ASSIGNMENT:
- Review Reading Strategies
Step 1: Read and re-read a text.
Step 2: Annotate the text, in your notebook, or by cutting and pasting the text into a Word or Google Doc.
- Underline sentences you feel are important, and put them in your own words (paraphrase)
- Write down main ideas next to each paragraph; be careful to distinguish main ideas from examples and details
- Circle unfamiliar words, look them up, and write down definitions
- Jot down your responses to the author’s ideas– what do you think? Do you have a question or response to what they wrote?
Step 3: Goal:Â Write down 3-4 main ideas of the text, including what you feel is the thesis (central, overarching point). This will be your *summary.*
- Mike Bunn, âHow to Read Like a Writerâ pages 1-6 (2011)
- How to Write A Summary
- Apply Reading Strategies to Caroline Hellmanâs âIn Defense of the Classroomâ (2020) and Toni Morrison’s âThe Reader as Artistâ (2006)
- Post a Response (Length: Two Paragraphs):
- 1. For each article (by Morrison and Hellman), copy and paste a quote (1-2 sentences) that you found meaningful. Then paraphrase (put the quote in your own words) and explain why you were drawn to it, commenting either on the idea or the writing technique.
- 2. Respond with your own thoughts about the ideas in each article. Be creative, be honest! College is about independent thought!
To comment on any post, click on the “comments” icon (above). You will then see a screen come up with LEAVE A REPLY. That is where you want to comment.
We will discuss your Replies in class; also be ready to share any unfamiliar words that you looked up and ideas/questions that arose for you while reading.
Arnold Ludd
In this text âIn defense of the classroom: Understanding the kind of learning that only takes place in personâ By CAROLINE HELLMAN I had two quotes that stood out to me Quote 1 âYou know, the old model of everybody goes and sits in a classroom and the teacher is in front of that classroom and teaches that class, and you do that all across the city, all across the state, all these buildings, all these physical classrooms…why, with all the technology you have?â and Quote 2 âI have returned regularly to the brief video, to reassure myself that they are there, too, smiling, frozen at that moment in time, back when we all traveled from five boroughs and 30 walks of life to converge in a single space, back when we got together in Namm 522 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m.â Basically what these two quotes are saying is similar. It’s nothing like in-person learning when different people from different parts of the world, city, or state travel to a school building and to learn in a classroom full of their classmates and a teacher writing on aboard. Why I was drawn to these Quotes because itâs similar to how I felt when remote learning started going into my senior year in high school and I kinda still feel that way going into my freshman year of college. But I like this article because it talks about a time that impacted history for my generation and many others. The second text I read called is âThe Reader as Artist”by Toni Morrisonâs a quote that stood out to me â is My own reading skills were enhanced in schools, but my pleasure in, my passion for the art of reading came long before.â Basically what this quote is saying is that she got better at reading in school but didnât fall in love with reading in school but way before school. This quote stood out to me because this is the same way I felt about math but I fell in love with numbers and money before grade school. I don’t feel like school makes you like something, it just enhances your liking or skills.
Toni Morrisonâs âThe Reader as Artistâ:
Quote: âThe words on the page are only half the story, says Toni Morrison. The rest is what you bring to the party.â When first reading the article this is the first line that you read. Reading this line brought many thoughts up, what is Morrison referring to, is she saying there is always more to something then what it looks like? Is she referring to only what’s within a book’s pages or is she referring to life in general. It is a start that draws your attention completely. For me when I read those two lines and think about what she is trying to say I think â dont be close minded thereâs always a larger picture to it all but that image is enlarged based on what you are allowing your mind to bring out.â Now I don’t know if that makes complete sense but its like how people are always saying don’t judge a book by its cover and they say that because when you actually take the time to read the book that to you may seem boring and completely uninteresting you find something within it that takes your mind to another place or when you see someone that to you is boring and you dont think their good company but when you actually start to talk to them you relieve you would actually like to have more conversations with them like the one you just had. To me the quote ties together with it all and makes me think that she is talking about so much more than what the few words she is saying.
Now after reading that first sentence and having my mind completely open I can’t lie I got confused when it became about Morrison talking about Mr.Head from another short article by another author. But then I also realized that she was in a way comparing and contrasting her work and the way she does certain things from the author of the short article with Mr.Head. At least that is what I kind of understood.
