Creative Writing: The Patrick Method (Final)

If I were to teach Creative Writing in 2013 to a group of uncooperative obstreperous students, there are a few keys things that I would do. According to Beth Sunny and Vera Marbles, uncooperative students tend to have two traits, the ‘I’m smarter than you’ and the ‘I don’t see the value in this’ attitude. These disruptive kids may need special treatment to encourage them to cooperate. In order to meet each student’s individual needs and to take on this class as their new teacher, my style of teaching will have minimal hands-on material, lots of visual stimulus throughout the classroom, and deep conversations with engaging topics. I will endeavor to be an adaptable, humorous, relatable, and respected instructor. Additionally, I will look for changes in how conversational, inspired, and motivated my students become.

Very much like Mr. Keating in the Dead Poets Society, my classroom will not have distracting hands on material like props and coloring books, it’ll be pure verbal and written work instead. The main focus will always be the subject at hand. If my students are allowed to have their cell phones or play with their fancy pencils that take video and glow in the dark, then they and I both will be distracted. Having engaging material that challenges and demands the attention of the students is key to motivating them.
To be an engaging Creative Writing teacher, my assignments “must be meaningful to them,” says Kevin Bibo of ‘How to Be an Engaging Teacher’. “Once you do [learn who your kids are], you can begin to tailor the assessments to fit the interests and experiences of the kids.” Class conversations and assignments can be about their own experiences, family life, friends, interests, and goals but also can include things that the students are quite familiar with. For example, a conversation or assignment could be outlined by the subject ‘unicorns’, and the objective of the pupil is to write a myth on how unicorns were first brought into this world. The student may not be familiar with the original legend, but will create instead their own version. The task given isn’t a personal experience, but is enjoyable and refreshingly different.
An atmosphere with posters, paintings, drawings, and a hint of color, can enhance the way students come up with ideas. Those who work hard at coming up with their own ideas may take the visuals into consideration. If a student says that they can’t think of anything, I’ll encourage them to look around the room and write about something that catches their eye. This leaves no excuse for work not completed and promotes motivated active learning.
Why do kids do what one teacher asks but not another? One teacher may even ask the same thing of the same students but another teacher may not get any result. As an instructor, I will be stern, relatable, and humorous when appropriate much like Keating in Dead Poets Society. In the movie, Mr. Keating said, “We're not laughing at you - we're laughing near you,” is an attitude I’d adapt that reveals very much how I’d approach my class; with authority but also lightheartedness. Mike Rose, author of I Just Wanna Be Average, also points out the same trait in one of his favorite teachers, Mr. MacFarland. “Even MacFarland’s barbs were literary. If Jim FItzsimmons, hung over and irritable, tried to smart-ass him, he’d rejoin and flourish that would spark the indomitable Skip Madison - who’d lost his front teeth in a hapless tackle - to flick his tongue through the gap and opine, “good chop,” drawing out the single “O” in stinging indictment” (6).  MacFarland found a way, even with students who were irritable and hostile, to intellectually turn a conversation around with his “brandished linguistic weapons.” With that, however, comes the most difficult task of a new teacher; earning respect.
How will I make my students respect me? Well as Edna Sackson said in 10 Ways To Get Your Students’ Respect, “Respect your students. Don’t talk down to students. Model mutual respect.  Don’t have double standards. Give what you’d like to get back. Know every child’s story and treat each as an individual. Cater for different learning preferences, strengths and weaknesses.”In other words if I, as the instructor, don’t acknowledge my own students as individuals, then I shouldn’t expect that in return. This might even mean tailoring my assignments and learning style to fit the needs of the class as a whole and each student individually. I have an assignment that is called ‘Coffee Shop Name Poem’ and the goal is to go around one’s hometown and create a poem based on the coffee shop names. But there is one student of mine that lives on a 40 acre farm. As his teacher I could ask him to look up names online or in a phone book. This kind of ‘customer service’ for an individual student enables him to be challenged regardless of the circumstance.
I will ask for two things in the entirety of the class. The first pertains to the participation grade, that each student grow in their conversation involvement and quality of discussions. That means if a student joins into a classroom discussion and adds something constructive or meaningful on a regular basis, they receive full participation points. The second thing I ask for is quality writing, which requires that each student should put forth effort, and develop their ideas throughout their writing so that they may reflect broad or narrow topics and describe them in ways that are comprehensible to others. I will not ask for a ‘standard of learning’ that each student must cross or meet, as Freire, author of the Banking Concept of Education, elaborates, “Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor... This is the ‘banking’ concept of education” (99). As Freire is opposed to a teacher telling his students what is absolute truth and insisting that they comply, I ask that my students find their own truth through their papers. As Keating expands, “Now we all have a great need for acceptance, but you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even though others may think them odd or unpopular, even though the herd may go.” The only form of assessments I will give are paper assignments, usually short story or poetry. This is to reinforce the notion that grammar and punctuation are important, however in a Creative Writing class, it is more important to focus on good plot development. I will define these expectations clearly on the first day of class, and will expect them from each student.
Creative Writing is quite possibly the most lenient type of class out of basic core subjects like English, Math, or Science. To have a coherent method of instruction and encourage vigilant pupils that work toward development of their own written and verbal material means that, as a teacher, I have to scrutinize work that is late or of low quality. But I will strive to help them achieve their full potential. Techniques that I feel will be successful in a Creative Writing class include the following: less distraction, deep conversation, visual aid around the classroom to stimulate original though, a light humorous atmosphere, and looking out for each and every student.

Works Cited

Bibo, Kevin. “How To Be An Engaging Teacher.” Teaching.Monster.com. Where Teachers Meet and Learn. Web.

Dead Poets Society. Dir. Peter Weir. Perf. Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke. Touchstone Pictures, 1989. DVD

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, 2007. Print.

Rose, Mike. “I Just Wanna Be Average.” Lives on the Boundary. New York: Penguin Books, 2005. Print.

Sackson, Edna. “10 Ways To Get Your Students’ Respect.” WhatEdSaid.com. What Ed Said. Web. 28 August, 2010.

Sunny, Beth. “Encouraging the Uncooperative Student to Be Cooperative.” IgnitePoint.com. Showing How To Ignite Your WOW!, 2001. Web.

Creative Writing: The Patrick Method (Rough Draft)

If I was to teach Creative Writing in 2013 to a group of non-cooperative obstreperous students, there are a few keys things that I would do. According to Beth Sunny and Vera Marbles, uncooperative students tend to have two traits, the ‘I’m smarter than you’ and the ‘I don’t see the value in this’ attitude. These kids need special treatment for them to cooperate. In order to meet everyone’s individual needs and to take on the class as a new teacher, my class will have minimal hands on material, lots of visual stimulus around the classroom, deep conversations with engaging topics, along with my character as a random, humorous, relatable, and respected instructor. As their instructor, I will look for changes in how conversational, inspired, and motivated my students are.

