Reflections and Insights: My Experience with English in High School - A Weekly Journal

　　Reflections and Insights: My Experience with English in High School - A Weekly Journal

　　Week One:

　　As I sat down in my first high school English class, I was immediately hit with the realization that this was not going to be like any English class I had previously experienced. The curriculum was more rigorous, and the teacher more demanding. It was clear that we were expected to take our English studies much more seriously than before. However, I was excited to meet the challenge head-on, and I pledged to do my best.

　　Week Two:

　　This week was all about grammar. I had always considered myself to be pretty decent at grammar, but after this week's lessons, I realized that I still had a lot to learn. We spent hours going over the different parts of speech and learning how to identify them in a sentence. I felt a bit overwhelmed at times, but I knew that mastering these basics would be essential to my success in the class.

　　Week Three:

　　This week, we finally started to dive into some literature. We began reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. In the past, Shakespeare had always seemed intimidating and difficult to understand, but with the guidance of our teacher, I found myself becoming engrossed in the story. I also appreciated the discussions we had in class, where we explored the themes and motifs of the play in depth.

　　Week Four:

　　We continued reading Romeo and Juliet this week, and I was struck by how much more I understood the language and the characters than I had at the beginning of the play. I was thrilled to discover that my hard work was paying off, and that I was getting tangible results. I had always enjoyed reading, but English class had never been my favorite subject. Now, I was starting to appreciate it more and more.

　　Week Five:

　　This week, we had our first major writing assignment – a persuasive essay. I was nervous at first, but I quickly got into the groove of it. We had learned about the different types of persuasive techniques and were tasked with writing an essay that used at least three of them. It was a challenging assignment, but also very rewarding. Seeing my completed essay made me feel proud of what I had accomplished.

　　Week Six:

　　This week, we switched gears and began reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I was excited to read this classic novel, as I had heard a lot about it before. I found the story to be captivating, and I was drawn in by the characters and their struggles. I also appreciated the historical context that our teacher provided, helping us to understand the societal norms and values of the time period.

　　Week Seven:

　　This week, we had our first in-class essay. We were given a prompt related to The Great Gatsby and had to write an essay in a limited amount of time. I was nervous, but I had prepared as best as I could. When I received my essay back with a good grade, I was overjoyed. I felt like I was really starting to understand the material and could express my thoughts and ideas effectively.

　　Week Eight:

　　This week, we were assigned a group project to create a presentation about a non-fiction book of our choosing. My group and I chose to read Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, a book about the struggles facing women around the world. We worked hard on our project, and I was proud of the finished product. It was also interesting to see the presentations put together by the other groups, as it gave us a chance to learn about a variety of different topics.

　　Week Nine:

　　This week, we had our final exam. We were tested on everything we had learned over the course of the semester, from grammar to literature to writing. I was nervous, but I felt like I had prepared as well as I could. When I received my grade back, I was ecstatic – I had done well and was proud of what I had accomplished.

　　In conclusion, my experience with English in high school has been challenging but rewarding. I have learned a lot about grammar, literature, and writing, and I have grown to appreciate the subject more than I ever thought I would. I am grateful for the guidance and instruction of my teacher, who helped me to unlock my potential and achieve success. As I move forward in my academic journey, I know that the skills I have learned in this class will serve me well in the future.