Caroline Hellmanâs âIn Defense of the Classroomâ:
Quote: âWhen we began online classes mid-semester, the transition posed challenges to both instructional delivery and classroom community.â I found this quote a little meaningful because I myself had that experience like I am sure many others have had as well. When Hellman says this she means that it was a difficult transition and it changed everything that was going on during the class selection.
I liked the fact that Hellman is talking about the lockdown in the students perspective expressing how things have changed overnight. It helps others understand that us as students also had a hard time adjusting and gives them a bit of insight on it all. Despite it being way more complicated than what she is saying. She also uses strong descriptions on what classes looked like before the lockdown, how students were seated and the way they interacted.
While reading “In defense of the classroom” by Caroline Hellman I found it interesting that she described how quickly her life changed from being in front of a lively glamorous classroom to sitting behind a screen speaking to her students. The first quote that caught my eye was “In late February, during what turned out to be one of our last classes together, I filmed a few seconds of the students waving and saying hello. Little did I know that this would become a precious document of our shared time in the classroom” you can see that looking back on that video is heartbreaking to her because she didn’t know that this would be the last time that she would see her students again and get to actually interact with them , see their smiles and hear the intellectual conversations that would float about the room they would meet in for class. Caroline Hellman had something that so sacred to her something that she holds on to as a reminder of what happiness within a classroom looked like. This was the most relatable quote not only to me but many others. Many have last memories of being with friends in the classrooms and engaging with the teachers eagerly. This pandemic does nothing but show a sorrowful dull moment with putting kids behind screens for education. Another quote that caught my eye was “Admittedly, Namm 522, one of the older classrooms at City Tech, was not glamorous. Witness the length of chalkboard; seats with worn tablet arms; a professorâs desk with drawers full of chalk stubs and abandoned exam blue books; a computer projection console with a skittish electrical connection. And yet, the classroom housed something very valuable, something that has been lost and mourned in the transition to online instruction.” Caroline Hellman showed that although the classroom was so empty and had no life remaining it still held a special meaning behind all the empty desk and old chairs. She memorized the students seating placements and what they would do in those sitting spaces. She remembered exactly who would sit with who, she said he remembered it as if it was all a “routine”. The once lively classroom that was full of academic teaching was not somber but it still held great memories that was full of life.
In the “The reader as artist” by Toni Morrison , the quote that caught my eye was ” Like the avid devotion to other arts, it develops over time in any number of ways, takes all sorts of routes, and has many origins” this quote allows me to understand that reading just like anything else can be a skill but she would rather it be art. Toni Morrison has so much excitement when it comes to reading and she is just so in awe about how it makes her feel ever since she was a young girl. Another quote that stood out to me was “My own reading skills were enhanced in schools, but my pleasure in my passion for the art of reading came long before . ” This just shows that Toni Morrison was learning through school and her skills enhanced but her love for reading progressed long before she entered school. I can personally say that I was the same way, I would always love to read books instead of watching the movies, and I would find random books to download so that I can stay up and read it. I was obsessed with the art within the books.
The author Caroline Hellman’s “In defense of classroom” describes her students and their seating arrangements from one another shows that she knows the personality of the overall class atmosphere, which is something missing from the online class experience. I noticed she mentioned each of their names which shows it was personal like they are connected and share this experience of disconnection when parted ways, unlike the online class settings, which is connected for the online class meetings but still disconnected all together.
“Distance learning begets distance”-the distance was brought into existence by distance learning
“the remark shows individual class is pointless replication of labor…”-meaningless repetition of individual classwork.
Exacerbates-make a problem or negative feeling worse
Upheaval-a violent or sudden change or disruption to something
note: Was the author being sarcastic towards this remark in her article, I wondered.
Toni Morrison, “The reader as Artist” I found the title to be interesting, it is like saying you are the artist of what you read, in a way, create it however you like.
The first paragraph gives a visual short story as if you are witnessing an action within a room in suspense and learning of this character named Mr. Head.
How the author found her reading skills and explained the journey of discovering those skills made it sound quite fun to discover and looking at it from a unique perspective-listing to a speaker box she says.
“The Alice-in-wonderland combination of willing acceptance coupled with intense inquiry is still the way I read literature..”-this part, where Alice goes through intense search and a long journey to discover what makes her curiosity feels like a roller coaster in search of what seems similar to how reading can take our imagination, and outside the box thinking.
Crevice-narrow opening (in a rock or wall_
Riveting-completely engrossing; compelling
The author Toni Morrison’s unique short story allows the reader to dig within their emotions and imaginations that gives a visual image while we are reading along and connecting emotionally.
