Barry Alford, the author of Freirean Voices, Student Choices is an English professor at Mid Michigan Community College. In this specific piece of writing, he states that “particularly when they find themselves following some formula organizing the topic instead of the trail of their own thinking” (P. 280). Meaning that students just do exactly what they are told to do instead of venturing out and making it their own writing. Alford talks about how students need to have more in depth and creative forms of writing rather than being boring. A major thing he believes is that students need to hear themselves and their other classmates before they start writing.
Schooled by Gordan Korman is about a boy named Capricorn Anderson who learns about that there are friends to back you up, friendship and reveals that you shouldn’t be pushed around because your friends are always there to stand up for you. Capricorn Anderson is not an average 13 year old. He has never had any friends or been to school with others. He was homeschooled all his life with his hippie grandmother, Rain. All he had was Rain, but when Rain breaks her hip, Capricorn has to go live with the Donnellys and go to C Average Middle School.
If you were to change something about the education system in the U.S, what would you change? How would you critique the quality of education? Education historian Diane Ravitch answers these questions in her excerpt that was published in 2014, “The Essentials of a Good Education.” In her text Ravitch argues that the education system is flawed and that the vision of a good education is unfair and unequal. Ravitch supports her claim by providing examples of the negative effects of the educational system and using historical context.
After few hours reading, “The Sanctuary of School” was written by Lynda Barry, grew up in an interracial neighborhood in Seattle, Washington State. Then, I think this article was interesting to read. I love the way how she told us her past experience by using her own voice to lead us step by step get into her story, then she also shares us about her feeling and how it impacted to her future life. Plus, at the end, she argues that the government should not be cutting the school programs and art related activities. Those programs definitely do help the students and the parents as well.
(43). Berger gives some insight on what she thinks is the best way to invest in education. She states that she would reduce and adjust how often the standardize tests are and that parents are the ones that need to get involved in their kids’ lives for their children to succeed. Through this information not only students will see the damage that teaching to the test has done, but also the damage to society. The society needs to understand the importance of challenging a student in their education and not letting a student’s simply go through the phase of higher
By doing so, we can rely on assessments that allow students to practice and apply material in order to foster retention and mastery (Ravitch 261). Ravitch discusses Finland and how they completely reformed their educational system into a structure that has students take zero standardized tests until they reach the college application process, a method that was enacted to promote teacher accountability and place a stronger emphasis on the noncognitive aspects of individual development. A component of the basis for the argument, Ravitch states, is that while standardized testing may be effective when it is administered fairly, it often impairs students’ abilities to critically analyze information and leaves them practicing how to guess the “right answer.” Addressing this issue is a responsibility that falls on administrators and policymakers; they must be held accountable and required to make changes that best meet the constantly evolving needs of the students. In this case, completely modifying the concept of standardized testing is a necessity.
Enslaved people were prohibited to read by law– a law that restricts their power– a law that silences their voices. But to what extent will one go to learn how to read– to obtain their rightful power? In the poem, “Learning to Read” by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Uncle Caldwell took a significant risk. Chloe, a freedwoman and former slave, talks about Uncle Caldwell’s determination to learn how to read. She says; “I remember Uncle Caldwell //
They might well master what they are supposed to learn, but that’s not education”(68). The standardized system evaluates the students' performance does actually evaluate what the student was able to learn which makes it as whole just a test that one needs to
Upon hearing the word “valedictorian,” many visualise an incredibly intelligent, studious young person who must be better than the rest, which to some can seem unfair--rewarding one student in front of so many hardworking others-- it’s a bit discouraging. On the other hand, one thing a valedictorian can do is write an impressive essay. In Margaret Talbot’s article “Best in Class,” she illustrates her idea that the idealistic of valedictorian isn’t necessarily awful, but can be improved upon in order to appeal to a larger group of hardworking people. Talbot uses various testimonies and anecdotes from previous students throughout her piece in order to establish her logos and/or ethos. For starters, the first example Talbot pulls is from a former
A Lesson Learned In Toni Cade Bambara’s story “The Lesson,” Sylvia, the main character, changes drastically from the beginning of the story to the end. She is, in other words, a dynamic character. To begin, Sylvia is a dynamic character because she is learning a lesson, although trying hard not to. For example, Miss Moore, an intelligent, highly regarded self-appointed advocate, takes Sylvia and the other children to an expensive toy store.
To be presented as valedictorian, to have the opportunity to speak at graduation, to walk across the stage knowing you’ve worked extremely hard over the past 4 years - that is an honor. The title valedictorian began as an innocent award to reward the top student in each class; however, students have turned it into an enormous competition. These competitions have resulted in lawsuits, sour attitudes, and negativity towards one another. In “Best In Class,” Margaret Talbot clearly displays her message that the honor of valedictorian rewards those who work hard, but the award, over time, has become corrupt, thus, needing modification through her strong use of the appeals and her informative persona. Margaret Talbot uses each of the appeals to
Tony Scott, the author of, “Writing Enacts and Creates Identities and Ideologies”. Scott explains how ideologies are used in everyday life by stating that, an ideology is a “system of ideas and beliefs that together constitute a comprehensive worldview.” (Scott, 1) People throughout the world live through ideologies every day on the basis of religion, skin color, and where they are from. Such as the social class they are associated with. Family background is another basis of how an individual sees ideology.
Today, you either get educated or you get stuck in a dead-end job without much prospect for the future. The gap between those with a higher education and those without one is becoming wider with advancements in technology and the growing competitiveness of the job market. There are many dangers of this gap. One such danger is the people who have a higher educations having the leisure to ignore those who are less educated. Joy Castro in her essays “Hungry” and “On Becoming Educated” discusses her life and educational journey.
In this essay, "Why Literature Matters", author Dana Gioia sets up an argument about literature. Which she uses various ways to persuade her audience be in favor of her proposal; by showing statistic evidence, facts, and historical evidence, as well as some ironies, diction, and the appeals to reader's emotion. First of all, Gioia begins with strong appeals to reader's logos by clearly laying out the statistic source. For example, "According to the 2002 survey of Public Participation in the Arts, the reading population of the Americans is declining. " In turn, is an attempt to point out the thesis statement and make the readers to think out about this topic wile reading through her essay.
Annually, about 1.7 billion dollars are spent on standardized tests (Ujifusa). These tests waste a lot of money and do not improve education in any way. The 1.7 billion dollars that we waste could be spent on higher education, but instead it’s wasted on these tests. Students across America are struggling to pass their classes, and they could use more support from teachers. The money that we’re wasting on standardized tests could go to helping these students, but it’s practically thrown away.