Very much like Mr. Keating, my classroom won’t have distracting hands on material like props and projectors, it’ll be pure verbal and written work instead. This suggests that the main focus be the subject at hand. If students are allowed to have their cell phones or play with their fancy pencils that take video and glow in the dark, then the students and teacher both will be distracted. Having engaging material that challenges and demands attention from students is key to motivated students.
To be an engaging Creative Writing teacher, my assignments “must be meaningful to them,” says Kevin Bibo of ‘How to Be an Engaging Teacher’. “Once you do [learn who your kids are], you can begin to tailor the work you give to fit the interests and experiences of the kids.” Class conversations and assignments can be about their own experiences, family life, friends, interests, and goals but also aren’t limited to things that the students are quite familiar with. For example, a conversation or assignment could be outlined by the subject ‘unicorns’, and the objective of the pupil is to write a myth on how they first were brought into this world. The student may not be familiar with the original legend, but will creatively create their own version. The task given isn’t a personal experience, but is fun and refreshingly different.
An atmosphere with posters, paintings, drawings, and a hint of color changes the way students come up with ideas. Those who work hard at coming up with their own ideas may take the items into consideration. If a student should say that they can’t think of anything, I’ll tell them to look around the room and write about something that catches their eye and why. This leaves no excuse for work not completed and also promotes motivated active learning.
Why do kids do what one teacher asks but not another? They may even ask the same thing of the same students but one teacher may not get any result. As an instructor, I will be stern, relatable, and humorous when appropriate much like Keating in Dead Poets Society. Just like Mr. Keating said, “We're not laughing at you - we're laughing near you,” is very much how I’d approach my class; with authority but also lightheartedness. With that, however, comes the most difficult task; respect.
How will I make my students respect me? Well as Edna Sackson said in ‘10 Ways To Get Your Students’ Respect’, “Respect your students. Don’t talk down to students. Model mutual respect.  Don’t have double standards. Give what you’d like to get back. Know every child’s story and treat each as an individual. Cater for different learning preferences, strengths and weaknesses.” Essentially saying that if I, as the instructor, don’t acknowledge my own students as individuals, then I shouldn’t expect that in return. This might even mean tailoring my assignments and learning style to fit the needs of the class as a whole and individually. So if I have an assignment that is called ‘Coffee Shop Name Poem’ and the goal is to go around your hometown and create a poem based on the coffee shop names and a student lives on a 40 acre farm, then as the teacher I could ask him to look up names online or in a phone book. These step by step customer service for my students enables them to be challenged no matter what circumstance they’re in.
I will ask for two things in the entirety of the class. The first attributes to the participation grade, that each student grew in their conversation involvement and quality of discussions. That means if a student joins into a classroom discussion and adds something constructive or meaningful on a regular basis, they receive full participation points. The second thing I ask for is quality pieces of writing, which with each student put effort into, and development of ideas throughout their pieces so that they may reflect broad or narrow topics and describe them in ways that are comprehensible to others. I will not ask for a ‘standard of learning’ that each student must cross or meet just as Freire states, “Education thus becomes an act of depositing, in which the students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor... This is the ‘banking’ concept of education” (99). Just as Freire is opposed to teacher telling the students what is truth and they must comply, I ask that my students find their own truth through their papers. As Keating expands, “Now we all have a great need for acceptance, but you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even though others may think them odd or unpopular, even though the herd may go.” The only form of assessments I will give are paper assignments, usually short story or poem. This is to build off of the notion that grammar and punctuation are important, but in a Creative Writing class not the absolute focus relative to idea development. With these things defined clearly on the first day of class, I will expect it from each student.
Creative Writing is quite possibly the most lenient type of class out of the basic core classes like English, Math, and Science. To have a coherent method of instruction and vigilant pupils working toward development of their own written and verbal material means that as a teacher I have to be scrutinizing late or low quality work, but helping them achieve their full potential in the same way I might ask for it. Less distraction, deep conversation, visual aid around the classroom to stimulate original thought, a light humorous atmosphere, and looking out for each and every student are just some of the ways I will conduct my class.

Works Cited

Bibo, Kevin. “How To Be An Engaging Teacher.” Teaching.Monster.com. Where Teachers Meet and Learn. Web.

Dead Poets Society. Dir. Peter Weir. Perf. Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke. Touchstone Pictures, 1989. DVD

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, 2007. Print.

Sackson, Edna. “10 Ways To Get Your Students’ Respect.” WhatEdSaid.com. What Ed Said. Web. 28 August, 2010.

Sunny, Beth. “Encouraging the Uncooperative Student to Be Cooperative.” IgnitePoint.com. Showing How To Ignite Your WOW!, 2001. Web.

Mexican American Studies

MAS, or Mexican American Studies, is a curriculum in Tucson Unified School District, Arizona that is directed for Latino Americans in helping them achieve a higher education. The statistics show that 97% of students graduate from high school (compared to 44% nationally) and 70% enter college (24% nationally). The school board in Tucson, “...presents material from perspectives and experiences of Chicanos as well as from other ethnic and cultural groups,” leaving kids inspired about their own heritage and culture, as well as other cultures. This curriculum was shut down because of unclear issues. “Acosta and other teachers tried over the years to meet with school board member and the state superintendent of public instruction to find out what precisely in the curriculum was objectionable,” Acosta goes on to say that no one ever came to them and said, “I’m uncomfortable with this lesson you are teaching.” He then says that Mr. Horne has no clue what they’re teaching. A few books that teachers had their students read were even banned for false reasons, “Let Their Spirits Dance, by Duarte, officials said there was a questionable sex scene in the book,” but then Sotelo goes on to say there is no such scene, and then asked the officials if they had ever read the book, “they said no.” The only way the program could be threatening to some people (in my opinion), is if they are uncomfortable with learning about Mexican culture and their take on our country.

Wrapping Up

The major point to get across here, that both Rose and Lewis Black are clearly saying, is that too many times schools are resorting to a ‘quick fix’. This might involve new facilities that may cost a million dollars, or new technology in the classroom to encourage more efficient learning. Both of these ‘fixes’ don’t really fix much of anything. Sure they’re nice, but what Rose and Black are getting to is that students in our schools need, “.. an engaging and challenging education in 2011.” 

How might this be accomplished? Well Rose flutters across ideas that inhibit excitement toward the ‘quick fixes’, that the papers in his hometown and elsewhere would look skeptically at these new ideas until there’s proof, and not just statistically measured by standardized testing. Freire, in my humble opinion, would flat out agree to Rose’s statement because he would look with hostility toward the method of standardized testing. He wrote a whole essay about how the ‘Banking Method of Education’ was an awful way of preparing young minds. Standardized testing is the test for how well the Banking Method was given.

Mike rose gives his opinion on the people trying to change school quickly, “To have the media, middle-brow and high-brow, quit giving such a free pass to the claims and initiatives of the Department of Education and school reformers,” essentially saying that we should do much more research before we spend time and money on the next big idea.

