Johnathan Kozol 3 Quotes

Markeith Jones
English 1100_35
November 10, 2015
Homework Assignment: Kozol

3 Quotes

"If you have a high school teacher with five classes each day and between 150 and 175 students..., it's going to have a devastating effect." (Page 83, Paragraph 1)

"It startles me to hear her words, but I am startled even more to think how seldom any press reporter has observed the irony of naming segregated schools for Martin Luther King. Children reach the heart of these hypocrisies much quicker than the grown-ups and the experts do...." (Page 84, Paragraph 11)

"I agree it's unfair the way it is. We have AP courses and they don't. Our classes are much smaller. But putting them in schools like ours is not the answer. Why not put some AP courses into their school? Fix the roof and paint the halls so it will not be so depressing." (Page 86, Paragraph 1)

Blog Response To Jean Anyon

Markeith Jones

English 1100_35

November 8, 2015

Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work

Education based on Social Class

          Are there differences in teachers'  methods based on a student's social class? Does a school as a whole teach differently based on where the school is located? Jean Anyon observed several schools to find the answers. Anyon believed some schools were on a vocational education track, while others prepared children for much better futures. In her opinion based off research, Anyon believed that social class affected the way students were taught. Schools in poorer areas were said to have students less prepared for their future. They weren't given the proper help or work as the richer schools. That may apply to some but not in my case.

          Growing up in Irvington, New Jersey, I would consider the education I received to be pretty good. Some teachers had different ways of doing things in the classroom. I had some teachers that gave assignments and went over the work with class. There were also teachers that individually went to students. Then there were some teachers that just handed out the assignment and told us to go over the directions ourselves. I would say my family would be working class. So Anyon's analysis of working class schools did not really apply. Our work was graded as right or wrong, and the notes we took were not steps or directions written on the board. When we asked, we were told why the assignment was given and the connection to future assignments. I was always pretty good in school and my grades were good enough to get me into one of the best schools in New Jersey; FDU.

          I think Anyon's research is flawed. It was only observed in Elementary schools. If I could change one thing about this research, I would observe high schools, or even include middle schools. Her research did not consider older students. Preparing for the future don't stop at fifth grade. As far as the research Anyon obtained, I believe all students should be presented equal opportunities. It's not fair for richer kids to be set up to be doctors and lawyers, but working class schools don't try to do the same. There could be a future lawyer that never gets to realize their potential.

Markeith Jones
English 1100
Professor Young

1. If you play a sport, what type of sport do you play? How long have you been playing this sport?
Yes I play football here at FDU. My position is wide receiver. I have been playing football since my freshman year of high school.

2. What is your nickname and how did you get this name?
I don't have a nickname people just call me Mark or by my whole name.

3. What type of music do you listen to and who is your favorite artist?
I like to listen to all types of music. I don't have a particular favorite I just listen to whatever sounds good to me.

4. Do you use social media and if so how often do you use social media?
I barely ever be on social media. I was never that interested in it.

5. What are you passionate about?
I love football so I watch a lot of highlights and go over my playbook.

6. How would you describe your writing experience in high school?
In high we had a whole procedure. We spent one day planning, then do the rough draft the next day. Then we revise it 2 or 3 times. I learned many techniques, including the 5 paragraph structure.

7. Rate yourself as a writer. Explain.
I would probably say C+ or B- because sometimes I do just good enough without trying to excel.

8. When you write, do you sit at the computer and allow the words to flow or do you have an outline?
It depends on the topic.

9. What is most important for you to learn this semester?
better writing techniques to earn better grades.

Markeith Jones

English 1100

Professor Young

September 2, 2015

What Is Identity To You?

            What makes you who you are? What makes you different from everyone else? Your identity is what sets you apart from other people. We are all unique and one of a kind, all thanks to our identity. But what is your identity. You can be identified for many things. It can be where you are from, the language you speak, your religion, etc.  

