Final Reflections

               Throughout this school year, there have been many things that have taught me to be a better person. Even in this class, I have learned new things that will affect me throughout my whole life. One important thing I have learned is that you should not procrastinate to do your work. I have figured out that if you do this, you are making the work load a lot larger. Another thing I have learned is that you should always use proper manners whenever you are asking something, or just simply talking to someone you know or don't. This is very important because this is something that I can use for my whole entire time on Earth. The last important thing I have learned is that you need to make sure your work is the best it can be. I'll admit that there were times where I could have tried harder, or I could have done the little extra work to push my grade up a little. This will definitely occur when I attend high school and college, and when I decide to apply for a job. These three things are ones that I will use my whole life, and that is my they are very important to me. One thing I will remember from this class is being able to have open and honest discussions between the whole class. I really liked how this class was able to converse freely, and it really was good to hear everyone's opinions. I will also remember the socratic seminars where we learned so many different things from our peers. Those two things were probably the only things I will definitely remember.

              I think one of the nicest things someone has done for me in this class was make me eggless cookies. I never really thought that anyone would go out of their way to make me happy. Even though it was not necessary, this person still did it, and it really meant a lot to me. Another thing was helping me when I was confused or I didn't know what was happening after a day that I missed. Most people in this class have affect the way I act. (In a good way) I may not remember, but I really did appreciate anything that anyone has helped me with. I remember teaching some of my peers something new things from the AOW gallery walks. It was really cool to be able to teach someone something that they knew about, or they had no clue about. When you taught someone something, you also got a lot of knowledge in return, and I am forever grateful for that. It almost felt like being a teacher for a day, well probably not. But it was still a fun experience. Other than that, I do not really remember if I taught anyone anything else, at least about this class.

               I feel like I improved in many places. I think this class has exposed me to more reading and understanding. In the beginning of seventh grade, I did not like reading at all. This class has helped me become more comfortable with reading and enjoying it at the same time. I also think my writing has become more mature and more intelligent. This is a really big thing for me, because I never really knew how to write like an adult, and this is something I am happy to have learned. This class has really helped me become more exposed to high school material. This is good for everyone in this class, and I am very glad all of us will be prepared for things that will be a lot more difficult. I am very happy that I have grown as a student and a person. The most challenging part about this year was coming out of my shell, and allowing myself to grow. Also, it was hard for me to allow changes in my literature skills. I never really knew a lot about reading and writing, but now I feel so much better about those things. I really tried to keep an open mind, and it really helped me.

              I think my strongest piece of work was the To Kill A Mockingbird paper. I really was happy with the way this argumentative paper came out. I never really wrote an essay like that, and I was very surprised with the fact that it wasn't very hard when you got used to it. I also believe that my Blackfish paper was strong as well. I just feel like the argumentative unit was a very easy subject for me near the end, but in the beginning it was something new. Out of the books I have read this year, I think that the Twilight books have to be my favorite. These books were the perfect genre for me, and I really did enjoy reading each word on every page. My other favorite book was The Color Purple because it was a book that moved me personally. As you can see, I have done many blogs about this book, and I really enjoyed the conflicts that went on. These two books have impacted my love for reading because I have never read books that made me want to read on. When I was younger, I got bored of books and I usually did not finish ones that I started. This year, that has totally changed.

               There are many things that you need to be prepared for for these two classes. You really need to make sure that you get all of your work done on time, or else you will not be prepared for the next socratic seminar, discussion, or maybe even a quiz. This causes you to be behind, and that is not what you want. In this class, you do everything in a small period of time, and you need to prioritize. Another thing that you need to know is that this class will not get easier. If you think you can slack off and not pay attention, you will really struggle. Some classes may be fun, but you need to remember that you must stay on top of everything. You may be stronger in a certain subject from the class, but not everything will be a walk in the park. I really enjoyed this class because you got to learn a new thing everyday. This is one thing that you need to keep in your mind throughout your whole year in this class. You must have an open mind when you are going to learn something new. You will be exposed to high school material and it will not be easy to get used to the workload. Just remember: this class is going to benefit you in the future, and it is only preparing you for what is next.