The Arts

Keith is saying to me, that the liberal arts are a way of making the now, the present, what it going on at this moment in your life a bit more meaningful than it was before. He states that these types of curricula help students think differently about society, maybe even revolutionary. Du Bois even gave Platonic ideals credit because they, "destroyed feudalism, leveled serfdom, scorched aristocracy, melted crowns, took hold of the heart of William Wilberforce and burned into the soul of William Lloyd Garrison and the slave went forth a man". This kind of education is a major factor in our society and the minds of our young citizens. Keith Gilyard ends saying that, science and mathematical education is very important for production and financial strength in our country however, but for the benefit of the people living in it, the arts are a wondrous thing.

My Role In Education?

The cause and effect techniques talked about in the reading are useful tools that allow a writer to analyze a topic then dissect the effects or causes from it. For example, the topic of our third paper is about our role in education, you could say some causes of teacher and student misunderstanding are the student's unwillingness to cooperate from family/home problems, the teacher's style of conducting class, peer pressure, or serious insecurities. You could then take those points and expand them, explaining why they are causes of a classroom anarchy. Arguing using cause and effect helps the reader along the lines of your own thinking; logically, cat goes to hat, from hat goes to spatula, from spatula goes to foot, each noun replaced by the causes of the point you're trying to make. 'Spelling it out' to someone with logical cause and effect strategies make a diverse and legible persuasive paper.

To Make A Difference

If you're trying to change how our country's education system works overnight, or even in a few years, it's not going to happen, not that quickly at least. But I think that if each and every teacher gets their teaching credentials because they love teaching and they love kids, our schools could be vastly different. If each teacher, adviser  coach, administrator, and superintendent does their absolute best to relate to each other, work through learning blockades, and work to inspire the kids that attend their institutions, kids will be exhaling A's. It's not about the teacher's personal attributes as much as how much that teacher cares about their students, and how much they want them to succeed. From a student's standpoint, my favorite teachers are the ones that made me work my anus off, and they inspired me to do my absolute best and helped me along the way. I think the critical point here is that teachers make the difference. Not necessarily the quality of books, gym equipment, waxed floors, or the plasma screen TV's that bloat your screen at lunch time.

A Real Education Experience

Barry Boyce has a definite point, whether you're comfortable with the Buddhist tradition and techniques or not. Meditation is beyond religion, it's a contemplative process that involves looking inside yourself at a current point in time and asking questions like, "Why am I feeling this way? Why am I talking this way? And what can I do to change that?" Questions like these can help anyone decipher their emotions, including children. Although, children most likely aren't in a work stress environment, they might be stressed with schoolwork, relationships, or family problems. Early development of those inside questions ("Why am I feeling this way?") can help kids digest issues outside their own space, and possible help them grow into more empathetic and understanding adults. Education is all about cooperation, and understanding another person's point of few is key to a healthy learning career.

The Gift of Grit

I think what Jerry Large is getting at is more than just an analysis of grades and what kind of character contributes, but also career paths to success later in life, "The presence or absence of those qualities is a better indicator of future success than test scores or IQ." Grit in character, according to Large, "... is one of the characteristics of successful people." The children that received too much grit, however, tend to feel overly stressed. The fine balance between just enough absence and just enough motherly fatherly comfort is necessary to sustain a healthy development of character and learning in a young child's mind. Those who find the balance, may just have a happier and possibly more striving child.

Similarities Between Smitherman and Superheros

I find schools like Kipp Prep who work in impoverished neighborhoods to bring students to their full capacity very similar to how Smitherman describes African American English. Because this sub-dialect of English isn't 'book' standard, or 'correct' in schools, we require the standard version of English (or informally called White English) the valid writing language. Smitherman is saying that the type of English she speaks is very much valid in how she was raised, talks to her family and friends, and is a part of her culture so she defends it. In the same way, the neighborhoods and communities that are in poverty aren't expected to score high in school or succeed, and some schools and staff are trying to show the invalidity in that. They're trying to show that, even though they may not have access to the best facilities, or sports equipment, they have the brain power to do well and chase their dreams.

Wondrous Mentors (Final Draft)

Intellectual creative thought, that's what keeps us humans truly alive. Mentors that posses this desire for free thinking, out of the norm responses, and true colorful expression are extremely valuable in today's world. These people guide young minds to their own conclusions, for them to decide what is right and wrong in their own eyes, and to experience the world as such. My teacher Mr. Davis and Mr. Keating are both made up of imagination, creativity, and unabashed enthusiasm making them unmatched mentors.

Imagination, the key source of ideas, land of marveled fantasy, childlike, and fervent unadulterated goals. Teachers that wish to be good teachers need imagination. To open their own minds to a world of possibilities that are impossible, so that their students may follow and open their minds as well. Mr. Keating is a bustling economy of words. He will even improv a poetic remark on the spot to clarify his point, “"But only in their dreams can men be truly free, twas always thus and always thus will be” he said to a fellow teacher that didn’t approve of Keating teaching his boys to think for themselves and have dreams. My teacher Mr. Davis, too,  is like a two year old with an endless disposal of crayons and paper. When he talks, he comes up with a scenario that puts you right in the moment, completely unwinding you from linear thinking, to the made up story he unfolds for himself, much less others. The end of his stories are faded, blurred, and sneaky. They creep upon you when you least expect it. He creates unease, suspense, and inspiration that all tie together in the end which I have benefited from when I sit down to write a paper.

The mark of a creative mind is one who can think abstractly and intellectually, but deliberately tie all loose ends together creating one whole story, with a deep winding inside, and a neat outline from the outside. Mr. Keating sees the potential futures of the boys he instructs, and encourages them on paths that they have not yet seen. “But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for... That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?” Mr. Keating asked his class. He finds a time and place to explain his approach, a different approach to poetry and language, that it might be a heavily passionate endeavour that all humans could relate to. He creatively weaves together a description, persuasive real world application, and then turns and asks the boys how they are doing in the pursuit. My teacher Mr. Davis also constructs a way to get answers out of his students that even they wouldn’t expect. He has a few exercises that do just that, such as speed writing, which in reality has no structure whatsoever but is an excellent way of putting down thoughts and leaking abstract details from the subconscious that you wouldn’t normally see in a regular paper setting. Speed writing is done with randomized songs, a pen and paper, and an ear. The goal is to not think, but write. Listen to what is being played, how your emotional reaction is to it, what thoughts are whizzing through your cranium as they buzz, what the person next to you is doing, or colors that flash before your eyes when you tickle your pen across the parchment; nothing is too boring or random to be put down on paper. After a few songs have completed, you are to stop what you’re doing and read what you wrote. After outlining key subjects or descriptions in your paper, you are to write a poem describing everything you put down in a neat way. It’s an incredibly odd but rewarding exercise as I have come up with some totally original stuff that I would never put into words verbally.

