M.+Course+Reflection

Course Reflection

Without a doubt, English is the subject I excel at the most. Every year my English teacher pushes me to take advanced the next year due to my ability in the subject. Then, each year I decline, and end up taking the standard course. It’s not that I don’t want to take the class, nor is it because I am afraid of the challenge. Unfortunately, I do not excel in subjects such as algebra and chemistry, which require my full attention. So, even though I take the bare minimum English class, each year I am still surprised by my improvement. Freshman year is where I really started out learning how to write short stories and essays. I learned how to gather my ideas and put them together in a understandable and interesting way. That year is the year where I wrote my best short story which I believe is still my best work to this day. Sophomore year is the year where I learned about literature all around the world. Poetry was and still is the aspect of English I struggle with. I found it difficult to understand poems from other cultures because they have different believes and traditions that we don’t have here in America. With a little help and understanding, I was able to open my eyes to see things in a different perspective. Also that year, we read some interesting stories that I did not expect to exist. My favorite from that year is Dante’s Inferno. This was my first time reading a parody and it interested me that the author could write this elaborate story that all really talked about real people of his time

Before writing this reflection, I reviewed my SOL pretest that I wrote in the beginning of this year. I can most certainly tell that my writing has improved significantly throughout this year by reading this piece. Not only it is barely a page long, but the sentences are short and choppy, and have no advanced vocabulary. Although this hasn’t been my best piece, I do have to give myself a little credit where it is due. I was able to stay on a specific topic and explain my point of view, but there is no spice, no hook to keep the reader interested. Yes, this was a boring prompt, but this year I have learned to take that boring prompt and make into something that will keep the reader wanting more. This is a good tool that can be used not only in high school, but beyond. While writing this reflection, I was able to tap back into my memories and really consider how much I have improved throughout my years here at Kempsville. In my English studies, I have learned a variety of things that I can apply to the college English course that I will take someday. Actually, I recently enrolled in the Tidewater Community College Dual-Enrollment course here at Kempsville. This is a six credit college English course that I will be taking next year to get an early start on college. I know that all I have already learned will help me excel through this course next year.