ignorance is bliss (E)

Students shuffle in fear as they file into this environment unknown to them. They had heard many a tale of the horrors which took place in this small room as it housed a monster so vicious, no one remained the same after leaving. Notorious for its reputation, no child was ignorant to the ruthlessness this class entailed. 

That is, except for me. 

Granted I've never been one to listen to rumors, but it seemed like everyone had an idea of what the class with the grand title of "AP Language and Composition" was going to be like. Again, except for me. I had been "forced" (although I use the word lightly, it sure felt like it at that time) by my friend Gayathri to take the class as she didn't want to be alone after her senior friends had steered clear from it. Thus, the most I felt towards the class was a slight irritation. I sat there on the first day, my peers panicking, unbeknownst to what it had in store for me.

Within the first couple of minutes of the class, I promptly thought: Gayathri owes me BIG time. Immediately, I was intimidated by the teacher who was able to instantly point out places where we had failed to follow instructions. This was not what I signed up for. I had no idea, up to that point, that a class could mess up so badly on the first day of school. I thank Mr. Kaufman for prepping me for "scary" teachers which kept my fear meter in check, but to this day I still remember the petrified faces of my classmates.

I remember, and I laugh.

Hardly anyone is more vulnerable than naive suburban honors/AP students in a classroom where instead of being coddled, their teacher is unafraid to point out their bullshit and I have nothing but thanks to give. AP Language and Composition has become a class wherein I tell all sophomores, "ignore all the rumors you hear because AP Lang is probably the most useful class in this school, no matter what your major will be". 

The art of rhetoric is essentially our study. We dissect it, analyze it, understand it, and then craft it to our own use. Of course, the way I'm phrasing it makes us, as a group of opinionated bozos, seem more serious than we actually are. One thing I love about this class is how we are doing all of these amazingly complex things, yet it doesn't feel that way. These actions are principally done through discussions and interesting prompts, not through worksheets and tests. Whether we spent half the class debating the effects of abusive parenting or start with a conversation on the future of our society and end up listening to Megan's conspiracy theories, there was never a dull moment. Rarely did I find an assignment boring in this class and as a strong believer that intrigue is the greatest motivator, that was essential to my efforts put towards this class.