The key to a successful story, poem, life, relationship, or anything that involves time, passion, and effort is enthusiasm. To mentor childrens’ minds means you have to be enthusiastic. Mr. Keating loves his boys, and cares about each and every one of them, though he doesn’t shelter them, and wants them to break out and learn for themselves. Like when he asks them why he stands upon his desk and Charlie says ‘to feel taller,’and Mr. Keating replies, “No! Thank you for playing Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.” Mr. Keating is enthusiastic about his students, but also their outlook on life and the world around them. His enthusiasm for his own perspective creates desire in others. Mr. Davis has a similar way of doing the same thing. He talks individually to any of his students if they’re having a hard time coming up with something original, or can’t see something from a different angle. He gives examples, or exercises you can do outside of school to get a grasp at what other people might go through. One of his assignments was to visit a city outside of Poulsbo, go sight-seeing, write down songs you heard playing on the radio at a gas station, the kind of people you saw getting coffee or crossing the street, the kind of signs you saw that were abnormal, local restaurant names and recreational areas, sounds and smells of that region you were in, and write down anything extra that struck you as exciting or new. Some of us couldn’t think of a city to pick, so he would list suggestions (places like Seabeck!) and helped out wherever possible to make this assignment do-able. Everyone that did the worksheet, wrote down places, things, names, and then wrote a poem out of it, came back with a whole new approach to thinking about poetry, places, and people (or at least I did).

Mr. Davis and Mr. Keating are different when it comes to their teaching styles. Where Mr. Keating is teaching in a high esteemed private school, Mr. Davis is teaching in a messy high-school where most kids take Creative Writing for an easy A or a place where it won’t take much brain power (though those kids failed the course). Keating is trying to demonstrate to his kids that it’s okay to let go, and take a chance, “Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, ‘Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.’ Don't be resigned to that. Break out!” Where Davis brings the crazy public school kids together in one poetic way and looks to squeeze the best out of them for their own benefit. Mr. Keating and Mr. Davis are my most inspirational mentors.

Works Cited:

Dead Poets Society. Dir. Peter Weir. Perf. Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke. Touchstone Pictures, 1989. DVD

Wondrous Teachers (Rough Draft)

Intellectual creative thought, that's what keeps us humans truly alive. Mentors that posses this desire for free thinking, out of the norm responses, and true colorful expression are extremely valuable in today's world. These people guide young minds to their own conclusions, for them to decide what is right and wrong in their own eyes, and to experience the world as such. My teacher Mr. Davis and Mr. Keating are both made up of imagination, creativity, and unabashed enthusiasm making them unmatched mentors.

Imagination, the key source of ideas, land of marveled fantasy, childlike, and fervent unadulterated goals. Teachers that wish to be good teachers need imagination. To open their own minds to a world of possibilities that are impossible, so that their students may follow and open their minds as well. Mr. Keating is a bustling economy of words. He will even improv a poetic remark on the spot to clarify his point, “"But only in their dreams can men be truly free, twas always thus and always thus will be” he said to a fellow teacher that didn’t approve of Keating teaching his boys to think for themselves and have dreams. My teacher Mr. Davis, too,  is like a two year old with an endless disposal of crayons and paper. When he talks, he comes up with a scenario that puts you right in the moment, completely unwinding you from linear thinking, to the made up story he unfolds for himself, much less others. The end of his stories are faded, blurred, and sneaky. They creep upon you when you least expect it. He creates unease, suspense, and inspiration that all tie together in the end which I have benefited from when I sit down to write a paper.

    The mark of a creative mind is one who can think abstractly and intellectually, but deliberately tie all loose ends together creating one whole story, with a deep winding inside, and a neat outline from the outside. Mr. Keating sees the potential futures of the boys he instructs, and encourages them on paths that they have not yet seen. “But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for... That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?” Mr. Keating asked his class. He finds a time and place to explain his approach, a different approach to poetry and language, that it might be a heavily passionate endeavour that all humans could relate to. He creatively weaves together a description, persuasive real world application, and then turns and asks the boys how they are doing in the pursuit. My teacher Mr. Davis also find a way to get answers out of his students that even they wouldn’t expect. He has a few exercises that do just that, such as speed writing, which in reality has no structure whatsoever but is an excellent way of putting down thoughts and leaking abstract details from the subconscious that you wouldn’t normally see in a regular paper setting. Speed writing is done with randomized songs, a pen and paper, and an ear. The goal is to not think, but write. Listen to what is being played, how your emotional reaction is to it, what thoughts are whizzing through your cranium as they buzz, what the person next to you is doing, or colors that flash before your eyes when you tickle your pen across the parchment; nothing is too boring or random to be put down on paper. After a few songs have completed, you are to stop what you’re doing and read what you wrote. After outlining key subjects or descriptions in your paper, you are to write a poem describing everything you put down in a neat way. It’s an incredibly odd but rewarding exercise as I have come up with some totally original stuff that I would never put into words verbally.

    The key to a successful story, poem, life, relationship, or anything that involves time, passion, and effort is enthusiasm. To be a mentor of childrens’ minds you have to be enthusiastic, or at least to be a good one. Mr. Keating loves his boys, and cares about each and every one of them, though he doesn’t shelter them, and wants them to break out and learn for themselves. Like when he asks them why he stands upon his desk and Charlie says ‘to feel taller,’and Mr. Keating replies, “No! Thank you for playing Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.” Mr. Keating is enthusiastic about his students, but also their outlook on life and the world around them. His enthusiasm for his own perspective creates desire in others. Mr. Davis has a similar way of doing the same thing. He talks individually to any of his students if they’re having a hard time coming up with something original, or can’t see something from a different angle. He gives examples, or exercises you can do outside of school to get a grasp at what other people might go through. One of his assignments was to visit a city outside of Poulsbo, go sight-seeing, write down songs you heard playing on the radio at a gas station, the kind of people you saw getting coffee or crossing the street, the kind of signs you saw that were abnormal, local restaurant names and recreational areas, sounds and smells of that region you were in, and write down anything extra that struck you as exciting or new. Some of us couldn’t think of a city to pick, so he would list suggestions (places like Seabeck!) and helped out wherever possible to make this assignment do-able. Everyone that did the worksheet, wrote down places, things, names, and then wrote a poem out of it, came back with a whole new approach to thinking about poetry, places, and people (or at least I did).

Mr. Davis and Mr. Keating are different when it comes to their teaching styles. Where Mr. Keating is teaching in a high esteemed private school, Mr. Davis is teaching in a messy high-school where most kids take Creative Writing for an easy A or a place where it won’t take much brain power (though those kids failed the course). Keating is trying to demonstrate to his kids that it’s okay to let go, and take a chance, “Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, ‘Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.’ Don't be resigned to that. Break out!” Where Davis brings the crazy public school kids together in one poetic way and looks to squeeze the best out of them for their own benefit. Mr. Keating and Mr. Davis are my most inspirational mentors.

Freire And Standard Tests

I think a better question is what would Freire be happy about in today's schools. Standardized tests spell out exactly what he demonstrated. They encourage spoon fed alien knowledge that is regurgitated when they ask for it. As he calls it, "the Banking Concept of Education". There are very few instructors that have the opportunity or guts to have a Socratic set up classroom, or a classroom that encourages a student to think for himself/herself and question established beliefs. Because of the amount of students public schools now have keep increasing, standardized tests have become a way of obtaining a general idea of how our schools in the U.S. are doing internationally.

