Self Evaluation
Self Evaluation- 8th Grade English
Sarah Hands Exams
Reading/Writing Self-Evaluation
8th Grade English
Spring 2015
This year, I have read the following major works in English class: The Old Man and the Sea, To Kill a Mockingbird, Night, and Romeo and Juliet. In addition, I have read some short selections from our To Be a Hero anthology. Of all of the major works, my favorite was To Kill a Mockingbird because it was very relatable and I felt like I really understood it, not that this should be a reason for a book to be your favorite but I felt like it really spoke to me on some levels. Most books I get very intimidated by, Sword in the Stone, Romeo and Juliet, just because the writing is small and the words and context is harder to read and reading was never something I have been that good at. In To Kill a Mockingbird, I wasn’t that intimidated by it, and when I read it, I did not have to go back and re-read pages or look up summaries online to understand it. Also, it had a very relatable and relevant story which made the book more into a movie or some real life experience that has happened to someone. When it really started to get into the trail and Boo Radley revealing himself more and more I became attached. I remember one night when Boo Radley had just saved Jem and Scouts lives, I stopped immediately and search for hours on the internet of the legend of Boo Radley and people like him. I was convinced that Harper Lee was hiding the truth because she did not want to get her friends (Boo) in trouble. After a while I was way into the internet and just watching videos of hermits and hoarders, but there were some stories just like Boo’s. Overall I think this book really caught my interest and I have never had a book do that to me before, especially one from school. Of the shorter works, my favorite was the letter A because it was a true story of a true miracle. I really like this book because everyone just thinks Christy is some hopeless boy whose mind is blank, but really he is smarter than anyone can image, and he didn’t even go to school or anything. It shows that his position is so much worse to anything you are in and if he can do it so can you. Christy gives hope to people all over the world and he is inspiring on so many levels.
In addition to the required reading discussed above, I read Fault in Our stars, Secret life of Bees, and The Little Prince during the summer. My favorite summer-reading book was Wonder by R. J. Palacio because it was about a kid our age, our personalities, somebody just like me, but since he looked a differnt he was treated to a whole new extreme level of dis provence. Auggie was the nicest sweetest kid ever, who has the personality that anyone could love, but he was ignored and hated. People always say how they would never treat someone different because of their looks, or they don’t judge someone on their appearance, just like they would have not one doubt of taking a second look or treating Auggie different. When I first started the book I expected to daze off and then not know what was going on, but the introduction was so simple but yet so intriguing it made me stay on task. After finishing the book I almost wanted to re-read the entire thing (which I did, this year), it was like I missed the characters so much, I felt like they were actually alive and living and telling me their story one by one. When we started To Kill a Mockingbird and Boo Radley was first introduced the thought immediately popped into my mind. Boo Radley and Auggie were exactly alike on almost everything. Boo was a nice young man who has never done anything wrong but his reputation and conditions scard almost everyone off. Boo had not done anything to anyone, he only had good intentions, just like Auggie. Auggie was nice, sweet, smart but everyone judged him by his looks and reputation. In either two of these situations, someone around them made an effort to know them (Jem and Scout or Summer and Jack Will) and they quickly and clearly saw there is really nothing wrong with them, but something wrong with society. Boo and Auggie both had supporters, haters, untrue reputations, invisibility, heroic acts/traits unseen, it’s like the two authors got together and talked about how they can relate their main characters. I always never understood how someone so innocent has to be punished by society because we are so messed up and wrong; we have a faulty code.
This year, we wrote more than I have before, and the piece I enjoyed working on the most was the Santiago’s chunks and commentary because this was the first time we started getting into blending quotes, commentary, and CD’s. At the time I didn’t think much of the project, but without that starting base step, I would have been very lost. I also really like looking back and reading my piece, see how I wrote it, what my idea back then was on how to do these new skills. They weren't completely correct, but i’m glad I made the mistake to learn from it. Since 1st grade I always loved writing and had tons of creative ideas to share, I just never was able to put it down in writing. My writing was all over place, it was crazy. I always struggled throughout lower school and middle school, but this year it changed. My writing still isn’t amazing and has a lot of work, but I have gotten a lot more control of it and I couldn’t have achieved any of that without you.
