The mentor article that I chose for my Unit one revision is entitled, “What Role Do Teachers Play in Education?” by Cathy N. Davidson. There are several reasons why I chose this particular article to be my mentor. One of these reasons is that the topic of this article correlates to one of the points that I, as well as Gatto makes in both of our pieces. In Gatto’s article, he makes a point that the teachers at public schools are more bored than the students themselves. He also goes on that teachers play a role in conditioning young minds into “mindless zombies”. But, on the other hand, in my essay I firmly disagree with Gatto’s statement about teachers, as well as how the public school system affects our brain. I go on to talk about how my AP English teacher was the exact opposite of the teacher that Gatto seems to portray in his article. Another reason why I chose this article is because it goes into a more ‘modern’ outlook on public education. This article is talking about how “an unlikely coalition of corporate philanthropists, educational technology entrepreneurs and public education bureaucrats has spearheaded a brand of school reform characterized by the overvaluing of technology and standardized testing and a devaluing of teachers and communities.” I think the introduction into the “Education Wars” opens up the opportunity to talk about a number of topics in my revision paper.
Author: michael pagan
unit 2 rough draft
“Boricua”
Being born and raised in the Bronx, Boricua is a term that is commonly heard. It is used to describe someone who is Puerto Rican, especially one who is currently living in the United States. But, behind just this single word, is chock full of rich history, and culture. Â But, NYC holds a significant place in terms of the growth and spread of Puerto Rican-Boricua culture. From the food, to the music, and everything in between, it is obvious that the term Boricua is not used in a derogatory or malicious way. In fact, it is the opposite, and it signifies everything that our ancestors did to get us to the position we are in today.
The history of Puerto Rico is actually very interesting. Puerto Rico’s independence was present, but quite short lived. “Only one year after Spain granted Puerto Rico self-rule, American troops raise the U.S. flag over the Caribbean nation, formalizing U.S. authority over the islandâs one million inhabitants.”  At the time, this took place, its population was one million. In July, of 1898, this is when the United States formed an invasion of Puerto Rico. The result was known as the ‘Spanish-American War’. This was because Puerto Rico was a territory of Spain that time, and the U.S wanted it for themselves. In about August, of 1898, the land was secured. Later on, in December, a treaty was signed, known as the ‘Treaty of Paris’. This treaty ended the Spanish-American War, and subsequently officially gave up Puerto Rico to the U.S. What changes this would mean for these peoples lives, as well as the  ‘soon to be’ boom in economy both in Puerto Rico and in the United States, was unbeknownst to both parties at the time.
Only a few years after Puerto Rico becoming a U.S territory, citizens of Puerto Rico were able to migrate into the U.S. This was is 1917. But, it was later on in the century, when the highest rate of migration of Puerto Ricans to the United States took place. This was known as ‘The Great Migration’. This historical event occurred in the 1950’s and 1960’s. “The governments of both the United States and Puerto Rico encouraged Puerto Ricans to come to the United States to ease unemployment on the island.” With the backing of both the Puerto Rican, as well as the United States government, as well as the erection of the Commonwealth Office, Puerto Rican emigration was at an all time high. In fact,  “Between 1990 and 2000, the Puerto Rican population in the United States grew by 24.9%âfrom 3.2 million to 3.6 million.”.
But of course, things didn’t stop there. In fact, by 2003, “there were more Puerto Ricans living in the United States than on the island of Puerto Ricoâ3.8 million on the mainland and 3.6 million in Puerto Rico”. Now, the cause of such a huge influx of people, all from the same place-in such short period of time can be explained. Recessions, back on the island, as well as job booms in the United States were all attributing factors to the large amounts of Puerto Ricans migrating here. The fact that it was so easy for Puerto Ricans to travel to, and from the island to the mainland made relocating to the U.S much more appealing. To this day, New York is still home to one of the largest populations of Boricuas on the East Coast.
Despite the citizenship and fact that Puerto Rico is affiliated with the U.S, Boricuas still faced struggles, and hardships. One living example of such stories is a man by the name Jesus Colon. This is  man whose story is truly inspiring….(goes into Jesus’ story, discrimination, and how he goes on to document his stories of being born in puerto rico, and moving to NYC)
What I Learned, + what I want to know
“L”-I learned that a large majority of Puerto Ricans moved to NYC in the 1950’s. This was known as “The Great Migration”. This was due to the fact that after the Spanish-American War, we were now Puerto Ricans, of an American possession(PR). In 1917, there was an act passed called the Jones-Shafroth Act. This gave Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico, US citizenship. Â I also learned that Puerto Ricans were the first group to move to NYC in large numbers. From the years 1970-1990, Puerto Ricans represented up to 80% of the city’s population.
“+”- I would still like to know When, and also why, the term “Boricua” originated.
unit 2: word
Boricua- someone from Puerto Rico
guagua- pronounced “wa-wa”, Puerto Rican slang for “bus”
“The Brief Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao”
In “The Brief, Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Diaz, I did not really find anything confusing, or difficult to understand or comprehend. I like how Diaz fuses Dominican slang and formal English.I believe Diaz does this to appeal to a much wider audience, and that she accomplishes very well. The one thing that was somewhat “difficult” was the size of some of the footnotes. On the second page, there was one that was longer than the main text itself. Granted, it was a history lesson of the extent of Trujillo’s reign over the Dominican Republic. I also appreciate the “colorful” language Diaz uses in the beginning of the excerpt. “…uttered just as one world perished and another began; that it was a demon drawn into Creation through the nightmare door that was cracked open…”(1) Even though I am not 100% sure what Diaz is referring to in this sentence, I still get very vivid imagery, due to her word choice. This is executed perfectly in my opinion, it hooks the reader’s attention, whilst the author gets to the “meat”. I also like how the story Diaz is mentioning throughout the excerpt is bigger than itself. What Diaz is implying is that Trujillo, former dictator of the Dominican Republic, is the one who killed JFK. It somewhat caught me by surprise, in a good way, the way Diaz just blatantly says it. In all, I genuinely enjoy Diaz’ writing style. She found a way to take a history lesson, and spin it around to actually make it very interesting.
soapstone hw
Speaker– The speaker is Ta-Nehisi Coates. He has 6 brothers, and he seems to have an understanding of the fact that people call each other different things, based on their relationship.