In a way though, this has poised a problem to our students creativity; one of the most important aspects of human nature, and very valuable to entrepreneurial goals, whether they be in business, art, or science. Many teachers also reject experimentation with real world connections, "... Thus they react almost instinctively against any experiment in education which stimulates the critical faculties and is not content with a partial view of reality but always seeks out the ties which link one point to another and one problem to another". As Freire explains, "It follows logically from the banking notion of consciousness, that the educator's role is to regulate the way the world 'enters into' the students," meaning that the way students see the world from a classroom perspective, is regulated by the teacher. This can be dangerous when the students enter into the REAL world and have to take it on from their own perspective.

Wondrous Instructors (Intro P)

Intellectual creative thought, that's what keeps us humans truly alive. Mentors that posses this desire for free thinking, out of the norm responses, and true colorful expression are extremely valuable in today's world. These people guide young minds to their own conclusions, for them to decide what is right and wrong in their own eyes, and to experience the world as such. My teacher Mr. Davis and Mr. Keating are both made up of imagination, creativity, and unabashed enthusiasm making them unmatched mentors.

Captain Chemo Keating Escalante

Like many teachers, these teachers do in fact teach. Their styles, however, dictate who and what they stand for. And like most heroes, these ones have great abs and chiseled faces, hypothetically.

Chemo Escalante is an instructor who's strict, a hard worker, but also respectful and excellent with relating to teenagers in tough times. He finds the good in each student. He doesn't tell them exactly what their good at, but instead makes them believe it themselves through proof. He's a coach. He believes in his team and believes that they can really make a difference in their own lives and others. As he said in the film (Stand and Deliver), you're looking at the short term and not the road ahead. He has each of his students future in mind.

Captain, oh Captain Keating is a mentor of quirky openness. In way, the students at Wheaton(?) are puppets for their parents. All of them have plans for their sons, and many of the sons don't want what their parents want for them. Keating enlightens that fact. He address the boys much different than any other teacher would. Creates scenarios that makes the boys think in different ways, and see things from another perspective. He's breaking them of the norm, and encouraging the 'shell to crack' in each of the students minds. He believes in each of the boys, just like Escalante, but in ways that dictate what they will become. He believes that they can make their own choices, have their own opinions, and choose their own calling. He's not worried about them getting a job, or graduating.

Stand And Deliver Me Dead Poets From My Society

In the movie Stand and Deliver, the students are thriving in a less-than-bustling economy is an almost run down town. The school they're at has a less than stellar teacher board and hardly any (if any) grade scores to show their worth. This is a much different situation compared to the school in Dead Poets Society.
The school here is much more clean, private school, high esteemed, and financially overflowing. The students are expected more of, and take extremely hard strict classes from teachers much more educated than the ones at Garfield high school. These schools are almost polar opposites, minus one aspect, their incredible hero of a teacher.
At Garfield, their teacher Mr. Escalante doesn't look at their economy or financial capabilities as an obstacle. He faces it head on with his students and creates a name for their school in the AP Calculus books. In Dead Poets Society, the kids have a much different position. Most if not all of the students who get into Wheaton(?) are either wealthy or well off in contrast to the homes that Garfield students come from. Their classes are prestigious, professional, and well executed according to educational standards. The kids, however, have immense pressure from professors, parents, and possibly even friends to become something though (whether it be a doctor, lawyer, scientist, etc...).
Both schools face problems, both have a teacher hero in the midst to take the kids to their full potential.

Teachers 'O Plenty

Mr. MacFarland and Mr. Escalante have two big things in common. One, they're both teachers, and two, they both have hair. Excellent. What I've just explained here is a perfect picture of the finest teacher you could ever have, ever. On a serious note, Mr. MacFarland is very much catering to his students like Mr. Empanada. He grazes over his subject with detail, clarity, and thoroughness that leaves the class stamping their foreheads with respect for him. Another very important similarity is the fact that he believes in his students.
Mr. Escalante believed in all of his students, even when their families or even the kids themselves didn't; enough to the point that he sought out the stray students that wandered away from the core goals of the class. One specific example of personal ministering, singling out a student to help him/her succeed is when the brightest girl in Mr. Escalante's Calculus class was deciding not to go to college. He went to her father and through some tribulation, managed to persuade him to admit her to college. The same situation happened with Rose and his mentor Mr. MacFarland. Mike's parents wanted him to go to college, but it wasn't a real option to them financially or academically. MacFarland pulled some strings for him, got him into a college with a well written recommendation letter, and was the father and mentor to Rose when no one else believed.

Mr. Empanada Continues

Why on earth does he continue to teach when he's getting paid less, having heart attacks over stress, and really not receiving enough gratitude in return? This was my question as we delved into Mr. Escalante's story once more.
He proves that teaching is an incredibly rewarding experience, even if, next to raising children (even though it's basically that), it's one of the most taxing jobs a person can do in society. He works through the students' struggles with family, financial issues, and all sorts of dilemmas and still expects no less from each and every kid than he asked for.
There are times when we need guidance outside of school but in the context of education and Mr. Escalante has shown his worth, personal and professional. Overall, the passion that he has for his kids and their future make it obvious that Chemo is one for all, and believes that.

Mr. Ensalada

This guy has some serious class. No literally, he's a computer science teacher. Well, technically now he's a math teacher. At least in this scenario he is. Anyway, let me get back to Mr. Escalante's character.
Mr. Escalator is a determined, shot to the heart, reckless high school teacher who finds a way to relate to the worst of the worst in this high school. He uses methods such as hands on, daily applicable situations such as jiggalos having many girlfriends as a word problem for math, and also apples to signify fractions and percentages. As the class moves on, Mr. Eggidor brings his coach like aspect to his teaching style. Not accepting tardiness, lack of work, and any less than is expected from his students. His expectations for each and every one of them is set high, and through a team mindset coaches them to all follow along with his plan; a plan that involves going from simple algebra to calculus in two years. He is breaking down everyone to the point of utter frustration, and then bringing them back up again. I'm thoroughly enjoying this movie so far and looking forward to part two.

Essays? Essays.

Essays have to be five paragraphs long. ERRRRRRR. Wrong. Essays should have a thesis statement that starts the introductory paragraph. ERRRRRRRRRRRR. Wronger. Essays should in fact have a topic. Why yes, they should indeed. College essays need to fit three basic requirements. One, to have a strong thesis, two have an introduction paragraph as well an a conclusion paragraph, and three have supporting paragraphs in between that flesh out the thesis more and gives the reader reasons as to why he or she should believe you. These core principles behind papers create a solid structure that isn't a tied rubric that you have to follow each and every placeholder for your sentences, i.e. fill in the blank as the rubric goes, but rather developed essays that reflect your own thought but are still professional and make sense. These are good college papers, and these are what teachers are looking for. This style is also very good for persuasive writing as a whole. Thesis driven articles can be solid pieces of information online, in the paper, and in books. Just make sure you can call their bluffs.

