Please share your wise knowledge EE2 '08ers! (1 Viewer)

[Ethanescence]

Just say you had to give some advice on the English Extension 2 course to '09ers, or anyone else in who did the course in the future - something you wished you had known before you had started, or that you wish you had done differently, or something that you found to be helpful, fun or effective throughout the year in relation to the course, what would it be?

 

[Garygaz]

Don't do a video - do a short story, so much easier.

 

[Hysterik]

Every year people say it, the newbies don't believe but, fuck... START IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I did mine in 3 weeks. I have huuuuge regrets.

Also, trust your teachers, they know their shizzle.

The big one for me was, don't get bogged down in all the conceptual ideas, how to relate it to the syllabus and so on. Once you've got your proposal out of the way, just sit down and write your story/film/critical analysis/poem/etc. My biggest problem was a complete and utter fear that my work wasn't good enough and that it didn't explore the issues enough. Ignore all that precious stuff and just write the damn thing.

/pent up rage.

 

[Ivorytw]

Don't do a video - do a short story, so much easier.

Do a video, it's hella fun. Like for cereal.

 

[beve]

Every year people say it, the newbies don't believe but, fuck... START IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I did mine in 3 weeks. I have huuuuge regrets.

Also, trust your teachers, they know their shizzle.

The big one for me was, don't get bogged down in all the conceptual ideas, how to relate it to the syllabus and so on. Once you've got your proposal out of the way, just sit down and write your story/film/critical analysis/poem/etc. My biggest problem was a complete and utter fear that my work wasn't good enough and that it didn't explore the issues enough. Ignore all that precious stuff and just write the damn thing.

/pent up rage.

I have started the ideas and background reading. Though its early days yet. I need to get me to the library sometime.

Meh.

We'll be right.

 

[Jezzakar]

I have a few things. Primarily, DO NOT INCLUDE THIS IN YOUR 10 UNITS! if you are going to do it, do at least 12. having only 10 and doing this subject SERIOUSLY increases your stress levels. damn near killed me.

Realise how much work it will be. Term One and Two holidays will not be holidays. They wont even be study times for your other subjects. They will be filled with extension two.

Time manage. Work this subject in around your other subjects. You will have assessment tasks, and therefore this subject which you feel you have ages to do, will take a backseat. Make sure that once youve got the time again, you get straight back into this subject.

However, that last point also works both ways. Don't disregard your other subjects for this subject. Often times your major work will become the main focus in your mind and you will be tempted to just work on this as apposed to doing your other subjects. NOT a good plan.

Come up with an idea. Don't over think it. Go with something you're interested in, not something you think will make you sound smarter. Your idea will develop over the process into something smarter through your research.

Don't over research. Only research what's necessary because you can waste a long time unnecessarily pouring through wikipedia for information that you wont ever use. Also, dont stress if you dont know what to research. It will come as your idea develops.

Don't read too much Showcase. Yes, it's good to read to understand what you're getting into but it is also highly stressful and can make you doubt your abilities. The people in those books are robots. Their works are amazing. Not everyone can be a robot. (Im not trying to offend any Showcasers, its just that your works are bloody awesome and incredibly intimidating)

Make sure your idea relates in some way to the extension one or english advanced syllabus. It isnt fun to learn about this later and have to try and relate what youve got by some obsure link.

Get good mentors. You will be bugging these people with drafts constantly. Feel confident in their abilities to edit your work and have a good repore with them. No use finding someone who will cut down anything you say, or worse, tell you its all brilliant when it isnt. This doesnt have to be your EE2 teacher, it can be anyone who's good at english. Also, use your peers. You all have the same stress. Talk to them about it. Discuss your ideas.

The obvious one. DONT LEAVE IT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. Throughout this course you will here the line: "Extension Two is as much about the process as it is about the product" so many times you will develop a twitch and a tendency to spontaneously combust when you hear it. But it's true. It's a process. Don't think you can just write a story the night or even week before and hand it in. There is a lot that goes into this course, as your teachers will beat into you every lesson.

Finally, and most importantly. Just write. Anything you think of that could work, or you might not think will work but like it anyway, write it. Dont get too overconcerned with what you are writing. This was what I struggled the most with. Towards the beginning, this course is more about quantity than quality. In the editing process, the quality will shine through. Don't over think your words. Thats for later. (I'm speaking as a short story writer, so I dont know as much about the film medium or whatever, but I assume you can just replace write with film in the appropriate places). DO NOT DOUBT YOUR ABILITIES AS A WRITER, IT WILL ONLY STRESS YOU OUT!