Excellent choice of quotes and discussion.
NOTE: Private response is visible only to instructors and to the post’s author.
In the Text âIn defense of the classroomâ by Caroline Hellman, there was a quote that really stood out to me and felt like I had a personal connection to it, âthe classroom housed something very valuable, something that has been lost and mourned in the transition to online instruction. I see them before me, as they were. I remember their seating arrangement, adopted as routine.â, having a classroom with many useful supplies to know that going to waste and being online was a hard transition, and mentally was a huge U-turn. We all remember the same routine in school most days was the same, waking up, taking the train then arrive at class to the same seat and that all has changed and now we all sit at home looking at a computer screen for many hours of the day without using the resources a school actually provides like letâs say a library is helpful to focus in between classes to do work or relax. I remember we went online out of nowhere, everything happened too quickly and my teachers were not prepared for online classes. My teachers were not sure about having zoom calls or google classroom calls because they were new to this. It was hard to keep concentration at home because all of my siblings were inside doing school as well. I know being in college online wonât be easy but I know with an effort I will push forward and learn from all of these experiences and teach others about what happened in these recent times.
When I read âThe Reader As Artistâ by Toni Morrison the quote that I related to the most stated âTo readers who enjoy the practice of reading, the opening is much, much more.â, as a person who doesnât read much understand what this is trying to convey, that if you donât practice reading as much as others then you wonât understand certain things authors try to say to you. This article really tried to make a statement that a book isnât just papers filled with words in it but art that has a deeper meaning than what is seen on paper. I connect to this quote because when reading certain things I overlook the deeper meaning when I should be realising what it actually is, and if I read more I would understand what the author truly wants me to understand rather than the obvious but having my eyes open wide.
In Caroline Hellmanâs article âIn defense of the classroomâ a quote that stood out to me was; â Distance learning begets distance, and exacerbates issues of access and equity. In fact, year in and year out, CUNY students leap hurdles that many would find overwhelming.â This quote stood out to me because I can relate to technical issues while transitioning to lockdown so quickly. I also was juggling a schedule that I hadnât quite manage in the beginning of lockdown. Having a part time job ,but working full time hours , while attending school full time took a mental strain out of me.
In Toni Morrisonâs â The reader as artistâ a quote that I related to was â I was surrounded by adults who told stories, reshaped and solicited them from each other as well as their children. The result was a heavy reliance on my own imagination to provide detail.â I found this quote relatable because Iâve heard various stories from my grandparents about their upbringings and how theyâve immigrated to the United States. I imagined all the details , from the way they were dressed, the transportation getting here , altercations and vivid graphic imagery by their story descriptions.
Iâm fond of how in Hellmanâs article , she has incorporated perspective of the studentsâ experience of lockdown in her article. She very inclusive in her article & it shows sheâs very passionate about her students. In Morrisonâs article , I admire how she incorporates quotes from other authorsâ that inspire her writing/ imagination.
In the text “In Defense of the Classroom”, it states ” When we began online classes mid-semester, the transition posed challenges to both instructional delivery and classroom community. As many students were not able to participate in live, synchronous class sessions, our class âmetâ asynchronously online to discuss the remaining class texts, many of which concern freedom, mobility, space, and time â commodities highlighted in the era of coronavirus.” What this quote is signifying is that the transition from being in-person learning to online classes is difficult for students to adapt to. The reason why I was drawn to this quote is because I was personally someone who was struggling to adapt to online learning. The environment from being in a classroom to my home are completely different which made it challenging to focus.
In the text, “The Reader as Artist”, it states “My own reading skills were enhanced in schools, but my pleasure in, my passion for the art of reading came long before. It came in childhood and it began with listening. Not only was I a radio child who grew up in the decades when radio was paramount, when being mesmerized by the dramas and reenactments from a speaker box was commonplace, I was also surrounded by adults who told stories, reshaped and solicited them from each other as well as their children.” What this quote is signifying is that we adapted to learning in school for most of our youth years and it allowed us to enhance our skills better. The reason why I was drawn into this quote is because school is a place where I can concentrate and be more effective at.