Observation Education

Audre Lorde has a distinguished style that characterizes her teachers with a demeanor of triumphant harshness. She describes them as people who weren't fond of her color, her over the top actions, and talks of them as people who ridiculed her unless she acted like everyone else. She tried to please her mother after a librarian stirred the interest of reading inside of her, and learned how to print her name. So when the teacher told the class to write the letter 'A', Audre went over the top to please her teacher and wrote out her whole name on the paper, and then her last name on the back. The teacher wasn't pleased and chastised her. After event and event, her parents decided to enroll her in a private school. At that private school, she was treated similarly except she was disciplined harsher. Overall, Audre explains her early teachers as harsh, strict teachers who expected children to follow the exact rules and expected nothing else. I find this way of education very restricting for children's imagination and their God given gift of creativity! Personal opinions aside, Audre provides the reader with depth of scenarios and her own childlike mindset.

Teacher Brainstorm

For this paper, I think I'm gonna go way back to my kindergarden teacher Mrs. Strid. She's the kind of teacher that Ken Robinson describes, one who values natural talent and charisma. She's an extremely positive person, and points out all of the 'right things' in every student. Not only is she a joy to have in class, but also the kind of person that takes every challenge enthusiastically. I also want to highlight my sophomore Creative Writing teacher, Mr. Davis. If I was to choose someone who is the most like me, he'd be the man. Davis is a psychotic ball of random energy. His facial expressions are hilariously awkward and he turns every situation into one that stirs imaginations and also laugh boxes. I think his class was probably the most fun I've ever had in high school, and he brought back the joy of writing for me, for I have become accustomed to boring English papers with strict topics and little leeway in creative thought. These are the teachers I want to describe deeper in my paper, and I'm looking forward to it!

I'm An App Developer

My friends think my mind is stuffed into a 4x4 box compiled purely of smoothies and Japanese Sodas. While only partly true, if a room contained such ingredients it would be a heavenly room, what most people wouldn't guess about me from a first look is that I have an ever growing curiosity for computers.

My dad is a software guy, he's worked at Microsoft (7 years!), Visio, Watchguard, Windemere Real Estate (CTO), and now he's the Chief Technology Officer of a publishing company called RPI. When I first became interested in programming, my father scooped up the words dripping out of my mouth.“What's the first language I should learn?”, I asked rather confidently, excited to start making games (almost all kids want to program for this reason). We talked about many different languages that would suit my craving for adventure.

“Hm. Try C++,” he suggested, “You can get a book from the library. Google it.”

And so there I was, anxious to get busy. I asked my mother if she could pick up a C++ learning guide from the library the next time she went by while I was at school, she kindly agreed. Once I finished my middle school homework, I grabbed the book, plopped it down in front of our laundry room computer keyboard, and cracked it open. The first thing I noticed about the book is that it was black and white, small font, and the pictures were somewhat hard to see at times. The wording was complicated, and I ended up skipping most of the reasoning and diving straight into typing the code.

C++ is a compiled computer programming language, basically meaning that it needs a compiler or 'packager' to make all the code do stuff. One of the first things that the book tells you to do is to get an I.D.E. or Integrated Development Environment that will compile/debug/run all your sweet code for you. So that's the first thing I did. Once Eclipse (my IDE) was installed, I went on to skimming the text and copying the code into Eclipse. I fiddled around with the code and ran it.

“Hello World!”

This program did nothing but output “Hello World” in the console window. No flashy colors, no animation, not even a single function, but tuna fish casseroles I was excited. I've coded my first program! I began to dive deeper into the book until I created a text based game purely off of 'if' statements.

First of all, an 'if statement' is a conditional operator that essentially executes a block of code according to if the statement that was inputted is true. For example, if I were to create a variable named 'PatricksAge', were to set it equal to the integer '16', and then to pass it through an if statement saying “if PatricksAge is equal to 16, do all this code,” then the code would be executed because I am in fact 16.

With this logic, I created a text based 'Choose Your Own Adventure' game that consisted of screens bringing up scenarios and the player would choose from an option A,B, or C and then according to their answer, a certain new scenario would appear. It was extremely tedious creating a game like this because with every new scenario came a multiplicative of 3 new paths; I had to find a way to tie them all to a reasonable amount of endings intelligently.

So with this little knowledge, I became more curious about graphical game design, for of course, the popular games have the best graphics. In this transition between texts games and graphic revolved games, I then sought out a new language that wouldn't be as tedious and boring to read through, and then I found Java.

Java is an object oriented programming language much like C++. It gave me tools like Java Graphics to create cool game graphics with the libraries that came with it. So with a little help from some YouTube videos, I was creating GUI based games with JFrames (the graphical user interface such as buttons, text fields, and radio buttons). I also made my first little adventure game, although much like my previous projects, it was never finished. I was beginning to become more and more interested with Java games and the possibilities.

I don't remember specific dates or even reasons why I started programming Android apps for mobile, it became sort of a desire after seeing how popular mobile devices such as the iPhone and Android OS based phones were popping into the hands of my peers. My dad (the tech guy) also influenced me on transitioning more to mobile and web, so thus I began.

Android was and is great for me because it didn't require me to learn a whole new language to start developing, the whole operating system is written in Java! Again, my first pursuit was a series of YouTube videos that taught me the basics of Android App Development. The guy who made the series is brilliant (youtube.com/MyBringBack), he even taught how to look up things on the API so if you needed reference you could easily find something! I learned the basics, how to create simple games, how to interact with data bases and I even started teaching myself how to problem solve with app ideas, such as the app I made called Cab Grabber.

Cab Grabber is an Android application designed to catch the eye of a taxi driver when the city is bustling with activity. The objective for the pedestrian who downloads and installs the app to their device is to press the 'Grab That Cab!' button and hold up their phone to alert a cab quickly. The phone plays a obnoxious animation that strobes black and yellow with an exponential rate until it pauses and then repeats. The goal of the animation was to create an inconsistency with all of the blinking lights of traffic, remedial stop signs and lights, and to catch the attention of a taxi who's on the lookout. I've received reviews saying that the application works wonderfully and has saved the hassle of waving down a cab.

Mobile application development is extremely fun and has many real life applications. Because most people have a phone now days, why not create an app that will solve an annoying issue and speed up your productivity? That's my goal behind most of my apps now, and I'm looking forward to the new real problem solving ideas that I can jump upon.

Computer programming, web development, and application development for mobile environments are incredibly creative endeavors that will test the mind, force learning curves, and break the bleakness of remedial tasks. There's always a new problem, there's always a new way of fixing it, and that's what I'm interested in finding.

Trials Of An App Developer (Rough Draft)

My friends think my mind is stuffed into a 4x4 box compiled purely of smoothies and Japanese Sodas. While only partly true, if a room contained such ingredients it would be a heavenly room, what most people wouldn't guess about me from a first look is that I have an ever growing curiosity for computers.

My dad is a software guy, he's worked at Microsoft (7 years!), Visio, Watchguard, Windemere Real Estate (CTO), and now he's the Chief Technology Officer of a publishing company called RPI. When I first became interested in programming, my father scooped up the words dripping out of my mouth.“What's the first language I should learn?”, I asked rather confidently, excited to start making games (almost all kids want to program for this reason). We talked about many different languages that would suit my craving for adventure.

