AP Seminar: March 20-March 31

I haven’t updated in awhile (sorry! So busy!), but we are clipping right along with Individual Written Arguments. Students are working this weekend on rough drafts and bringing those to class on Monday.  We will spend this whole week revising, editing, and rethinking those pieces. It would be fantastic if you could offer to be a second set of eyes on their drafts. I am very limited by the College Board in the amount of specific feedback I can give at this point. I can ask lots of questions and make general suggestions, but I can’t correct grammar, suggest phrasing changes, etc. If they’re unwilling to let you look at it, encourage them to ask other trusted editors to take a peak!

I’ve been very happy with their level of commitment to the writing process with this piece. So many of them have struggled all year with the desire to put their writing off until the last minute. They’re sure they write best under pressure. I pointed out that if they always write under pressure and they’re doing well, imagine how great their writing could be if they took time to think and process!!   With most, that seems to have worked, but there are still a few stragglers out there insisting on waiting until the last minute. If you see your student burning the midnight oil tonight, I’d encourage you to have a little chat about planning and working over time.  It’s not always possible--they are so, so busy--but when they do have opportunities to spread out their work, they should.

Final drafts of the IWA will be due a week from Monday and then we will spend the week before break working on preparing their Individual Presentations.  My hope is that most of them will be able to get the bulk of their work done prior to Spring Break so that they can take a true break from Seminar that week!! After break (the second week in April) we will start practicing and giving each other feedback. The students are hoping to have another parent night since that was so useful last time. I’m trying to figure out the logistics of that and will get details to you as soon as possible.


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