sometimes teach, and felt good being able to help all the students that were struggling. I became very close to the teacher of that class. She became one of the few adults I felt I had to talk to about anything that was on my mind or bothering me and she was there with her support. I even gained the opportunity to tutor over the summer for incoming freshmen and tutored for 2 years at my high school. It is something I found very rewarding and fun at the same time.
2. I find organizing my essay so that it flows well is one of my hardest challenges. I always have all these ideas and thoughts that I want to express in a paper, but always end up forgetting to add certain parts or stating something that I did not really wish to say but had to because it made more sense. Overall, I want to know new ways to organize my thoughts and thoroughly express them.
Elizabeth D.
ReplyDelete1. My favorite class that I ever took was AP US History my junior year, not necessarily because history was my favorite subject, but because it was the first class that really challenged me in many academic aspects. In that class I was able to develop with my writing, my ability to innovate, and my ability to analyze certain events and situations. This was my favorite class also because we didn't sit around all class period listening to boring lectures about the Boston Tea Party , but we actually participated in skits, and games in order to be able to understand the material better.
2. The hardest thing for me about the writing process is the beginning stages, where I have to think about where I'm going to start and what I'm going to talk about first. I also need more time than anything else to think of a "hook" that everyone says you should have in order to catch the readers attention, and to keep it. Another thing that I have a problem with is figuring out how all the details connect to one another and writing them in a way that makes sense and gives the paragraph a good structure.
Jennifer De la Cruz
ReplyDeleteMy favorite class in high school will always be AP US History my junior year. I loved everything about that class, my teacher, the subject, assignments. I learned to really love my school in that class. My teacher, Mr Hinkleman, thought it was his responsibility to enlighten us about how great out campus really is despite all the prejudice and bad reputation against us; he even taught us our Alma Mater. I got to know Mr Hinkleman a bit during my sophomore year of high school, where he was my sprinting coach for track and field. I remember gushing when he joked around with me, telling me, "Turn in your gear" when I did something silly. He was by far the most captivating teacher on my campus, in my opinion, which is difficult to say because I believed all of my teachers were extraordinary. He was funny, voted most comedic (as well as most athletic) for the teacher superlatives in our senior yearbook. This, paired with the ability to make analogies out of any historical event, made the class not only highly entertaining, but comprehensible as well. The class had structure. We learned something different every day but we still came to class knowing what to expect. He was involved on campus; he’d begin class every day giving us an update on sports on campus and Block S events. Block S is a historical club that went far back on our campus whose main purpose was to support our sports teams. Actually, Block S was brought back to my school that year by him. He believed the school needed more spirit! And from what I’ve seen, he expertly created that in our class of 2011. We supported our sports teams by going to their events, sang our Alma Mater at every opportunity, did community service when we could. Inside and outside of class, this teacher has made an impact on my life. In the end, I became a TA for his class my senior year even if it meant taking 8 periods. Oh, also, I’m in love with the subject of history so that was a plus.
The most challenging aspect of writing is knowing it is coming up. I love to write and once I’m in the mood, the words come to me but the anxiety I get before writing is what scares me the most. I mean, imagine sitting in a testing room, an AP testing room, waiting to open part 2 of your booklet to begin your test. You don’t know what they are going to ask you which means you don’t know what you’re going to write. That thought/feeling frightens me. Once you actually get into the planning and writing, it’s okay. So, I’d say the most difficult part of writing for me is before you actually know what you have to/are going to write about. Other than that, I love to read and write. I enjoy grammar and syntax, but what entertains me the most is creatively writing, or writing stories and fanfiction.
Magali Sanchez:
ReplyDelete1. My favorite class I've taken so far is calculus AB because it was very challenging and I found myself pushing myself more in order to understand it. I also liked it because in the end it was very rewarding with the AP exam and my grade in the class.
2. I find most challenging in writing coming up with significant commentary for essays. I find myself writing great concrete detail, but not knowing how to back up the details with evidence and commentary, but merely just stretching my response and making it sound repetative.
1) Describe the best class you have ever taken (anywhere).
ReplyDeleteThe best class that I have ever taken would have to be AP U.S history. It was one of the most difficult classes I’ve ever had, and probably the one with the most homework I’ve ever had also. Yet, through all the hours of reading and hard work and constant complaint, I can definitely say that it was one of the classes that made my love for history grow even stronger. The class consisted of reading 30 pages per chapter and writing a 10 to 12 page outline. Then about 5 chapters were summarized into a multiple choice test of 60 questions. I also, believe that the teacher has much to do with a student’s love for learning, and I was lucky to have a teacher like the one I did who stimulated us to learn and really understand history.
What I find most diffcult in the writing process, is how to come up with an idea and from there on elaborate it. I spend probably seventy five percent of the time trying to come up with something to write, and how to begin writing it.
ReplyDelete