Final Reflection

    The three most important things that I learned this year would have to be the TIQA format, memorization skills, and how to use word choice to my advantage. Before learning the TIQA format, I tended to rant a lot, and I never knew where to begin or when to stop. I believe that learning this skill has also taught me how to be organized when writing, and now I use the TIQA whenever I have to write in any class. In the first half of the year, I never got one 100% on a vocabulary test because I was absolutely horrid at remembering the words and much less the definitions. Now, with Quizlet, even though it wasn't something I actually learned, it was something that has really helped me throughout the school, and it has also helped me with my organization skills. Finally, I think that the most important thing that I have learned and the one thing that will be engraved into my memory for the rest of my life is word choice. Even though I'm not really the best at it, I think that being in this class has definitely helped me improve the way I talk to people, as well as how I write papers. I learned that you shouldn't just use a synonymous word because sometimes it is better to stay simple; but at the same time, I learned that you should try to use bigger words because eventually, after using them from time to time, you will remember them and use them in your everyday speech. I believe that improving my word choice has been my biggest improvement, and it may not seem like a big deal, but personally, I can see the maturity in my writing now, which is extremely satisfying. I was recently looking back at old blog posts and comparing them with recent blog posts and I can tell that I actually think about what I'm going to write before I actually do, which consequently leads to a better written piece.

    I think I will remember doing the Holocaust unit, from reading first hand accounts of survivors, to watching the film Life is Beautiful, the most out of what he have done this year. I believe that this year was the most in depth education that I have gotten ever since I started learning about the Holocaust and it was a lot more interactive learning instead of just reading which is why I believe I don't really remember much of the Holocaust details from previous years. My favorite part of the Holocaust Unit was either watching Life is Beautiful  or the Holocaust webquest. I had never seen Life is Beautiful so it struck me pretty hard in my feels when I we watched it in class. And even though the movie was an account that was probably very, very rare, I believe that it really captured the Holocaust in a completely different view than we are taught, while at the same time, helping me understand things about the Holocaust that I didn't previously know or get. For example, I thought that if anyone in a family was Jewish than the entire family would be taken to either a work or extermination camp, but when the Nazis didn't take Guido's wife, because she wasn't born Jewish was really surprising. The Holocaust web quest was also very informative, and I really liked how we would be able to read more about a topic that interested us, instead of just looking for answers. Even though the web quest was super long and at times was agonizing, it helped me with independent studies as well as being able to guide my own learning. While doing the web quest I learned about the "Angel of Death" Dr. Josef Mengele, who did experiments of prisoners in Auschwitz.

    The most challenging part of this class this year, probably had to be the Butterfly project. I think that I procrastinated a lot, and in the end I made a ton of work for myself. Personally, I think that designing the project was the worst for me because I'm not creative and I can't come up with a well-put together picture that represented my poem. It was also tough because of the requirements to get a good grade, like using various materials, and like I said, I'm not really creative, so it was pretty difficult to do that. Also, I always kind of had the thought that it had to be extremely solemn and respectful, because even though we were doing this cool arts & crafts projects, it was kind of like commemorating the children who were kept prisoners during the Holocaust. I guess I just didn't want to make my butterfly look like celebration even if the mood and tone of my piece was hopeful.

I don't think I could pinpoint one specific thing that my classmates have done for me that has helped me because everyone has been so great. I know I've had this conversation with many of the other people in this class; that Mrs. Larson's class is the only one where everyone actually talks to each other, even if it only the two periods. Everyone has been so friendly and everyone knows how to have a fun time, while at the same time caring about actually learning which a created a really great atmosphere. I'm really gonna miss you guys :):

I don't think I have taught my classmates or Mrs. Larson anything.?

I believe that I am most proud of my argumentative paper, which I also believe it to be my best written piece this year. I think that it was the unit that we spent the most time on and that is where i learned about the TIQA format and where I learned how valuable word choice is. I also believe that the argumentative piece was the biggest and like the most mature one, because it involved so much research. It also allowed people to go their own direction, it wasn't like we were forced to say that Sea World was amazing if we didn't believe that.

Out of the books I read this year, which weren't many, I would say that Murderous Minds would be my favorite because it was the first time i actually branched out from my teen romance novels for a non-fiction, psychology book; and since I want to major in forensic psychology in the future, it was truly interesting. I think that not only was it interesting, but it was also extremely informative and I brag about the facts that I remember, a lot. From reading that book, I have now bought two more psychology books which I am reading. :) I also have to add that Tuesdays With Morrie was an incredible book that included huge lessons, and I am certain that I will reread it in the future.

For the eighth grade students coming in next year, make the most out of your year. Being in Mrs. Larson's classes are so much fun, but you have to make sure that you put the work into it; it will be tough, trust me, but in the end you will learn so much and you will feel great after finishing. Mrs. Larson's class helps you to grow in your educational career, as well as your personal life, and it will be a great ride. Always listen and ALWAYS PARTICIPATE, because there is nothing more she wants more than participation. I hope you have a great year, because I know I did.