Grade 10 Academics

Highlight #1

In Socials 10 AP, Ms. Hobson asked us to do a group assignment to demonstrate Canada’s role in the United Nations after WWII. We did a five-minute-long video, which involved some acting. It was my first time making a video, and I was excited. I was also happy that we got a 95% on the assignment.

Highlight #2

When we were writing the Remembrance Day essay, Mr. Shirkoff gave me a lot of advices. I had little experience in English essay writing before I came to Canada in Grade 9, but my essay writing skills improved a lot this year. I got an 88 on that essay, which is not a great mark, but a big step for me. After that essay, I had more confidence in essay writing.

Reflection

This year my biggest improvement among all my academic courses might be English. As I said in my highlight, I got an 88 on my Remembrance Day essay. This might not be a very good mark for others, but it's really a big step for me. Our class did peer editing and re-edited it after. I was worried to let others read my essay because I thought it was very bad; however, I found the advices from others very helpful. I learned that it's fine to make mistakes because we can always learn from our own mistakes, and that it's important to listen to others' ideas.

I moved to Canada from China last year. English was the hard for me, and it was my worst subject last year. When I came to Collingwood halfway in Grade 9, I got a 57 on the first report card; my final mark improved but was still only a 71. This year, my goal was to get an A in English. After getting a 82 on the first report card, I talked to Mr. Shirkoff, who gave me a lot of advices on essays. On the last report card, I got an 89. From 57 to 89 in a year and a half, I’m very proud of myself.

This academic year is important to me because now I have gained more confidence in myself, and have got a clearer understanding of my weaknesses. not only because of my language barrier but also because I was afraid to make mistakes. Now I'm more willing to challenge myself, and don't always worry about making mistakes. I believe that my English will be better, and I might even take English AP in Grade 12 if I find English easy next year.