Teacher David Preston
AP English
1 June 2014
Masterpiece Archive
When beginning Open Source Learning, I didn't know what to expect. I thought it would be like any other classroom, but boy was I wrong. As students, we were immediately treated as colleagues. I myself and many others as well, worked much throughout the year and earned a level of trust with our teacher you wouldn't see in any ordinary English classroom. As students, we were a body of individuals searching for answers. All of us had much freedom in the classroom that we did not take advantage of, but only used to our advantage. And with that, I believe we obtained much information to carry with us after high school. Unlike other classrooms, we didn't learn literature, it was embedded in us.
Beginning my senior year, I didn't really know what i wanted to do after High School. It wasn't until I began this course that I realized my passion for baking. But I learned it wasn't baking I was passionate about, it was putting a smile on a child's face with that first bite. I have decided to go to school to become a Pastry Chef. Not only myself but many others discovered their passions this past school year. People like Lesther Venezuela and Miranda Nilo are examples of "Passion". Both had a passion for compassion and helping others in the community. They put together Project Humanity and gave less fortunate children a gift for Christmas. Not only that but they did a lot of charity work in our community. Madison Hill found her passion for art. As a child she admired a book and developed a skill. She now creates murals and is getting her name out there. And then there is Ian Stellar, Shane Hunter, and Mia Levy. These three dedicated their senior year to school spirit, little did they know they started a legacy that will carry on through out Ernest Righetti High School for many years I hope. As you can see, our class grew not only as a class but as individuals. And that makes me laugh a little, because majority of adults underestimate the impact a teenager can have on the world. And when you think about it, passion is something many of us lack, but have in common.
During these Masterpiece presentations all I could think about was how much we all grew. Not only inside but our skills as far as speech, writing, and technique. Throughout the year we did many exercises that challenged our skills as writers. We have come a long way from where we were. I personally have become a much better writer and speaker. I know I have expanded much further than i was expecting too. We grew in confidence as a class. In the classroom it was a safe space. All of our ideas and thoughts were accounted for and in my opinion, it was one of the main reasons for our individual growth.
Out of the many pieces of literature we analyzed this year, the one I connected with the most was Macbeth. Specifically Macbeth himself. Shocking I know. Macbeth was really the tragedy of the play. He begins as an honest and truthful man but his descent into murder proved that aspiration and desire can ruin even the purest of people. I think many of us teenagers can connect with that specifically. As children we are all pure, as we grow into adulthood, that pureness is not taken away but given away little by little due to the situations and events we are exposed to. From our first curse word to our first 'stretched truth' or lie, ambition for life is what we crave. And ultimately the result. "When life gives you lemons you make lemonade", but in words of my own, the kind of lemonade you decide to make is entirely up to you.
So now the questions remain...Have I completed the hero's journey? Am I a hero? The answer is no. My journey is not complete. There are many steps I will be and am taking to make my passion a dream come true. So i cant really answer that. And no I am not a hero, I am an individual with heroic characteristics. My goal was to figure out what it is I wanted to do with my life by the end of this year. And i did. It took trial and error but I figured it out and I will stop at nothing to do what I love. I conquered the obstacle of uncertainty and turned into confidence. I went from knowledgeable to enlightened. And if that isn't heroic, then i don't know what is in this little thing we call life.