This course, and your major work, will often become your baby. As much as I love to hate it, it was a bloody good course and I do recommend it to anyone who is willing to work hard and give it their all. Hope I've given you some insight into the world of Extension Two English. Goodluck!

 

[gouge.away]

jezzakar.

ily.

that is all.

 

[Dota55]

If you don't LOVE English, not 'like it since i'm going good', then drop EE2. You'll only end up producing a second-rate MW with plenty of stress and less marks in your trials then you would've if you hadn't taken the subject.

You start now. Leave it till the end of the holidays and you may as well drop it now. Unless you're utterly utterly brilliant, then you're probably stuffed at that point.

Also, you should have an idea by now. You should've thought of one before the holidays.

 

[snowconesyum]

i did a short story, AND the most useful things to say:

1. i got really freaked out because i didn't have a plot/strong idea - THAT'S OK, stop stressing about the idea and planning and JUST WRITE, some of it will be crap but mostly it tends to create itself without the overthinking..

2. read lots! read other authors whose styles you like (i really really recommend reading the God of Small Things if ur into realist-drama/just plain awesome storytelling!), see if u can see what they're doing in their manipulation of language.. experiment with words and language! don't be scared of writing in different, weird ways that u haven't done before.. u could stumble across a new way of writing that u really like

3. voice is everything, plot is nothing (ok so that's just my personal opinion haha!

4. it's a good subject to do in big chunks, so if ur not an overly organised person (i definitely am not! epic procrastinator!) THAT'S OK, just make sure u give urself SOME deadlines - i had written nothing at the beeginning of easter holidays, and just said to myself U MUST FINISH THESE HOLIDAYS WITH 2000 WORDS (yes i was quite last minute... but the point is, its good to do it in huge chunks cos u can just immerse urself in it for a few days!)

5. 5? umm. i just keep writing numbers without knowing what to say OH YES! i know everyone's heard this, but it reallly is true and often shows through if u don't - write what you know, or at least be able to empathise fully before you go and pick some topic just because u think it has huge scope for emotion etc. i have honestly read so many WWII stories which SUCK. although i'm sure there are some WWII stories which don't..

6. even if ur doing a 'story' sort of story, with no big sophisticated/theoryish/conceptual basis, make sure ur project has room for EXTENSIVE, RIGOROUS INVESTIGATION! - if it's not theoretical stuff, do something stylistic or context based - u can have the most beautiful, amazing writing but if they don't see the investigation side of things then ur losing marks

that's all! good luck !

 

[alex.leon]

I have a few things. Primarily, DO NOT INCLUDE THIS IN YOUR 10 UNITS! if you are going to do it, do at least 12. having only 10 and doing this subject SERIOUSLY increases your stress levels. damn near killed me.

Oh, shit.

 

[kelsey91]

I think I may have been the only EE2-er that managed to crash through with few stress problems it seems!

Update your journal all the time, as when you're suffering writer's block its that which will get you started again. And if you have a panic in the last few weeks like one of my friends did, and change your idea, having written down a list of possible ideas and why, will help you greatly. You need to have proof of the thought process!

Apart from that though, stress really doesn't help. Remember that you're doing the subject because you're among the elite English students in the state and you are very capable of making a great major work. I did EE2 as part of 10 units and three major works, and like any homework of previous years it was occasionally tedious but the end result is a great feeling.

Note to 2009-ers: I'm more than happy to help with unbiased reading of your major works or anything else you may need help with, I know I was lucky with the subject but others in my class were not. Just PM me if needed!

 

[kelsey91]

Also: In your reflection statement, pick on yourself! Even if you think you managed to do everything fine, analysing a problem you had and how you could have improved or what you did to overcome it, excites your markers to no end.

 

[janaranaran!]

yeah, don't do a critical piece. i did one to 'challenge myself'. challenge is not what you want once august comes

 

[kevinx2]

I would agree with all the above, especially about starting as soon as possible.

 

[NEVAGIVEUP]

Bargain Book Sale, check it out if interested!

 

[seano77]

Some advice:

Just because you're doing EE2 doesn't mean you can use big words- simplicity makes for good writing too.
Timetable EE2 so you regularly spend time on it (whether its afternoons, free periods etc). You'll tell yourself that you will do it early, then when there are a couple of weeks till its due you will convince yourself that you can still write it and go well. You can't. Aim to have your concept nailed by the end of the Christmas holidays and have some paragraphs written. Be accountable to someone (ideally your mentor).
Be open with your MW and let people criticise it- pretending like its a work of genious and keeping it to yourself wont make it better.
Watch your punctuation use.
Be metaphorical.
Research not only your content but how to express your content more effectively. Make a decision about what you will do early and try to stick to it.
Its not just about the MW, remember there are reflection statements, reports, viva voce and proposal. (seems obvious, but alot of people neglect their other assessment tasks)
Hard work can make up for a lack of talent. My teachers consistently told me that I wasn't a natural writer but you can improve and work hard at it through re-drafting.
If you are truly inspired by your idea, have good time management and are self-disciplined then it will make a world of difference in ALL your assessments and you should do well.


