A Letter to Ms. Rudd
Title: A Letter to Ms. Rudd
Date: 9/7/09
Summary: A beginning-of-the-year English assignment that I put off until the last minute.
Dear Ms. Rudd,
It is the closing of our first decade in the new millennium, and I have been placed in your English class to, similarly, close out my high school career. My strengths and weaknesses go hand in hand in bringing me great joy through reading, analyzing, and writing. My primary strength in English lies in my ability to enjoy words for their simplicity and versatility, but my most significant weakness is that I feel my vocabulary is not what it should be. Ultimately, words provide the framework for an English class and our interaction with them determines where we stand in the class and with the language, as scholars and as students.
For as much as I love words, it is unfortunate that I cannot find the same simple joys in reading. A masterfully written piece of literature is fine from time to time, and there is something very fulfilling about interpreting symbolism for all the depth that it was intended in a work, but this cannot compare with the intrinsic nature of fitting words together in such a way that reading them feels similar to looking at a work of art. For me, the appreciation of English is in the creation of art rather than looking at a finished product and deconstructing it to determine its meaning. I liken it to hiding the surprises, leaving the clues, and drawing the map for a treasure hunt. The joy of giving tends to overshadow the gratification of receiving.
Of all of the teaching methods I have encountered in the twelve years of schooling until now, my least favorite is memorizing and reciting poetry. While I am fully capable of it, there is something about reciting the same words over and over that nearly feels sinful. The true meaning of the words is lost along with the initial impact they once possessed. Memorization of poetry is a laborious and counterproductive way of learning and, to this day, I have yet to understand why it is still practiced.
My only other qualm with English is being made to work together with others. More often than not, the workload is not equally distributed among the members of a group; one or two people end up doing a large portion while the rest sit back and tackle the remaining bits and pieces that are, of course, much less challenging. Even when this is not the case, there are problems I encounter with group assignments that leave me feeling unsatisfied. Perhaps it is out of selfishness, perhaps out of pride, but I have found that creative differences often arise with my teammates and the finishing product, after so many different visions have been imparted, is not ideal or even satisfactory. Despite the challenges that come with working in groups, I have found the experiences to be stimulating and, for the most part, enjoyable so long as I am acquainted with those who I am working with. That is to say, I much prefer working with people I am comfortable holding a conversation with than people I would stay away from when walking to class.
If there is something you should know about me to support me during my final year of high school level English, it is that my original intention was to take AP English or to remain in the Academy (which is often thought of as an intermediate class). Due to my acceptance into AP Computer Science, I was unable to take Academy English, and AP English was a long shot after missing the meeting. If there is any way you could grade my paper to the best of your ability and provide advice in order for me to further my writing that would be very much appreciated. Aside from that, I can be rather self-sufficient and will do my best to take all that I can from your teachings this year. I am sure there will be some interesting times ahead for the both of us.
Sincerely,
Rachel
Date: 9/7/09
Summary: A beginning-of-the-year English assignment that I put off until the last minute.
Dear Ms. Rudd,
It is the closing of our first decade in the new millennium, and I have been placed in your English class to, similarly, close out my high school career. My strengths and weaknesses go hand in hand in bringing me great joy through reading, analyzing, and writing. My primary strength in English lies in my ability to enjoy words for their simplicity and versatility, but my most significant weakness is that I feel my vocabulary is not what it should be. Ultimately, words provide the framework for an English class and our interaction with them determines where we stand in the class and with the language, as scholars and as students.
For as much as I love words, it is unfortunate that I cannot find the same simple joys in reading. A masterfully written piece of literature is fine from time to time, and there is something very fulfilling about interpreting symbolism for all the depth that it was intended in a work, but this cannot compare with the intrinsic nature of fitting words together in such a way that reading them feels similar to looking at a work of art. For me, the appreciation of English is in the creation of art rather than looking at a finished product and deconstructing it to determine its meaning. I liken it to hiding the surprises, leaving the clues, and drawing the map for a treasure hunt. The joy of giving tends to overshadow the gratification of receiving.
Of all of the teaching methods I have encountered in the twelve years of schooling until now, my least favorite is memorizing and reciting poetry. While I am fully capable of it, there is something about reciting the same words over and over that nearly feels sinful. The true meaning of the words is lost along with the initial impact they once possessed. Memorization of poetry is a laborious and counterproductive way of learning and, to this day, I have yet to understand why it is still practiced.
My only other qualm with English is being made to work together with others. More often than not, the workload is not equally distributed among the members of a group; one or two people end up doing a large portion while the rest sit back and tackle the remaining bits and pieces that are, of course, much less challenging. Even when this is not the case, there are problems I encounter with group assignments that leave me feeling unsatisfied. Perhaps it is out of selfishness, perhaps out of pride, but I have found that creative differences often arise with my teammates and the finishing product, after so many different visions have been imparted, is not ideal or even satisfactory. Despite the challenges that come with working in groups, I have found the experiences to be stimulating and, for the most part, enjoyable so long as I am acquainted with those who I am working with. That is to say, I much prefer working with people I am comfortable holding a conversation with than people I would stay away from when walking to class.
If there is something you should know about me to support me during my final year of high school level English, it is that my original intention was to take AP English or to remain in the Academy (which is often thought of as an intermediate class). Due to my acceptance into AP Computer Science, I was unable to take Academy English, and AP English was a long shot after missing the meeting. If there is any way you could grade my paper to the best of your ability and provide advice in order for me to further my writing that would be very much appreciated. Aside from that, I can be rather self-sufficient and will do my best to take all that I can from your teachings this year. I am sure there will be some interesting times ahead for the both of us.
Sincerely,
Rachel