Getting Started

Welcome AP students, friends and family. Although there is very little here now, this will soon become our AP English headquarters, while we prepare ourselves for the course proper.

As I mentioned to interested students last year, there is a great deal of reading to be done in preparation for this Winter's course, and unfortunately much of that reading must be done independently. Although I will make myself available to you during study periods, between classes and after school, you should be well-aware that your success in the course will depend largely on your ability to work independently, and on your own free-time. I know that this will not be easy for some of you, but I believe that this course, and the work that you will do in preparation for it will prepare you for university like nothing else you have done in your high-school career.

Since we will not be meeting during class-time this semester, I would like to use this blog to communicate with you, and to help guide you in your AP preparation. I will post reading and writing assignments here, as well as any interesting links that I come across that I think may be of use or interest to you, and I would ask you to do the same by making use of the "comment" option. This will be the first time that I have ever offered a course like this one, and believe that the only way that any of us will be successful in this endeavour is if we work together collaboratively (this goes for parents as well, if you are listening).

In addition to the blog, I will attempt to list a number of other technological tools that will help us to share our learning, but we will also have to meet face-to-face on a semi-regular basis. If I can manage this during our twenty minute, daily study period, I will. If not, we may have to examine noon hour or after-school meetings. Ultimately, we will do whatever we can to make sure that our first foray into Advanced Placement is a pleasant and successful one for all involved.

To start things off, I would like to open the floor to you the students (or, parents of students, as the case may be). What are your hopes, dreams or concerns with regards to this course? What do you think that this course will do for you? What is your greatest fear? We'll discuss these in some detail in our first meeting, but you should feel free to voice any questions or concerns you have, and I will do my best (with your collaboration, of course) to answer them.

Mr. D.