Good luck 09ers.

 

[metalheaven]

Write down EVERYTHING you do in your process log. Write your thoughts, write your research, write little passages, write drafts, write plans, write everything you do in relation to English Extension 2 in there. That's for a few reasons.
For one basically everything you have in your reflection statement should be in your process log somewhere, and trust me, its horrible to get to the night before and realise that when you researched some pivotal aspect of your major work/reflection statement you forgot to record it in your journal. You may know that you did the work, but the markers don't unless its in your journal.
Another reason is that it helps you a lot when trying to organise yourself. Oh and on a more shallow note, it can leave a good impression on the marker if you have a journal that's bursting with evidence of your progress. Oh and date your entries too.

Another thing that I wish I'd done more of is read. Read markers notes a lot (available on the board of studies website). Read some of the Showcase (although I do agree with the person who said don't read it too much, because it really can be intimidating). Read novels and poems and critical theory and philosophical texts (that's if philosophy applies to your concept) and watch plays and movies and all that jazz. It helps heaps with inspiration, as well as potentially giving your work extra depth in the form of inter-textual links and more maturity in your ideas. In fact just watching a play called "the Pillowman" was pivotal in my work.

Most importantly though I think you should make sure you enjoy what you do and be open to criticism. If you enjoy what you're doing it's a million times easier to write lots of drafts and it can give you a thirst to keep going better.

Well that's my contribution to society today, now back to study
Good Luck!

 

[GET FREE]

Just do it and have fun.

For your own benefit, be organised. But apart from that, there's really not too much to worry about.

In relation to the major work, take your time with it. The obvious stuff: read through it frequently. Let other people view/hear/read it and get their view on it.

Talk to your teacher lots about the tasks (viva/report ect).

 

[Cowanian]

~ Definitely start as soon as possible. Work consistently. It's no fun doing it all in the last few weeks or months. Sure, you may be able to write something, heck, it may even be good, or excellent. But there will be bumps. There will be a heck of a lot of editing to do, of realising at the last minute that something doesn't fit. Also take into account the word limit. You need to leave yourself time to deal with the word limit. When I finished my story, about 2 weeks before it was due, it was 9500 words. 1500 over. It took the WHOLE 2 weeks, plus staying at school until 8 pm to bring that under the word limit and still be an excellent piece of work. (Okay, I lie. It was sent in at 8080 words. NO ONE WILL NOTICE XD)

~ Get a good mentor. MENTORS ARE EVERYTHING!!!! And don't just pick your mentor cause they're your favourite teacher, or the 'smartest' or your aunt. If you know what you want to do, pick a mentor who has experience in your chosen medium/genre. For example I did an historic fantasy short story. My mentor was a teacher who loves that stuff. She reads it a lot, and she writes it herself. My mentor and I also have similar personality quirks, so we get along together great. That's another imporatant thing. Pick someone you respect. If you don't respect them, you won't listen to their advice.
Remeber that your mentor doesn't have to be an english teacher, or even a teacher from your school. If you're writing a critical about history, consider picking a history teacher. A friend of mine did a critical that was psycology based - her mentor was a friend who has studied that recently in university. Another friend used her father, as he's an ex english teacher, and has first hand experience with the subject she was writing about in her story.

~ Have fun. Don't choose the course because you think it'll be easy. It's hard work, and a commitment. But it is fun. I did E2 because I love to write, and I love historical fantasy. So I wrote that. Don't write something you don't like, or don't have an interest in it. Chances are pretty high you'll hate it by the end of the year. Whether that's soon enough for you to change what you're doing, or you're still able to be able to produce a good work is a risk you have to be willing to take. Don't do 10 units if you do E2. Chances are it'll completely stress you out!

~ DON"T forget your process journal. Seriously. Faking it at the end is not fun

Anyway, have fun! It's worth it!! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions/need any advice!!

Lindsey

 

[snowconesyum]

For example I did an historic fantasy short story.

haha for some reason i read this as "i did a fantastic history short story" and was like... oh ok then, nice and modest .. haha then read it again. all is well!