Final TOW- Letter to the future of APELC

To the future of APELC,

Welcome to a class of ups and downs, of happy and sad, of ridiculously eye opening readings. Now that I am groomed and honed from the past year, I am able to impart wisdom unto you. Your year is bound to be interesting and this is what I wish I'd been told/things to look out for.

      1.  You are not a bad writer

Just because someone is going to help you improve, does not mean that you aren’t good at writing. The entirety of the year gives you tools that can help you clarify and better your essays. The potential grade- shock on the summer essay may sting, but if you look back at it at the end of the year, you will completely agree with it. Don't let your ego get in the way of improving your writing, and don't forget: you are not a terrible writer but you are not perfect.

2. People have different tastes

Throughout the course of the year, different people will read and grade your papers and projects. At the end of the day, the only opinion that truly matters is your own. While you are learning you should take advice, but don’t forget to question it if you don’t understand.

           3. Take advantage of the readings

I have shaped my views and opinions of the world throughout the course of this year. When you are exposed to Plato, This is Water, and Thoreau; it exposes you to different ways of thinking.  Being a good thinker leads to being a good writer, which leads to a good AP and report card score (if that’s important to you). Plus, it’s not in every class where you get to wear a toga to school and debate intelligently about philosophy.

4.   Ask for help from Yost or Pronko-> two teachers = double the ideas

If you’re down or troubled and need some love and care and nothing, nothing is going right, the best thing you can do is try and adjust your approach to what you are doing. APELC is special because there are two teachers who have different ways of thinking. One of their methods is bound to work for you. Don’t be afraid to ask both for assistance if you feel stuck, or to talk to me. Any student who went through this course had to figure some stuff out, and we love to talk about how we did it. So ask. That first line was Carole King, by the way.

Much love,

Chloe Becker