Don't Worry about Timed Writing Grades
When you look at your son or daughter's grades in AP English Language, the lowest grades you will probably see are for Timed Writings (TW). Outstanding English students often make "Cs" on these assignments at the beginning of the semester. The assignments are difficult and the grades are lower because these are assignments from previously released AP exams, and they are scored according to College Board scoring criteria. I explain the criteria to students at the beginning of the semester and make them understand that they may not like the "C" that they receive in the beginning of the semester, but that they will learn how to improve as the semester progresses.
If you see a "C" for a Timed Writing, that "C" represents an average score for all AP students who took the test that year. PLEASE do not think the "C" is indicative of your child not working hard enough! A "C" on other grades may indeed indicate lack of effort, but not for Timed Writings. Because the grades for Timed Writings tend to be lower, I do not grade out-of-class papers as hard. This tends to balance the overall grade in AP English Language.
We will complete a timed writing each week, and it is important for students to work hard and to improve. If a student works hard and makes a "C," I keep encouraging him, and in time he will improve.
How hard are AP timed writings? Imagine walking into your English class bright and early on a Monday morning. Your English teacher welcomes you and then hands you an assignment. You are given 40 minutes to read a difficult passage on your own and then write a 3-4 page essay on the following topic:
"In the following excerpt from her memoirs, Virginia Woolf reflects upon her childhood summers spent in a seaside village in Cornwall, England. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze how Woolf uses language to convey the lasting significance of these moments from her past." [from the AP English Language 2002 exam]
Timed Writings are difficult. The AP exam in May will require students to write 3 essays within 2 hours and 15 minutes. Students who practice hard during the semester will be prepared for the AP exam, and they will be able to handle any writing assignment they are given in college.