In the article âIn defense of the classroomâ I found this quote meaningful “As many students were not able to participate in live, synchronous class sessions, our class âmetâ asynchronously online to discuss the remaining class texts, many of which concern freedom, mobility, space, and time â commodities highlighted in the era of coronavirus” Because I had the experience as I know others too.Before the pandemic started my classroom was a classroom with many students and then with the coronavirus, when online classes started few students had access to enter due to Internet or technology reasons etc. and our classes began to be topics related to the coronavirus or to teach us about it. I like how Caroline fits each piece of her story during the quarantine where there were difficult times and how the classes were no longer the same for both the teachers and the students who had to deal with specific problems.
In the other article âThe reader as artistâ by Tony Morrison, I found an interesting and meaningful quote for me âYour ears strain, stretching down the block, searching through schoolchild chatter for that one voice that will give you ease. Your eyes sting with the effort to see over bushes, look through buildings, cut through everything that separates you from your child’s starting pointâthe junior high schoolâ because It’s like the article takes me months back where I used to walk out the door and walk with the other students, but after all the changes there was no other option but to lift my window curtain and get the idea that I couldn’t walk with other students until everything returned to normal, where I have not yet been able to do so, it makes us see how we as human beings are attached to our customs and our day to day, I like how the writer refers with a lot The effort to want to see and listening to the voices of the students is like wanting to see in the past.
While reading the text ” In defense of the classroom” i couldnt help but get drawn by the quote in which the author explains how ” What they do not know is that i have returned regularly to the brief video, to reassure myself that they are there, too, smiling, frozen in that moment in time, back when we all traveled from five boroughs and 30 walks of life to converge in a single place, back when we got together in Namm 522 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m.” This quote really shows how even the little things matter, how all of us have different lives and different problems, but we were always able to meet each other everyday in a classroom and learn together in person. Now that its gone we miss it. for that reason this qoute draw my attention since it shows the value of time and how we should enjoy certain moments in life while we still have them, since in a blink of an eye they are gone and all we have left is the memories, frozen in time. Therefore i really liked this article since it was really interested and as a whole i was able to realte with the author in many aspects.
In the second article ” The readers as Artist” the one quote that really caught my attention was when the author expl;ained how she ” Slowly, digging for the hidden, questioning or relishing the choices the author made, eager to envision what is there, noticing what is not. ” This qoute was really good since it shows how sometimes we over look certain details while reading or even when watching movies, and therefore we should be more attentive to what we read or watch. for example i really connected to this since sometimes when i watch a show with some friends i notice certain details that they dont, for example it might be the little things like the way the camera is aimed at a character, the same can be done when reading. For that i really enjoyed this article since it really shows the art of the reader and how we use our imagination to create a scene in our heads.
In the article âIn defense of the classroom: Understanding the kind of learning that only takes place in person â by Caroline Hellman talks about the enormous change that students as well as their professors had to go through as they shifted from regular classrooms to online learning due to the pandemic. Caroline Hellman mentioned that âTimes of enormous tragedy and social upheaval require innovation.â It’s important to know when an idea or plan is not working, especially in severe or critical moments. We have to innovate in order to resolve this problem however she understands from a perspective that learning face to face with other human beings isnât the problem, the problem is with having a better procedure in adding to students curriculum. As she mentioned with her own words â educators must play a central role in these designs, as our insights and experiences are critically relevant.â In my opinion the pandemic affected everyone in a certain way but it allowed us to become stronger and adapt to a different lifestyle.
In the article âThe Reader As Artistâ by Toni Morrison she claims that âLike the avid devotion to other arts, it develops over time in any number of ways, takes all sorts of routes, and has many origins.â I one hundred percent agree with her because our passion and desire to follow our career does not come from a single action. It takes many feelings of excitement to just get interested in a certain major. To add on we might be taking similar classes right now however we will be soon taking our own individual paths. This quote also reflects that everyone has their seperate challenges and can be hard to arrive at a certain point in life.
In the article ” In defense of a classroom” the writer introduces us with a question within a question. âYou know, the old model of everybody goes and sits in a classroom and the teacher is in front of that classroom and teaches that class, and you do that all across the city, all across the state, all these buildings, all these physical classrooms…why, with all the technology you have?â.Acting as a thesis statement the writer relates to the reader and then, poses a question that not only creates curiosity and suspense but, invites the reader deeper into the article by challenging what we know. As we move deeper into the article and begin to identify the central and overarching point; we begin to understand how the writer feels about distance learning and how well the author feels the government and the education systems are acclimating to a state of emergency. When the writer says “Distance learning begets distance, and exacerbates issues of access and equity”, you really get a feel for how the writer was affected and how she felt her peers were effected with remote learning. As well as when she says “Cuomo has proven an invaluable leader for the state of New York, and indeed, the nation, at a time when federal leadership has failed.”. It seems as if you can almost feel her frustation with the state of the world and the uncertainty of where education stands while in a state of emergency. Although I agree with the writer how on how distance learning may not be ideal for everyone; I have to disagree with her opinion on the governments role in the pandemic. I think it’s extremely unfair to judge our governor on a plan that he didn’t know he needed to make. In my opinion the lives of people and their safety is a lot more concerning than education. Especially when the death toll has surpassed hundreds of thousands.