My favorite project this year was the upstanders project. I really enjoyed this because it showed you how to use your time wisely because you worked on the project on your own time. Also, I liked how the idea that it was anything you wanted, you could create and put together two different projects and make it one. I did a linkin-log lego city with an acrostic poem going with it. I finished my poem in the first couple days and the weekend before I made my lego/lincoln-log city. I had one big house and then three buildings on the side. The one big building represented the safe haven for the Jews to hide in and the three buildings on the side were symbolized as “watch towers”. Right around the corner were the bad guys… inches away from catching the Jews and taking them and anyone around them or even knowing they were there to death camps but still, the people of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon risked their lives. When I was building the miniature city it showed me how the townspeople were literally feet away from their death, but they still tried to direct and save as many Jews as possible. I’m not even going to get into how they didn't expect any rewards for their heroic acts because I know I will go on and on, but this one city is something to always remember and I always compare what I do to it. If i'm not sure about a decision or if something is a good leadership act, I look back to the city of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon and think what would they have done?
In my year in 8th grade, schoology was completely knew and I didn’t understand it at all. Another problem is after I finished all the homework I had assigned during school that day I was completely done, I wasn't going back to check my schoology, I refused. Of course, this method did not work at all. When I finally started to use schoology and check it regularly I really noticed a difference. As a result of this I also was reminded of assignments I almost forgot, readings, membean, and extra credit options. I really like schoology too because you can see your grades and so if you see you have a C in one class or a low B you can really stay on top of it and maybe even meet with the teacher and ask if you can do anything. When a teacher had a rubric for a project, paper, assignment, it was always the very most helpful in my opinion. I can’t tell you how many times I have read over the rubric and found multiple directions, formats, information, errors I have forgot. Rubrics are one of the most important and crucial things for an assignment and if I did not have one I guarantee I would have at least 5 points lower on each paper.
My overall impression of eighth-grade English is transforming and awesome. Completely honest, if I didn’t have this class, or came into ESD in 9th grade, multiple class would dramatically lower, especially english. All of the reading, matrix, doozie quotes it showed me how to get deeper and more involved opinion in a book. Next year I feel that at least half of what we were taught in in English will be used next year, and the year after that, and the year after that and then in college and then in real life. I am so thankful to have a teacher so into it all and happy to help me learn so so much. I have never been good at reading, grammar, writing, and this year all of it has improved because of you and that's the best thing you could ever give your student. I don’t know how to thank you, it really means a lot for how much you put up with our class and we will all miss you very much! Thank you for this year, I will always remember you as my 8th grade english teacher.
Reading/Writing Self-Evaluation
8th Grade English
Spring 2015
This year, I have read the following major works in English class: The Old Man and the Sea, To Kill a Mockingbird, Night, and Romeo and Juliet. In addition, I have read some short selections from our To Be a Hero anthology. Of all of the major works, my favorite was To Kill a Mockingbird because it was very relatable and I felt like I really understood it, not that this should be a reason for a book to be your favorite but I felt like it really spoke to me on some levels. Most books I get very intimidated by, Sword in the Stone, Romeo and Juliet, just because the writing is small and the words and context is harder to read and reading was never something I have been that good at. In To Kill a Mockingbird, I wasn’t that intimidated by it, and when I read it, I did not have to go back and re-read pages or look up summaries online to understand it. Also, it had a very relatable and relevant story which made the book more into a movie or some real life experience that has happened to someone. When it really started to get into the trail and Boo Radley revealing himself more and more I became attached. I remember one night when Boo Radley had just saved Jem and Scouts lives, I stopped immediately and search for hours on the internet of the legend of Boo Radley and people like him. I was convinced that Harper Lee was hiding the truth because she did not want to get her friends (Boo) in trouble. After a while I was way into the internet and just watching videos of hermits and hoarders, but there were some stories just like Boo’s. Overall I think this book really caught my interest and I have never had a book do that to me before, especially one from school. Of the shorter works, my favorite was the letter A because it was a true story of a true miracle. I really like this book because everyone just thinks Christy is some hopeless boy whose mind is blank, but really he is smarter than anyone can image, and he didn’t even go to school or anything. It shows that his position is so much worse to anything you are in and if he can do it so can you. Christy gives hope to people all over the world and he is inspiring on so many levels.
