Come into every class and each book with an open mind. This class has helped me grow as a person and I have learned so much about myself, others, and the world. Embrace the new knowledge and use it. Don't be afraid to participate in conversations and work with your classmates, it makes a big difference not just in the learning experience but in life (and it really helps when it comes to assignments).~Aurora Earl
SHE KNOWS. When you come to class unprepared, she can tell. She has been doing this for a REALLY long time!
Do the homework - sometimes it seems like a lot but it will always help you. Take it from somebody who knows, turning things in late is never the way to go. Just do the work, do it on time, and you’re set!~ Ally Bill
Find an essay structure that works best for you. Then continue to refine it until you are comfortable writing with it. Having confidence in your essay structure will help you to write essays better and, if you are able to follow a structure that works for you, you will find that essays aren't nearly as hard as they first seemed to be.~ Riley Thompson
Read all of the books and participate in discussions! It can be really impactful and fun!" - Renae Schmucker
The best advice I can leave you is to remain engaged and to enjoy every moment. I understand the struggle to remain present in class but it makes all the difference to your comprehension of text when you engage in class discussions. Remember to enjoy the little things and your small victories in class. You’ll do great! PS: Lit trackers are always better when you work as a group ;) ~Christella Santiago
If you can help it, do not stress over things in school, at least not to an extreme amount. You know soon you will be starting your life, college, work, or wherever life takes you, that is sooner and closer than you may think. You will be okay, push through, but do not wear yourself out, grades matter, but so do you! Enjoy your last year, and Juniors, start strong!~ Kristy Gagliardi
1) Express your thoughts in group discussions! There will sometimes be entire class periods, especially in Year 2, completely dedicated to sharing your thoughts and observations as a class. Don't be afraid to share what you think. It is so much fun hearing everyone's perspectives, and it makes reading the books so much more enjoyable. 2) Take pride in the work that you turn in. Don't submit something with the mindset that it's just "good enough." Submit your best work each time, because this is how you grow as a writer and as a student. School isn't just about passing; utilize each assignment as a chance to learn and improve.
~ Alyssa Fine
Don’t be afraid to pair up with people and get different viewpoints on the lit trackers! They’re super intimidating, but they often don’t have to be done individually, and doing it with your table group or friends opens up great discussions on your books! Also, just trying your best to genuinely enjoy the book makes the class so much better, if you’re into a book it will be so much more fun when you have to do stuff with it! Good luck y’all! :) ~Emmaline Walser
Practice trying your hardest in every assignment and you'll notice over time it becomes routine. ~Ashlyn Barney
When you first start the DP Language and Literature Program, become familiar with your end goal. Familiarize yourself with what exactly you will be tested on; recognize the differences between paper 1, paper 2, and look deeply into what the IO consists of. When you know your end goal, you know what you are working towards and how exactly each piece throughout the program fits into your path.
My advice to the upcoming juniors and seniors would be to stay on top of the lit tracker and fill it out as you read it rather than fill it all out at the end. I would also recommend keeping up with all the readings because it gets extremely easy to fall behind so make sure to prioritize time management. ~Brionna Robles
You've got to find some way, no matter how small, to enjoy the books that you're reading. It will make your time fun and enjoyable. Make sure you talk once a day ~Tristan Schmidt
If you are going to procrastinate, learn what you can procrastinate on and what you can not procrastinate on. thank you.~Joe Barcala
Check the language arts website!!
Do rough drafts/outlines on time (you WANT the feedback!)
Try new things and see what all you can do, there is no limit except the one you make for yourself (and the due dates for assignments). ~Darby Slack
Be authentically yourself, always. This is the only life you will live, and you are the only you to ever exist.
Try hard in school. Being indifferent and complacent about life is not cool, and it won’t get you very far.
Implement the culture of error in your life. Make mistakes, a lot of them. Learn from them, grow from them, and make mistakes all over again. It's okay to be imperfect, expected even!
Do the lit trackers, fill them out with your friends and groups. Put important quotes and character-defining moments on the document. Essentially, fill out the lit tracker with the inevitable future essay in mind. This will help you so you don’t have to scramble to find quotes last minute!
Try not to procrastinate (especially with the essays). I know that it’s tempting, but you will always end up giving yourself way more stress than necessary.