While reading âIn Defense of the Classroomâ, a quote that stood out to me was âAnd yet, the classroom housed something very valuable, something that has been lost and mourned in the transition to online instruction.â Another quote that I took note of is âDistance learning begets distance, and exacerbates issues of access and equity.â In fact, year in and year out, CUNY students leap hurdles that many would find overwhelming:â. Both these quotes stood out to me because they highlight virtual learning and how it impacts students. I was specifically drawn to these two quotes because they resembled how I felt when we were forced into virtual learning in March 2020; very overwhelmed, which was not pleasant in the slightest.
While reading the second article âThe Reader As Artistâ, a quote that caught my attention was âMy own reading skills were enhanced in schools, but my pleasure in, my passion for the art of reading came long before.â I took interest in this quote because I had a similar experience when it came to reading. I never had a deep interest in reading growing up until my first year of middle school. I read lots of books since then, which consisted of many different genres. Now, years later, as a freshmen in college, I feel that I have gotten better at reading difficult and polarizing texts, as well as using different literary skills to understand those very same texts.
I feel that both of âIn Defense of the Classroomâ and âThe Reader As Artistâ are very informative and should be read by most students still in school. After reading these articles, it is clear that the school experience as a whole has been altered due to the pandemic and there are so many things that will continue to change. These articles give me a better sense of what students, teachers, and staff nowadays are dealing with and how the school spirit has changed.
Justin:
While reading âIn defense of the classroomâ by Caroline Hellman there is a quote I related to on high level âHigher education does not simply concern lectures and exams but also what is learned in their interstices, at the times one might least expect a worldview to be altered. These experiences cannot be replicated in online sessions only accessible to someâ. During the switch from in-person to online it felt like immediately some people lost interest in school, I myself felt like I wasnât learning anything and wasnât getting the full senior year of high school perspective. Another quote that stood out to me was âdone well, âthe old model of everybody goes and sits in a classroom and the teacher is in front of that classroom and teaches that classâ is pretty wonderful.â In my opinion Iâm more forced to learn while Iâm face to face with a teacher, when learning behind a computer screen I feel like we tend to lack and lose focus on our cellphones and just having all the freedom to do what we want to do in our homes.
In âThe Readers As Artistsâ by Toni Morrison it is stated âYour ears strain, stretching down the block, searching through schoolchild chatter for that one voice that will give you ease. Your eyes sting with the effort to see over bushes, look through buildings, cut through everything that separates you from your childâs starting pointâthe junior high school. â What I think she is trying to say is that when youâre in junior high school or high school in general, youâre at the point where you want to fit in and find that right friend group that would make you want to come to school all the time. Also when I was in junior high school finding the right group of friends or even one friend was hard because of my social anxiety, but during that part in school thatâs when you come out of your shell and find your true inner self.
hi
While reading “In defense of the classroomâ by Caroline Hellman from the beginning it starts with a quote that took me to good old times. The quote was âYou know, the old model of everybody goes and sits in a classroom and the teacher is in front of that classroom and teaches that class, and you do that all across the city, all across the state, all these buildings, all these physical classrooms…why, with all the technology you have? Yes I was taught old school were I had to wake up and go to school and sit in the same classroom for hours. I remember how teachers used to teach us with the chalk board and through out the years technology was on a whole different level were they started yo use a smart board. Its been a while were I haven’t been to school so this is my first time experiencing online school its difficult to adjust to be its something totally new for me that’s why this quote took me back to good memories were I experience school back then.
As reading “The Readers As Artistsâ by Toni Morrison something that caught my attention was “Your ears strain, stretching down the block, searching through schoolchild chatter for that one voice that will give you ease. Your eyes sting with the effort to see over bushes, look through buildings, cut through everything that separates you from your child’s starting pointâthe junior high school.” So during my high school mostly I was having trouble embracing myself I was having trouble trying to fit in with most of my classroom I felt so out of place.