MIss Disa's AEP class 23-24

As I look at the blogs of all the other people, I realize I may not be in the headspace to be able to write as much as them. So, I'll keep it short and simple: this year has been a changer for me. Writing this at 12:42 AM with only a nap worth one hour, I'm currently living my greatest life being bound to a gaming chair for the last 4 ... 5 ... 6 hours? I lost count. Anyway, the reason why I am doing this so late is because I have my IGCSE Computer Science exam tomorrow, and I've been studying countless of nights for every single subject ... a day before. It's okay though, because I do expect a lot from just a day of studying! A runback to my original blog, my first blog titled "Back To The Future", I am headed straight to the past! This year, you could probably say I've drastically plateaued in the level of my English. I wouldn't say that I improved, but that's only because whenever there's something new, there's more to learn, and I am st...

Time has come for my final blog for this school year... so here it is! This school year has been particularly interesting and it really is bittersweet that we're onto the final week. As for AEP, with its ebbs and flows, I'm glad to have attended Miss Disa's class and learned from the big and small. Undoubtedly, everything we've absorbed will prove useful, even if we don't realize it as of now. Now, let's delve into the recent events- after all, it's been a minute since my last post. April 15th kicked off smoothly with a spirited game of Squardle, offering a tempting reward of 10 merits upon completion. Naturally, this spurred us into action, our voices animated as we scrambled to form words. The following day marked our Midterm exams, which, I must say, went reasonably well, considering we had ample time to complete them. Surprisingly, I found myself finishing early for the first time ever. While my responses may not have been detailed as I would've like...

After browsing through the Padlets, I found myself struggling to recall much of what they contained. It's like everything's been swept into a haze, perhaps due to the many of thoughts asking for attention in my mind. But that's what makes the padlet so crucial—it serves as a nudge to remember our journey and the experiences that might otherwise slip away unnoticed. Some moments, like the ordeal of writing essays, are probably best left in the shadows. However, before vanishing them to oblivion, let me delve into these memories in this blog. So, let's rewind back to April. Midterm Mayhem Midterm exams have always been a daunting hurdle for me. It was just another essay, or so I thought. Our teacher assured us that it would be based on an essay we'd previously studied about islands, leading me to believe that studying wasn't necessary. But when I sat down to tackle the exam, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. I managed to score an 84%, albeit with Miss Disa'...

Hello! It's been a while since my last blog post, and I'm thrilled to bring you to speed with the recent occurrences in AEP. So settle down and enjoy a run-through for these past few weeks!  Let's kick things off with March 12th. Our class commenced with two engaging word games: Connections and Wordle. While the specifics elude me, I'm sure it was enjoyable! Following the games, we wrote our first ever essay on the theme of Maps. Specifically, we explored the evolution of Farmshire village through the lens of two distinct maps. As it was my first essay, Miss Disa provided meticulous feedback, pinpointing areas for improvement. Notably, many of my errors stemmed from the misapplication of certain terms, such as "repurposed," within the given context.  The subsequent week was abbreviated due to the Reading of Honors. Nonetheless, upon our return to AEP, we dove into a spirited round of Squardle, achieving an impressive tally of 65 words! Additionally, Miss retur...

Although maps have always held a peculiar charm for me, a fascination sparked during childhood by watching episodes of Dora the Explorer and her indispensable map, my relationship with them has evolved. Previously, a map was a guide to travelling to places, a tool for discovering new café locations on trips, or simply a way to marvel at rather weird corners of the globe. However, my recent academic assignments have altered my perception of maps, making them less of an object of intrigue and more a source of stress. Essays have made maps worse! Before, engaging with a map never entailed writing an essay. If my father discussed a historical map, I’d happily delve into a verbal explanation rather than penning an analysis. But now, as a student in an Advanced English Program, essays have become a standard expectation. Tackling these assignments has been a significant challenge, turning my once enjoyable encounters with maps into a draining task. It’s clear now that the essays, not my exhau...