           To me identity is the things you are most known for and remembered for. If you are always bitter and angry, that is the identity you created for yourself. Your ethnic background can set you apart from others. For example, I knew two Brians in high school. One was Puerto Rican and the other was Jamaican. During conversations when talking about one, we would say “Spanish Brian” or “Jamaican Brian” to not mix them up.  At my high school that was a general way of identifying people. “Lightskin David”, “Tall Derrick”, I heard a lot. So after those experiences, I knew appearance can also factor into your identity.

            I know for sure that I am unique. People tell me all the time that they’ve never met no one that act the way I do. I’m funny, playful, and I like to have fun. I pull pranks and tell jokes. At the same time I can be serious when I have to be. I’m also identified for being African American, or black. I’m fully confident in myself and some see it as arrogance.    

Markeith Jones
English 1100
Professor Young
August 30, 2015
How to Tame a Wild Tongue

Reading Response Questions

1. Discuss how the opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist's chair connects to the overall point/message of the essay and title.
The dentist trying to keep the author's tongue down is like a reference to the author's Spanish throughout the text. She was being controlled by others because of her Spanish speaking.

2. Discuss Anzaldua's use of Spanish throughout her writing. Did it make sense? What was her purpose?

Her reasoning made sense to me. Her purpose was to show non Spanish speaking readers what it is like to read outside of the mainstream language and culture.

3. Can Academic English be defined as Spanish (Standard) and can Chicano Spanish be described as nonstandard? What inferences, conclusions, can be made from one identity (language) as standard versus nonstandard?
Chicano Spanish creates slang because it is uses English and Spanish words, therefore I believe it is nonstandard.

4. Discuss the necessity of speaking and/writing in Academic English as an identity.  Is it necessary?

Using Academic English is the general form of writing. With no slang or shortening of words, it is the way most people right and is widely the correct way of writing. I believe it is necessary, especially in the job world or at school.

5. Anazaldua describes different types of Spanish, identities. Discuss the various types of English identities, you know and use.

I know of academic English, which is more for professionalism, There is also slang, which everyone my age use. For example saying "word" while having a conversation with someone means you agree with them. Or if you say "word?" it means you are asking if they are sure about what they said.

6. Pachuco. Do you use a secret language, secret identity, to communicate to your friends? If so, what?

It is not really a secret language because all teens my age use the same slang.

7. Chicano Spanish can be compared to non-standard English. What form of English (standard or nonstandard) do you speak with your friends (audience)? What form of English do you speak when you talk to your mother (audience), professor (audience)? Why?
My friends and I use slang when we talk. When talking with my mother I use a mixture of academic English and slang. When talking to a professor I try to completely move away from slang. With certain people you need to speak a certain way, and some people are not okay with the use of slang.

8. "I am language." What does this mean? How does this statement connect to a person's identity?

This statement means the individual identifies with whatever their home language is. It connects because it let's you the type of person they are. For example, I know two Brian's. One is American the other is Mexican. Some people would refer to the Mexican Brian as "Spanish Brian", because he speaks Spanish.

9. Talk specifically about how the introduction and conclusion connect.

She stuck to the way she was throughout. In the introduction the dentist was getting frustrated with her wild tongue. She was punished for being herself and not speaking "American". She stayed strong and never changed.

10. Can the language you speak be a part of your identity? Why?
Yes, because the language I speak can be used to figure out who I am. Like the Brian example I previously used.

11. How important is identity to you? Does Anzaldua believe it's important to have identity? Use some examples from "How to Tame a Wild Tongue", to support your answer.

Identity is important, because everyone is unique. You have to do what you can to make sure people remember who you are. Anzaldua believed identity was important. She added her language to hers by writing Spanish and always speaking Spanish.