Comparison is the thief of joy. Just do your best and try not to compare your grades or progress to your classmates and friends. You are doing amazing and making progress on your own time.
Respect others, you never really know what your classmates could be going through.
Work hard, be humble, be kind, help others, and you will make life easier for yourself and everyone around you. ~ Ashley Hoffman
Have as much fun as you can. Yes, schoolwork is important but if you’re stressing too much you won’t have any memories to look back on :) ~Halle White
Take good notes in your books! I hate writing in books but use a pencil so you can erase it later, it helps you make so many connections in the novel you might not have seen and makes your analysis skills so much better when you analyze while you read. I wish I would've taken notes like I did Senior year in my Junior year because it would've helped me with my essays and made the discussions so much better. Also, don't be afraid to say anything that you think while reading in class, the discussions are so beneficial to understanding the book and sometimes you think of something that others don't. TURN IN YOUR ASSIGNMENTS ON TIME! It's so much less stressful and you have a more beneficial critical friends session. CRITICAL FRIENDS IS SO BENEFICIAL! Ask multiple people to look at your essays, even outside of class. I usually have at least 2 people look over every essay and it gives me a better perspective. The last thing I would say is to complete your lit tracker in a group because it allows you to have other people's notes and perspectives which ends up being really beneficial. ~Charleigh Wilson
Do your Lit Trackers while reading the book or join a group so that someone else can do it for you at least.~Anders Sabo
Hello everyone, I have two pieces of advice, first treat Mrs. Caraway very well because she is very kind, generous, and understanding. Don’t take advantage of her kindness, just talk to her without makings excuses about the situation. 2)Even though it seems a tiring and long process of doing the lit trackers, keep on top of them and don’t finish them the night before it is due. Do your lit trackers anytime you are reading, it is easier in the end when this is finished for writing your essays. Enjoy these last couple years of school -it will go by fast; make the most of every moment! Love, Celeste Dillon
Make sure to fill out the lit trackers as you have active conversations in class and do them on time! I understood the books so much more when I wrote everything down in my lit tracker. Also, do not procrastinate in this class. Your essays and assignments are all something you NEED. Mrs. Caraway does not believe in busy work which means you are doing everything that you should be and need to be doing! Have fun and enjoy the class and if you aren’t at where you want to be in your writing, set time aside to work with Mrs. Caraway to improve because chances are she knows how to help you ;) practice at home too and always strive to improve because it will pay off. ~ Rebekah Bosc
Just try to be on top of all of your work, it'll help in the long run when you have a lot of assignments due at once. ~Carol Young
Dig deep into all of the books that you read! Mrs.Caraway chooses amazing books for the DP English classes to study and the class is so much more enjoyable when you become immersed in the characters, setting and plot. Alongside this, don’t judge a book by its cover, or what the summary on the back of the book says. Truly read the book and if it isn’t your favorite I can assure you that there is at least one thing or take away that you can find in the book :)
Get to know your fellow classmates! If you’ve known these people your whole life or if this is your first class with them, get to know them better. Ask questions about their lives. Learn their insights and beliefs on topics. You will see these people four out of the seven days of the week and I promise you that it’s worthwhile to move outside of your personal bubble and get to know those around you. After all, we rise and grow by getting to know others and lifting them up.
Use a planner! Or a sticky note, or a doc, anything that you can write down your assignments and due dates on. We’ve all tried to remember every assignment and then are frantically rushing the period before English to finish the work. Manage your time well and set yourself up for success by organizing your assignments and due dates.
Ask questions! No question is a dumb question no matter how dumb you feel asking it. You never know when your question will answer someone else's question or how much clarity it will bring! Mrs. Caraway has infinite knowledge beyond the topic of English and she will truly do whatever it takes to answer your questions and help you succeed.
Use grammarly and read your essay out loud before you submit! It helps you to catch any and all grammatical errors. And don’t EVER forget to capitalize I - that is the most important rule of writing- ALWAYS capitalize I and proper nouns. ~ Ella Pedersen
Okay, now it's time to reflect and respond!
Future Year 2 scholars: What piece of advice above really resonates with you? What advice or words of reflection would you like to add?
Year 1 Scholars: Welcome! What words of advice do you find most helpful or interesting? What do you see as your greatest source of anxiety and/or excitement? Why are you here, and what are you hoping to accomplish this year?