Welcome to the third term! It's quite startling how swiftly time flies; soon enough, we'll find ourselves finishing this school year. With the closure of the musicals, the school atmosphere is bound to return to its familiar routine, presenting both positive and challenging aspects. Fortunately, AEP has been sailing smoothly, though upcoming challenges, particularly in adapting to essays about Maps, are on the horizon. But before delving into that, let's revisit February 27th, our first day back after finals. That particular day brought an unexpected twist from Miss Disa as she unveiled a new craft: the art of creating monkey fist knots. We eagerly dove into the world of intricate knots by following a tutorial on YouTube. Despite my efforts, I found myself wrestling with the elusive "baby in the cradle" maneuver, struggling to keep it securely in place. Eventually, I resorted to a bit of creative intuition, knotting the string in a more freestyle fashion and ended...

It's a little late writing this at nine o'clock in the evening, but that's because I've been so overwhelmed by the musical that I had completely forgot that school was a thing. I digress! There may have been countless of new things that have flourished throughout the final weeks of the second term, and the first week of the third, that I've probably forgotten, so I'll be using Padlet to help re-experience the pains of preparing an entire musical production with the addition of classwork! We aren't allowed a complete respite during any AEP classes, unless Ms. Disa is out on holiday, and it was proven when we made monkey-FIST knots before the finals! We were given a thin and long piece of rope that we were expected to make a weapon out of ... and you would normally expect that a rope could not be used to murder someone (unless you tie a noose around them), but what do ya know?! There's such thing as a yoyo weapon that could maim people! This long piece of ...

Reflecting on the recent musicals and revisiting our Padlet, it might seem like we haven't accomplished much, but upon closer inspection, a plethora of new experiences have emerged. Let's delve into this blog to uncover the latest happenings! Arts Comeback! During one of our recent sessions, we immersed ourselves in the realm of creativity, where the intertwining of words and knots crafted an unparalleled experience. On February 27th, our classroom, as usual, was ensnared in boredom. However, thanks to quick thinking from Miss Disa, we were engaged in an unexpected art activity that diverted our attention from impending finals. Each of us was provided with a knot to tie, and amidst my confusion, I found the process oddly refreshing. As I crafted my own "monkey fist" knot, I pondered its origin and stumbled upon its history as a weapon. While miss Disa initially viewed it as a decorative accessory, the revelation added a layer of intrigue to our activity. Despite the p...

The week kicked off with Waffle, a word game that involves rearranging given letters to form a grid of words- a challenge we swiftly conquered. Although this is not one of my personal favorite, I enjoy it for its simplicity and straightforwardness- a good option to quicken those dozy early morning hours.  Additionally, we extended a warm welcome to Victoria, the newest member of our AEP class. I hope she enjoys her time here! With that, we rewrote the Essay 1 on cement and concrete production- this time around without referring back to our previous writings.  At first, recalling specific words and phrases used in the sample essay, such as "the resulting mixture," and mastering sentence structures with transition words at various points proved to be quite hectic. However, with time, some of these elements started to come more naturally.  I think one of my writing mistakes was attempting to recall my previous words verbatim, rather than incorporating my refreshed understand...

The lingering stress from the STEM congress has finally disappeared, and the pressure of looming assignments has been successfully suppressed. Writing this blog doesn't feel like a daunting task anymore, no longer buried under a mountain of assignments. This blog is a vibrant collection of the week's happenings, and let me tell you, this week has been anything but ordinary—breaking away from the monotonous cycle. Let's dive into the excitement! A Surprise Addition – Another New Student!?!? As I step into the classroom, familiar faces surround me, but one catches my eye— a new girl, a fresh addition to the AEP class. Each time months pass, I see the desks and chairs filling up with more excitement! Victoria, a Colombian girl, has graced us with her presence. She's friendly, and luckily, her English is pretty good, making interaction a breeze. On her first day, we engaged in an activity to get her acquainted with our routine. After a quick warm-up, we jumped into the acti...

