So far from reading Olivarez essay “Maybe I could Save Myself By Writing” and his poem “Mexican American Disambiguation” and “Tardy” by Barry, I can see one common convention in all of these education narratives and that is to evoke emotions in the reader. All these narratives are written in a way that show us how the author felt about the experiences they had with the education system and how they were being taught. Olivarez mentions school was easy when they “passively accepted everything taught at school as a fact” but they were given a hard time when they “talked too much”.
To start my own education narrative I think I might start with possible stories that impacted me that had to do with the education system. Some concerns I have with writing my education narrative would be whether or not I can write a piece that readers can relate to or if my writing would be able to evoke emotions in readers.
I was thinking of maybe writing my education narrative on an experience I had with a teacher and how teachers being able to connect with students and invite them to ask questions can help students see school as safe space where they can actively learn. I feel like I can develop this idea to show where the education system can be better. I would love to hear feedback on this idea!
I think that’s a wonderful idea! We talk a lot about how the education system has let students down, and don’t celebrate the individual teachers who actually do buck the system and connect with students on a personal level. I’m all for it. And as for whether people will relate… just write from the heart and they will. Trust me.