“Hm. Try C++,” he suggested, “You can get a book from the library. Google it.”

And so there I was, anxious to get busy. I asked my mother if she could pick up a C++ learning guide from the library the next time she went by while I was at school, she kindly agreed. Once I finished my middle school homework, I grabbed the book, plopped it down in front of our laundry room computer keyboard, and cracked it open. The first thing I noticed about the book is that it was black and white, small font, and the pictures were somewhat hard to see at times. The wording was complicated, and I ended up skipping most of the reasoning and diving straight into typing the code.

C++ is a compiled computer programming language, basically meaning that it needs a compiler or 'packager' to make all the code do stuff. One of the first things that the book tells you to do is to get an I.D.E. or Integrated Development Environment that will compile/debug/run all your sweet code for you. So that's the first thing I did. Once Eclipse (my IDE) was installed, I went on to skimming the text and copying the code into Eclipse. I fiddled around with the code and ran it.

“Hello World!”

This program did nothing but output “Hello World” in the console window. No flashy colors, no animation, not even a single function, but tuna fish casseroles I was excited. I've coded my first program! I began to dive deeper into the book until I created a text based game purely off of 'if' statements.

First of all, an 'if statement' is a conditional operator that essentially executes a block of code according to if the statement that was inputted is true. For example, if I were to create a variable named 'PatricksAge', were to set it equal to the integer '16', and then to pass it through an if statement saying “if PatricksAge is equal to 16, do all this code,” then the code would be executed because I am in fact 16.

With this logic, I created a text based 'Choose Your Own Adventure' game that consisted of screens bringing up scenarios and the player would choose from an option A,B, or C and then according to their answer, a certain new scenario would appear. It was extremely tedious creating a game like this because with every new scenario came a multiplicative of 3 new paths; I had to find a way to tie them all to a reasonable amount of endings intelligently.

So with this little knowledge, I became more curious about graphical game design, for of course, the popular games have the best graphics. In this transition between texts games and graphic revolved games, I then sought out a new language that wouldn't be as tedious and boring to read through, and then I found Java.

Java is an object oriented programming language much like C++. It gave me tools like Java Graphics to create cool game graphics with the libraries that came with it. So with a little help from some YouTube videos, I was creating GUI based games with JFrames (the graphical user interface such as buttons, text fields, and radio buttons). I also made my first little adventure game, although much like my previous projects, it was never finished. I was beginning to become more and more interested with Java games and the possibilities.

I don't remember specific dates or even reasons why I started programming Android apps for mobile, it became sort of a desire after seeing how popular mobile devices such as the iPhone and Android OS based phones were popping into the hands of my peers, my dad (the tech guy) also influenced me on transitioning more to mobile and web, so thus I began.

Android was and is great for me because it didn't require me to learn a whole new language to start developing, the whole operating system is written in Java! Again, my first pursuit was a series of YouTube videos that taught me the basics of Android App Development. The guy who made the series is brilliant (youtube.com/MyBringBack), he even taught how to look up things on the API so if you needed reference you could easily find something! I learned the basics, how to create simple games, how to interact with data bases and I even started teaching myself how to problem solve with app ideas, such as the app I made called Cab Grabber.

Cab Grabber is an Android application designed to catch the eye of a taxi driver when the city is bustling with activity. The objective for the pedestrian who downloads and installs the app to their device is to press the 'Grab That Cab!' button and hold up their phone to alert a cab quickly. The phone plays a obnoxious animation that strobes black and yellow with an exponential rate until it pauses and then repeats. The goal of the animation was to create an inconsistency with all of the blinking lights of traffic, remedial stop signs and lights, and to catch the attention of a taxi who's on the lookout. I've received reviews saying that the application works wonderfully and has saved the hassle of waving down a cab.

Mobile application development is extremely fun and has many real life applications. Because most people have a phone now days, why not create an app that will solve an annoying issue and speed up your productivity? That's my goal behind most of my apps now, and I'm looking forward to the new real problem solving ideas that I can jump upon.

Computer programming, web development, and application development for mobile environments are incredibly creative endeavors that will test the mind, force learning curves, and break the bleakness of remedial tasks. There's always a new problem, there's always a new way of fixing it, and that's what I'm interested in finding.

Trials Of An App Developer

My friends think my mind is stuffed into a 4x4 box compiled purely of smoothies and Japanese Sodas. While only partly true, if a room contained such ingredients it would be a heavenly room, what most people wouldn't guess about me from a first look is that I have an ever growing curiosity for computers.

My dad is a software guy, he's worked at Microsoft (7 years!), Visio, Watchguard, Windemere Real Estate (CTO), and now he's the Chief Technology Officer of a publishing company called RPI. When I first became interested in programming, my father scooped up the words dripping out of my mouth.“What's the first language I should learn?”, I asked rather confidently, excited to start making games (almost all kids want to program for this reason). We talked about many different languages that would suit my craving for adventure.

“Hm. Try C++,” he suggested, “You can get a book from the library. Google it.”

And so there I was, anxious to get busy. I asked my mother if she could pick up a C++ learning guide from the library the next time she went by while I was at school, she kindly agreed. Once I finished my middle school homework, I grabbed the book, plopped it down in front of our laundry room computer keyboard, and cracked it open. The first thing I noticed about the book is that it was black and white, small font, and the pictures were somewhat hard to see at times. The wording was complicated, and I ended up skipping most of the reasoning and diving straight into typing the code.

C++ is a compiled computer programming language, basically meaning that it needs a compiler or 'packager' to make all the code do stuff. One of the first things that the book tells you to do is to get an I.D.E. or Integrated Development Environment that will compile/debug/run all your sweet code for you. So that's the first thing I did. Once Eclipse (my IDE) was installed, I went on to skimming the text and copying the code into Eclipse. I fiddled around with the code and ran it.

“Hello World!”

Rose Fanboy

 So who's my favorite writer you say? As much as I enjoy Malcolm's grittiness, and Ben's finesse, I have to say that Mike Rose caught and held my attention with his sarcastic nuance. Something about his character and story helps me dive into his essay and relate more than I could a ex-felon or a Enlightenment Period writer. I think it may be his persona, or almost laziness and satirical aspect to his narrative. He entertains and draws out a story, carefully but almost with no effort keeping his readers delightfully following along at the pace he desires. I've found that 'pace keeping' or how quickly or slowly the action, dialogue, or story plays is essential to maintaining your readers interest and questions, and Rose does this extremely well. He's also very relate-able to high school students like myself because there are many kids who haven't been given an amazing opportunity to grow and feel trapped. Usually teacher look down upon them, and even ridicule them, when in the background they may have family issues or have to sport a full time job just to eat. All in all, Rose is a captivating author and a intriguing psyche.

The Three Amigops (Pun Intended)

There are many peculiarities between Ben Franklin, Malcolm X, and Rose that drive their writing with much vigor. Franklin suggests with his writing such strength in education. He's grown up with a lot of experience writing, speaking, and drafting that his own style reflects that of a polished businessman looking to make his next million dollar deal in writing. He squeaks over his sentences with a knack for flow, looks over his grammar to ensure comprehension, and threads his needle for the final stitch of his point driven essay. Malcolm X is quite the contrast.