This term is hands down my busiest, packed with assignments and school events. Juggling through all this is honestly tough, hence the aptly titled blog. Hopefully, things get back on track and I regain my motivation and improve myself in several aspects. On a positive note, I'm pleased with the productivity of another two weeks in AEP class. On January 8th, AEP classes had resumed with an unexpected announcement. The weekend prior, Miss Disa had assigned us two essay writing tasks to complete the upcoming week. Initially, when I received the notification, I thought it was just an early heads-up. However, when Miss Disa didn't show up on Monday, it became apparent that we would have a substitute teacher.  For the remainder of the period, I shifted my focus on one of the essays. At first glance, Essay 1 seemed simpler, as everything I needed to include was clearly labeled, leaving little room for further analysis. The topic revolved around the process of cement production and how...

  Happy late new years everyone , a lot has happened for the past few weeks and in this blog , I am here to recap everything and without further ado , lets begin! During the first week , I myself could not believe i’m saying this but Miss Disa was absent . Shocking, right ? I myself was also shocked because Miss Disa was never absent regardless if she's sick or not , she would still go to school. With That being said , Miss Disa also left us with a couple essay and which afterwards when we are done , we are allowed to play wordle games. However , this was not possible since we just stayed in the class with the other student who took filipino. During the 1 period , i was able to finish 1 of the essay which is about the production of concrete. On the next day , we were joined by Miss Jonna… as our substitute teacher. Luckily for us , Miss Disa prepared a word search to make sure that we are not bored for the whole 2 periods. During the first period , I was able to finish the other es...

Now that the exams have finally concluded and the stress has lifted, thanks to the break and the high AEP spirit, it seems inevitable that a blog post is in order! The past weeks have been some of the most unusual and unpredictable I've ever experienced in AEP. With a few new faces, Miss Disa's absence, and sudden activities, let's delve into the latest updates on AEP. A Sudden Disappearance? On January 7, just a day before AEP's classes resumed, I felt a sense of fear. Fear that I might have forgotten something, a feeling I often experience. Despite this, I had to enter the class with confidence. However, my expectations took an unexpected turn. Miss Disa was nowhere to be seen. She had apparently left for the UK, and has not yet arrived in the Philippines. This had left many of us  confused, yet simultaneously relieved. No work, no stress! All we had to do was sit in the Filipino class doing nothing. Initially, that's what we thought, until a notification popped u...

Does time feel like it's on fast forward to anyone else? With midterms creeping closer, I'm floored by how rapid this term's flying by. Despite all that, this AEP week has been a whirlwind of wordplay, discovering new vocab, and tackling essays—talk about progress!  In the midst of this hurry, the productivity achieved this AEP week has been quite noteworthy. Hence, here I am, sharing it in writing for you to explore further. Keep reading on! :> On Tuesday's class, we kicked off with our usual Squardle, uncovering around 20 out of the 25 words in several minutes. I particularly prefer having a range of 20 to 30 words to search for, finding it more enjoyable than larger amounts, a routine typically reserved for Tuesdays.  Later on, we moved to define two or three words each, as assigned by Miss Disa. This preparation served as an overview for the list of twenty vocabulary words for Unit 6, in which we had a quiz on in the upcoming week.  I received the word "comp...

This second semester in AEP class commenced with Squardle– one of the most frequently played warm-up games in our class for good reasons. We ended up with 50 out of 79 words, 11 of which were already pre-filled by another grade level. As always, Squardle was an exciting morning exercise, a mental stretch that primed us for the day ahead.  In addition, Kirani, a new student, was welcomed to our AEP class. After previously convincing her on the wonders of AEP, she decided to settle in. Yay! I hope she feels welcomed and has adjusted to the way things go around here <33. As Squardle went on for the majority of the period, Miss Disa distributed our finals, consisting of the two essays we had each written. Although I’m satisfied with my score, there are improvements I’ll try to implement for my future essays this semester.  The following day, I was absent because I had pulled a late nighter without coffee, whilst completing an English assignment. For these reasons, I overslept t...

