Just Imagine if Every American Took AP English 12

  Although they amp up the daily stress level in class, discussions provide us students with valuable life skills. They encourage intelligent communication, something that all of us will need in our future endeavors, whatever they may be. The fact that we can communicate our thoughts and opinions in an intelligent manner will surely put us ahead of the curve. I cannot think of any profession that does not require intelligent communication of some sort. In addition to communication, discussions force us to deal with pressure. AP English 12 forces us “bring it” everyday in class, or else lose valuable participation points. Although I have found it nearly impossible to achieve a perfect participation score, I still think it’s a valuable incentive for actively participating in class. It makes us smarter and more accountable; things that I do not think we will fully appreciate until after we graduate. Some of my experiences in other classes, where teachers seemingly devalue accountability, have mad me fearful of what exactly the future of America holds. If one of the top 100 public schools in the country allows (I would guess) a quarter to a half of its students to get by without challenging them to reach their potential, then I think Americans should feel very pessimistic about the future. I think we Americans take for granted the fact that America has achieved the power it has today through the hard work and intelligence of its people. In all honesty, there need to be more classes like AP English (am I really saying this?) across the country, classes that encourage students to work hard and achieve their academic potential. American schools must make their students more accountable.