Funded Oct 4, 2019I have twenty-four students in my AP Language and Composition class. Students are scheduled to take their AP Language and Composition test in May 2020. Until then, they take Unit and Formative Assessments on the AP College Board website. The pivotal approach in interpreting the pieces in THE BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS 2018 is through the guise of rhetoric. (The surplus of books will remain in my classroom library.) Each student was assigned an essay to read to analyze its rhetorical situation, and ultimately to facilitate the discussion of the rhetorical angle of the essay to the class. So far, we have read ten of the essays. We will read and analyze each essay in the anthology by February.
Students are grateful for the opportunity of enhancing their understanding of essay writing and the rhetorical situation. One student claims to have been able to "overlook the challenging aspects of understanding rhetoric" because of the anthology. Another student described our discussions of the essays as avenues to have "deeper discussions and debates." I have a student who just learned English three years ago. She says, with excitement, "This book has helped me see different viewpoints, and understand how authors develop language to persuade readers." The brillantly-edited anthology has exposed my students to world outside of their classroom in a way that has enlightened their knowledge of how to thoroughly analyze a nonfiction piece.
Students also were able to make personal connections to the essays. One student states that the "impact the book has had on [him] helped [him] further understand the skills, techniques, and ideas apparent in English writing." Another student claims that one particular essay, "My Father's Cellar," was understood on a personal level because of the intricacies of the rhetorical situation, thus being exposed to ways of "connecting with [his] stepfather more." I have one student who I placed in the AP Language class because I knew in a more challenging atmosphere, he would be able to succeed. He was hesitant about the class in September, but now welcomes the challenges of the class and attributes the anthology to improving his "debate skills and [his] overall class participation."
The purpose of having books donated to the class was for students to be able to annotate and highlight. 100% of students qualify for free lunch, so our students are used to using borrowed books and supplies. I wanted my students to experience the joy of interacting with a book, having inked conversations with the authors, and personalizing interpretations. One student said that having such opportunity makes her "feel very mature and professional."
I see my Bronx students of color going beyond the classroom, understanding that their lives are full of choices, and grabbing the choices that are available to them for their own personal successes. I thank you, tremendously, for giving us the opportunity to expand our scholastic horizons. My students will have this book forever, and they will know that you were the ones who opened the door to strong analytical interactions with authors, then ultimately, with themselves as intellects.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tullis