Markeith Jones
English 1100
Professor Young
August 31, 2015

How to Tame a Wild Tongue

The first quote from the text that caught my attention was when the author was at the dentist in the introduction. The dentist said "I've never seen anything as strong or stubborn, and I think, how do you tame a wild tongue, train it to be quiet, how do you bridle and saddle it? How do you make it lie down?" This quote is significant because it kind of foreshadowed what will take place. Many people was trying to control what the author said and the language she spoke.

The next quote was when the author's teacher punished her saying, "If you want to be American, speak 'American.' If you don't like it, go back to Mexico where you belong." First off I think that is an outrageous thing to say to anyone, let alone a child. All she tried to do was have her name pronounced correctly. Also the teacher was wrong because "American" is not an official language to speak.

"Pocho, cultural traitor, you're speaking the oppressor's language. " Some Latinos and Latinas said that to the author because she was speaking English. She's not a traitor because she's adapting to the culture she's surrounded by. They all she be considered traitor as well. They speak the "oppressors" language as well as live in the "oppressors" country.

Markeith Jones

English 1100

Professor Young

September 10, 2015

What Does Identity Mean

How important is your identity? I know of an author who took her identity very seriously. Gloria Anzaldua wrote "How to Train a Wild Tongue." She explained the value of her identity and being herself by not changing who she was to satisfy others. She spoke Spanglish to in the book to help readers to understand the rich cultural conditions of the borderlines, and to show non Spanish readers what it is like to use a language they did not understand. I feel like Anzaldua was right to try and prove her point. Her school teacher told her speak American. She defended her reasoning by explaining the many different ways of speaking English as well as Spanish. I agree, because the United States is a fully diverse country with many cultures and languages, therefore there is no American language to truly speak. Anzaldua said "I am my language" when speaking of her identity. She was proud of her language and of her heritage. Identity is important because it defines who you are.

    Identity is a vital piece of all our lives. What exactly is identity? Your identity is the unique characteristics that make you who you are. So it does not only apply to language. You can be know for your style, religion, attitude, personality, and many other things. Sometimes it does not come down to what you want. There could be a misconception of you by others and you Just be seen for something or someone you are not. It is how you are remembered and how you would be described to someone who has yet to see or meet you. Your identity make you unique because there is no one else like you. We all have our special ways of separating ourselves from other people. I definitely consider myself to be one of a kind.

    I believe identity is important in order to make an impact. Gloria Annals us used her language to contribute to her identity. When she stated that she was her language, she identified herself. She spoke Spanish and English but wanted to be known for being Mexican. She spoke Spanglish and was often punished for not speaking English in school. But on the flip side, she was ridiculed by her own people for not sticking to Spanish and instead "speaking the oppressor's language." It was important for her to endure that hardship from other people.

    I will speak a little about my identity. I am considered to be funny, playful, prankster. I like to make people laugh and have a good time. But at the same time some people say I look mean. That's because I can really quiet around people I don't know. That's why in my classes I just sit and stay quiet. I  high school, I use to be one of the livest ones in the class. When I get upset I can be pretty mean and stubborn. It is easy to prejudge someone without even knowing them. You see someone walking down the street at night with many tattoos, many people would cross the street because they would assume that person could be dangerous. Those tattoos could be a misconception and it could be a really kind and helpful person. But at the same time the person got all those tattoos because that is how they chose to express them self. Anzaldua chose speaking Spanglish. I like to joke and play around. You see, that is three different ways to help shape your identity. Just like Anzaldua, I like how I am and wouldn't change.

    Who you are should be important to you. If you want to be identified a certain way embrace it, let it be known, and be proud. Whether it be for one thing or another, there's nothing wrong with how you want to be perceived by others. You do not want to be controlled or misguided because of how others think you are. I believe the way Anzaldua carried herself was a great way of showing belief in how you choose to be. She went through a lot just for wanting to be herself. Do not let anyone try to change how you are.

Citation

Anzaldua, Gloria. "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" Teaching Developmental Writing Ed. Susan Naomi BernStein. Fourth ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin"s, 2013. 245-255.