Christa Allan

Internalizing the Scoring Guide

My first year as an AP Reader, I’d hear this “internalizing” mumbo-jumbo and wonder when I’d evolve into this higher state of consciousness. I think I was mostly unconscious. Year Two, I would’ve been willing to roll the scoring guide into a paper burrito and eat it if it meant I’d expedite [...]

Musing
Last year, the College Board and ETS surveyed Readers asking general questions about the reading experience. Hats off to them for listening because this year they provided a hospitality room in the hotel that provided soft drinks, coffee, water, and assorted munchies like chips, cookies, fruit,  and hot pretzels. Then, Saturday night, we had [...]

Did I mention that one of the students thought Barry’s essay was so simple, even a stay-at-home mother would be able to understand it?  It didn’t appear, from what I read, that s/he was one of those yet.
The Musing Continues:
One of the acronyms I’m fond of teaching is SOAP because it serves two purposes:
1. It [...]

DAY LAST: DAYTONA LANGUAGE READING

Arriving at my table this morning, I heard rumors that the Question 1 room had been told when they left  yesterday afternoon that they should have reading material for the next day. That always means the room’s dangerously close to finishing. Since that room started out with extra tables, we weren’t [...]

DAY 5.5  DAYTONA UPDATE: MONDAY
I read 425 essays today.

Things I learned today:
1. Adjectives can be wild. (Note from me: File this factoid away for possible YouTube video for avid grammarians: Adjectives Gone Wild.)
2. Tone wraps itself around my head. (Note: Lately, this happens only when my iPod’s plugged in to my ears.)
3. Ellipsis or dot [...]

DAY 3.5: REPORT FROM DAYTONA

No beach walking this morning. Rain. Tracey and I walked across the street for breakfast, but we had umbrellas. I forgot my sweater and my sunglasses, but super nerd had her ‘brella. In fact, it was an AP umbrella; one of the end of scoring gifts from my first reading.
Yesterday at [...]

DAY 2.5: DAYTONA AP REPORT
So far, I’ve read around 275 essays since yesterday afternoon.
Here’s what I learned from essays today:
1. Syntax can be: impressive, captivating
2. Diction can be: heavy, audacious, demanding, aggressive
3. Hyperboles are available in small amounts, but rhetorical questions are available in a handful.
4. Repetition is repeating itself throughout the passage; in fact, [...]

DAY 1.5: REPORT FROM FLORIDA AP READING
Daytona Hilton

My roommate Tracey and I walked along the beach this morning before breakfast; therefore, I felt fully justified eating carrot cake as my lunch today.
Follow up on the coffee maker: Coffee’s actually not bad for pod coffee. Last night we had only DeCaff pods. We drank it anyway. [...]

Reading over yesterday’s post I learned I’m not so coherent when I’m attempting to write in an airport before my plane boards.
I’m actually writing this Tuesday afternoon because Wednesday breakfast is served beginning at 6:45, and since my body will think it’s 5:45, I’ll need to focus on moving myself across the street in time.
One [...]

I’m at the airport, specifically in the Delta terminal, waiting for my flight.
Can I tell you that the person who named the waiting areas “terminals” needs undergo psychiatric evaluation? What kind of sicko makes you think about the end when you’re sitting around waiting for the beginning?
Too many rhetorical questions, I know.
Where am I going [...]