Final Blog Post: Looking Back at 8th Grade ELA

Dear Ms. Galang and class 810,

          Looking back on my 8th grade ELA class I realized how many valuable lessons I have learned and great memories I have made. I know I have not always been into the curriculum or the assignments that we had to do, but Ms. Galang and my peers would always have a way of making me get interested in the subjects and making me want to do the work. One of the best valuable lessons I have learned in ELA class is that you shouldn't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone because chance are it will turn out good. I learned this when we did out poetry unit and had to complete our final poetry project. I hated, hated writing poetry so much and was very self-conscious about the poems I had writen. When it came to doing the project I really wanted to do well, so I pushed myself and tried really hard to write poems I was proud of and in the end I got a really good grade on the project and was happy with the work I turned had turned in. Another great memory I had in ELA class was when we wrote our picture books then went and read them to younger children. I really enjoyed interacting with the kids and seeing what they thought of my book.


          I do have a lot of hopes and goals for reading in writing that I really want to accomplish through my high school years. In reading I definitely want to increase my reading to at least an hour a night with any type of text. I also want to push myself to read genres that I may not enjoy as much (sci-fi, fantasy, etc.) In writing I want to continue to push myself to write pieces that are outside of my comfort zone. I also want to spend more time on the pieces I am writing and not just meet the requirements but exceed them.


Summer Reading:

• I Was Here by Gayle Forman
• OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
• Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
• Yes Please by Amy Poehler 
• A Love that Multiples by Jim Bob and Michelle Dugger

Reading Response on "Girl Online" by Zoe Sugg

          Girl Online by Zoe Sugg is about a girl named Penny Porter who lives a simple life in England with her mum, dad, brother, and best friend. Penny suffers from anxiety and therefore has trouble expressing her feelings. She pretends to be someone she is not to blend in with all of her "friends." As a way to share her real feelings and just be herself she anonymously blogs as "Girl Online." Only one other person knows about this blog is her best friend Elliot who is gay. He struggles with his parents not really excepting or understanding his sexuality. This book has a lot of hard things happening with people not be accepted for who they are and how they feel.

          One hard thing happening in this book is people being afraid to express their real feelings and opinions because they just want to "fit in." Penny struggles with this.For example, Penny says, "I have this dream that, secretly, all teenage girls feel exactly like me. And maybe one day, when we realize that we all feel the same, we can all stop pretending we're something we're not" (blurb). This shows that Penny feels like she can not act herself because she will seem different. As a way to share her real feelings and be herself Penny has blogs anonymously. "I'm going to keep it real on this blog and keep it unreal in 'real' life." This quote shows how Penny is comfortable truly acting herself and expressing her feelings on her blog, but not in real life.

          Another hard thing happening in this book is people not be excepted for who they are. Elliot is gay and has trouble coming out to his parents because do not really understand his sexuality therefore they do not except it. For example, when Elliot first tries to come out to his parents they say, "don't worry , son, I'm sure it's just a phase." (page 18) This show that Elliot's parents do not really understand his sexuality. When he tries again his parents threaten "to disown him if he ever gets a boyfriend." (page 318) This quotes shows that due to a lack of understanding, Elliot's parents can not except is sexuality.

          A lot of hard things happening in this text are happening in the world today. A lot of people are afraid to be themselves and be different. A lot of people can not be excepted for who they truly are.

Author's Note (Draft)

          Bullying is a major issue that is affecting children of all ages worldwide. This is an on going issue because children are not reporting this issue as it is witnessed. Many children that are bullied do not have the courage to stand up for themselves and the bystanders do not speak up in fear that they will be bullied too. 

          In Elementary school I myself was never bullied, but I did witness a lot of bullying and people not standing up for themselves or one another. I always knew that what I was witnessing was wrong, yet I never spoke up because I did not the bully to start bothering me. I have now realized not reporting bullying is just as bad as bullying itself.

          I deeply regret never standing up to these bullies or even telling an adult. I hope by writing this book I will encourage younger children to not make the same mistakes I did. I want to show children that they should not fear standing up for people by reporting a bully because there are no consequences of doing so.

Synthesis Page on "Girl Online" by Zoe Sugg