This man looks for the overlying hierarchy of rugged passion, insinuating every ounce of his struggle through life with the noise of pen on paper and the eerie echos of his thoughts. Malcolm details his story as a man with a second chance, a self driven student of learning, making up for his past, and becoming the person he knows will become greater for himself and others. Rose, on the other hand, has this sarcastic squeal when he details his childhood.

Mike Rose talks lowly of himself and his upbringing in Voc. Ed at Our Lady of Mercy. But he doesn't do it in a cynical way, more of a humor bombarded tale of peasantry. His grammar is clear, easy going, and very entertaining, but he doesn't leave a pun at every turn. Instead, there is a hidden sense of disappointment in his writing. He talks of himself, his friends, and the school system as a disappointment, for that matter. Rose is a man of many thoughts.

Strategic Strategies

Back when dinosaurs ate their own feces and peed on their neighbors lawns, I used writing strategies such as 'compare and contrast' as well as 'cause and effect'. I have found these quite useful for solidfying my points when writing persuasive essays, analytical papers, or even comedic narratives. There are times and places for different strategies and ways at going at a topic correctly, I have found that a mix is needed throughtout your writing to sustain an element of legitimateness. For example, cause and effect is great for a persuasive paper on drugs laws. You could argue the main root cause of marijuana use, and then analyze the effect on civilians and society as a whole; disecting the issue as your reader skims. As for compare and contrast, to go again for the persuasive paper, you could argue that a life without smoking is much healthier and better than a person who doesn't; contrasting the issue. As far as comparing, you could say that the same amount of money for a non-smoker goes into alcohol, which in turn, could also be destructive. In simple terms, writing strategies are created to be a simple idea basis that can be used on a broad scale to fit your topic and style. No strategy is better than another, just the way you approach it matters.

You Just Wanna Be Average, Eh?

Rose had been placed in Voc. Ed after taking a placement test to get into Our Lady of Mercy. He had to take remedial classes with sub-par teachers to make it. His teachers such as his Physical education and homeroom teachers, were often abusive and demeaning to his intellect and his motivation. I've had a few horrible teachers, ones that have given up on us or have no way of controlling the classroom whatsoever, but I have never had a teacher like the ones that Rose describes in his book. Voc. Ed. did to Rose what it did to his peers, it became a place of either help or hopelessness. You either took it as a learning opportunity and a great curriculum to jump into or a bottom of the food chain that showed your low thinking skills. Some like Ken Harvey were only getting by and playing it open, almost detached, from the intellectual world on purpose. He didn't want to fret about things that he himself didn't think were possible; things that he could actually do, such as philosophical inquiry and scientific reasoning. This is almost the desired effect.


College has this affect on high school students that breaks the mental borders of high school rules. For example, high school teachers will often give extra credit to students who complain that they "need to pass", whether it be sports or a diploma. Professors and instructors, for the most part, won't be so lenient on slacking students. Their pay checks don't rely on the students passing rate. The adult atmosphere is very prevalent in college, and to some such as myself, it may come as a pleasant experience. But for the high school student that is a social soaker, it may be frightening. My education is different to Mike Rose's. I grew up in a private school until I was thirteen, then I went to a public school. Growing up in such an environment set my moral boundaries and intellectual goals. Coming into a public school, I was overwhelmed at first by the diversity, but I adapted and I feel that the private school did set me up perfectly for what I have faced and still face today.

Ben Frankie and Malcolm X

Benjamin marks his paper with his signature swagger. He walks across his writing with a smooth, cool, collected structure in his sentences, wording, and organization. Ben has been educated from an early age, influenced by his family, mostly his father, and has pursued writing most if not all of his career. Malcolm has a very different tinge to his writing. He has an edge, uneasiness, rigid almost hurting aspect to his style. It shows he's gone through a lot in his time and that writing is a way for him to escape and display himself differently. They both were educated in some way or another for religious factors, but Malcolm felt more called to be a leader and to be the one to bring Elijah Muhammad's teachings to his fellow blacks and to others. Benjamin Franklin has dynamic flow and Malcolm has earthly rigidness. They're both writers made up of their younger backgrounds.

Malcolm X Learns to Read

The excerpt from Malcolm's autobiography is enlightening and very inspiring. His initial reasons for making himself literate weren't for a cause such as teaching about Elijah Muhammad, but because he was jealous of others who could steal conversations with their large words and with quick slips of their tongue. Eventually he found himself reading a dictionary in prison, and stumbled across Elijah's teachings. He became a disciple of Elijah Muhammad, and a pursuer of black rights. This is incredibly relevant to our unit. The only way that you'll become a better reader, writer, thinker, dreamer, creator, or whomever is to have a drive and a reason, and then to seek out to help yourself and/or others.

Fast Food and Me

I am pleased to announce that fast food is too fast for me. How on earth did they prepare a baconator, along with a 42 ounce drink, and a side of large fries in five minutes?! I honestly hope I'm not the only one bothered by such cooking speed. I mean, they must have a grill the size of three cows and the temperature of the sun to cook all their daily customers burgers so quickly. When I make a salad, which is much healthier and better tasting, it takes a half hour to prepare all of the ingredients and mix them into a bowl.
When a burger is prepared, it takes two minutes to take it out of the packaging and slap it on the grill. According to Janice White,"...while these products might look appealing and tasty, they contain a wealth of hidden heath hazards which are not only dangerous if eaten in large quantities but are a major cause of obesity, especially in children. " They aren't looking for absolute quality at all, but hasty business.

Pre-writing Guru

I've used a method called 'perfect paragraphs'. Basically they involve webbing out an intro paragraph with a grabber, three main points, and a thesis, three paragraphs to further expand the other points, and a conclusion paragraph to tie them all together. My sophomore English teacher taught us this strategy of prewriting and I've found it very effective at maintaining structure yet still allowing my ideas to grow inside their clean lines. I've used it on my writing HISPE for high school, and I received a four; the highest score.


Perfect paragraphs and webbing are also good for expanding ideas that can later be integrated into essays or really anything. I've found them very applicable in many things other than writing.

Response To Feross

 I can relate to Feross more than many people I know. I've been interested in computers, websites, and video games from a young age and have been curious enough to start learning how to make a website at the age of 12. I've since then been programming in Java, PHP, Ruby on Rails, and creating Android apps. My current project involves a web based mobile application for Android OS.

Feross makes a great point when he says that you have to enjoy it. The best way to learn how to create something like a website is build something. The project itself is the learning process, and I've noticed that with the website I own (patrickeddy.com) and also the games and apps I create are all essentially learning projects that serve a function. This doesn't only go for computer science but many jobs require you to learn on the spot. Building something and learning by doing it is essential in many aspects of life, including your education, work, and family life.

The important take away note from Feross's post is that many things require a basic understanding, or even less, a core idea, and the ambition to carry out the idea and learn on the away.