After a whirlwind of excitement and laughter, it's only fitting to encapsulate the experiences in the virtual pages of this blog. Blogger, our faithful chronicler, has been witness to the tapestry of our past, each week unfurling a new chapter of memories while revisiting the old ones. Despite the time-consuming nature of this ritual, the fulfillment it brings is unmatched. As I sit down to weave the narrative of this week, a sense of anticipation lingers - a promise that this blog may just be more interesting than the rest. Curious? Dive into the text, and the reasons will unfold with each word. Squaredle: The unlikely death of me In the realm of our classroom, Squaredle has emerged as both ally and adversary, a captivating force that has swept through the student body. Its magnetic pull is undeniable, leaving us craving more, making it the undisputed game of choice. My fondness for Squaredle is genuine, but as the saying goes, every rose has its thorn. The coveted chance to contr...

Welcome back to Blog #1, reported by the most wonderful person of AEP, Leowyn Chiang! But most importantly, I'd like to give the warmest welcome to our new student: Kirani! Speaking of, during the start of out first class of term 2, Kirani had control of the magic pen, required to swing the wand around like a fairy! Until an ogre kept on disorienting her by announcing a plethora of random words ever while I was trying to say my own set of words. The game was Squardle—a game of word connection similar to a cross word puzzles, but you have much more freedom to form words, much less freedom to find words—so we were not able to complete our first warm-up game 😞, but it lasted the entire lesson, only because we took a strange while . . . Janek lost pen rights too! However, the day after, we did a new warm-up game that was quick and simple. Maybe not new, but an old one that my classmates did when they were back at grade 7. I was unaware, but it seemed like it was new for the students a...

    It's been a while since the final exams—an experience I'll never forget and hope not to repeat. However, this blog isn't about exams; it's about what happened right after. The final exams in AEP had been graded during our break, so the results weren't much of a surprise when we returned. Entering the classroom, we were welcomed by a new face, a new friend, and a new challenger. Comparing this situation to Scrabble wouldn't do justice, but at this point, the boys had essentially given up. As expected, it was a new girl—Kirani, a 15-year-old from Indonesia. A familiar background, reminiscent of a friend who left us in grade 9. She seems friendly and a great addition to the AEP crew! Of course, she needs time to settle in and get accustomed to our activities, particularly one that stands out as the most challenging in this class—essays. Notorious for its difficulty, it has posed a challenge for us, and it might be the same for her. However, we don't know fo...

The preceding week in AEP unfolded as an exhilarating episode! The balance of indulging time on leisure activities while also progressing further in learning was delicate yet rewarding. On Monday, our AEP class commenced with the warm-up game of Squardle. The round consisted of a tremendous amount of 73 words, with 15 words pre-filled, thereby challenging us to tackle the remaining 58. After several minutes, we managed to complete it along with a few bonus words as well. At this time, I developed a newfound appreciation for Squardle as I realized approaching the letters as a crossword helps me a ton when brainstorming on all the possibilities! Next up, we read an article in DOGOnews titled, "Adidas "Super Shoes" Help Tigist Assefa Shatter Women's Marathon World Record". When I heard we'd be reading an article, I put on my "excited shoes" since I derive great pleasures from delving into perceptive articles as such.  As Miss Disa had instructed, we e...

  Done, done, and done! We've been checking off a lot of things on our to-do lists lately. So much productivity! But since this is the last AEP blog for term 1, let's give it a proper send off, shall we? On Monday, we played "Squardle," which we were surprised to find had a total of 73 words. Someone had already had a go at it and managed to find 15 words, meaning we only had to figure out the remaining 58. We spent about 10-20 minutes on this. Everyone was so enraptured to figure out more words that we just couldn't stop! And to be honest, I loved every second of it. "Squardle" is this fun class game that brings everyone together and gets us to let loose.  But after the fun, of course, we moved on to the real agenda for the day: "DOGONews" articles. We hadn't read one in so long that we all figured it was high time to do one. This article in particular captured our interest as it was about Tigist Assefa winning a marathon supposedly thanks...