In addition to the required reading discussed above, I read Fault in Our stars, Secret life of Bees, and The Little Prince during the summer. My favorite summer-reading book was Wonder by R. J. Palacio because it was about a kid our age, our personalities, somebody just like me, but since he looked a differnt he was treated to a whole new extreme level of dis provence. Auggie was the nicest sweetest kid ever, who has the personality that anyone could love, but he was ignored and hated. People always say how they would never treat someone different because of their looks, or they don’t judge someone on their appearance, just like they would have not one doubt of taking a second look or treating Auggie different. When I first started the book I expected to daze off and then not know what was going on, but the introduction was so simple but yet so intriguing it made me stay on task. After finishing the book I almost wanted to re-read the entire thing (which I did, this year), it was like I missed the characters so much, I felt like they were actually alive and living and telling me their story one by one. When we started To Kill a Mockingbird and Boo Radley was first introduced the thought immediately popped into my mind. Boo Radley and Auggie were exactly alike on almost everything. Boo was a nice young man who has never done anything wrong but his reputation and conditions scard almost everyone off. Boo had not done anything to anyone, he only had good intentions, just like Auggie. Auggie was nice, sweet, smart but everyone judged him by his looks and reputation. In either two of these situations, someone around them made an effort to know them (Jem and Scout or Summer and Jack Will) and they quickly and clearly saw there is really nothing wrong with them, but something wrong with society. Boo and Auggie both had supporters, haters, untrue reputations, invisibility, heroic acts/traits unseen, it’s like the two authors got together and talked about how they can relate their main characters. I always never understood how someone so innocent has to be punished by society because we are so messed up and wrong; we have a faulty code.
This year, we wrote more than I have before, and the piece I enjoyed working on the most was the Santiago’s chunks and commentary because this was the first time we started getting into blending quotes, commentary, and CD’s. At the time I didn’t think much of the project, but without that starting base step, I would have been very lost. I also really like looking back and reading my piece, see how I wrote it, what my idea back then was on how to do these new skills. They weren't completely correct, but i’m glad I made the mistake to learn from it. Since 1st grade I always loved writing and had tons of creative ideas to share, I just never was able to put it down in writing. My writing was all over place, it was crazy. I always struggled throughout lower school and middle school, but this year it changed. My writing still isn’t amazing and has a lot of work, but I have gotten a lot more control of it and I couldn’t have achieved any of that without you.
My favorite project this year was the upstanders project. I really enjoyed this because it showed you how to use your time wisely because you worked on the project on your own time. Also, I liked how the idea that it was anything you wanted, you could create and put together two different projects and make it one. I did a linkin-log lego city with an acrostic poem going with it. I finished my poem in the first couple days and the weekend before I made my lego/lincoln-log city. I had one big house and then three buildings on the side. The one big building represented the safe haven for the Jews to hide in and the three buildings on the side were symbolized as “watch towers”. Right around the corner were the bad guys… inches away from catching the Jews and taking them and anyone around them or even knowing they were there to death camps but still, the people of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon risked their lives. When I was building the miniature city it showed me how the townspeople were literally feet away from their death, but they still tried to direct and save as many Jews as possible. I’m not even going to get into how they didn't expect any rewards for their heroic acts because I know I will go on and on, but this one city is something to always remember and I always compare what I do to it. If i'm not sure about a decision or if something is a good leadership act, I look back to the city of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon and think what would they have done?
In my year in 8th grade, schoology was completely knew and I didn’t understand it at all. Another problem is after I finished all the homework I had assigned during school that day I was completely done, I wasn't going back to check my schoology, I refused. Of course, this method did not work at all. When I finally started to use schoology and check it regularly I really noticed a difference. As a result of this I also was reminded of assignments I almost forgot, readings, membean, and extra credit options. I really like schoology too because you can see your grades and so if you see you have a C in one class or a low B you can really stay on top of it and maybe even meet with the teacher and ask if you can do anything. When a teacher had a rubric for a project, paper, assignment, it was always the very most helpful in my opinion. I can’t tell you how many times I have read over the rubric and found multiple directions, formats, information, errors I have forgot. Rubrics are one of the most important and crucial things for an assignment and if I did not have one I guarantee I would have at least 5 points lower on each paper.
My overall impression of eighth-grade English is transforming and awesome. Completely honest, if I didn’t have this class, or came into ESD in 9th grade, multiple class would dramatically lower, especially english. All of the reading, matrix, doozie quotes it showed me how to get deeper and more involved opinion in a book. Next year I feel that at least half of what we were taught in in English will be used next year, and the year after that, and the year after that and then in college and then in real life. I am so thankful to have a teacher so into it all and happy to help me learn so so much. I have never been good at reading, grammar, writing, and this year all of it has improved because of you and that's the best thing you could ever give your student. I don’t know how to thank you, it really means a lot for how much you put up with our class and we will all miss you very much! Thank you for this year, I will always remember you as my 8th grade english teacher.