Occasion– The reason why Coates is bringing up this topic of using the “n-word” is because we live in a time where racial tension is still prevalent, even though it is rare. A lot of racism is silent, due to the high positions some of these people hold. But, Coates makes the point that even people under the spotlight can be openly racist.
Audience– The audience Coates is trying to reach are those who may be confused, about the context of the word, or to people who think that the word should be banned, who aren’t black.
Purpose– The purpose of this article  is to show that “white racism needs no verification from black people.” Coates wants to get the point across that a word can take on a different meaning, depending on the context it was used in. Coates talks about how people call each other words that normally would be hateful and extremely offensive; but the relationship and tone of words make it obvious that it wasn’t  meant to be taken seriously.
Tone– The tone of this article is very informative, and upfront. This is due to the blatant use of “derogatory” words. But I think he does this intentionally to make the point even clearer that these words take on different meanings based on even the reader, and Coates.
I agree with Coates because he is saying that “white people” have no power to discern what words a black man should or should not be saying. He is saying that the use of the word “nigger” shows the trials black people had to endure, and that a word so strong, reflects back on times that won’t be forgotten.
essay (final draft)
        School-Nuturing Growth, or Zombies?
     The ideas and principles of schooling have been around almost as long as civilized humans have been walking the earth. The majority of people would most likely tell you that schooling-education in general is a must if you are looking to live and lead a ânormalâ productive life. In the article, âAgainst Schoolâ by John Taylor Gatto, he deviates from this way of thinking, and argues that school is ultimately a waste of time. Gatto even goes as far to say that school turns children into âgullible, mindless consumers.â I do not agree with this idea for several reasons. Let me explain why.
The first reason why I donât think that school conditions students and children to be âmindless, gullible consumersâ, is the fact that just about everyone who has made it out of high school knows how much hard work, and dedication it takes to get through it all-with passing grades at that. In the second paragraph, on the very first page, Gatto makes a claim about how the school system has affected not only the quality of life for students, but teachers as well. âTeacher are themselves productsâŠtrapped inside structures even more rigid than those imposed on the children.â(1) A lot of students could probably tell you how true this quote may seem. But, what many fail to realize is that teachers are thee for a reason-they enjoy teaching! It is true that not all teachers are built the same. Of course there are teachers who could care less what, or who, or how theyâre teaching. But, for Gatto to make such a broad assumption that all teachers are âboredâ and âtrappedâ would be insulting to a large majority of teachers, who take pride in knowing that what they are teaching can change peoples lives. In my senior year of high school, my AP English teacher was a prime example of that. We studied the work of Shakespeare, as well as classic books, such as âThe Great Gatsbyâ, and âThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. We learned about structuring essays, and the different types of essays that could be written. She showed us countless methods and ways to strengthen our reading, writing, and comprehension skills. My AP English teacher was a living example of one reason why John Gattoâs claim about the school system is false.
Another reason why I disagree with Gattoâs claim about public education âcripplingâ children is that the school system is not at total fault. For every âboredâ or âtrappedâ teacher, there are countless more students that feel the exact same way. In the article, âLearning (Your First Job)â by Robert Leamnson, he makes a very important point about learning. ââŠLearning is not something that just happensâŠYou cannot be âgivenâ learning, nor can you be forced to do it.â(1) This quote may just be the most obvious quote in existence, but it is also the most overlooked. The reason the public school system does not work for everyone, is that not everyone has the want, or will to succeed. Therefore, not everyone will succeed. CUNY is a public school system, for graduates of high school. I find the biggest difference in âtypesâ of people is noticed when you go to college, from high school. In high school, a lot of people are there because they legally need to, its mandatory. This reflects in their attitudes, and obviously their grades. In college, however, there is a substantial increase in the number of students who actually want to learn. They are there to benefit themselves. That desire, is the driving factor that pushes most to their limits, and to ultimately accomplish their goals.
The last reason why I disagree with Gatto about the public education system is the fact that Gattoâs word should not be taken at face value. We have already seen the broad generalizations made by Gatto about teachers, how products of the public education system are âgullible, mindless consumersâ. Gatto makes yet another generalizing statement regarding school, and its overall purpose. ââŠSchool is meant to determine each students proper social roleâŠAs in âyour permanent record’â.(4) Now here is where we really get to see the immense claims Gatto is making. Gatto seems to have created a conspiracy theory, conspiring against the public education system. Though a âgutsyâ move, once you realize that what Gatto is essentially saying is that schooling determines where you will be in life, socially. Not the individual. He also is saying that your permanent record somehow has a huge help in this decision, I think most would agree that that is not a very sound statement to make.
In conclusion, Gattoâs various outlandish claims about school turning kids into zombies, are in fact unjustly found. It involves conspiracies, and statements masked as facts, but in reality are based on a total bias. A Â bias that goes against the public education system of today, as well as all of the people who were, or are currently enrolled. Like I mentioned in the introduction, schooling and its principles have been around for a very long time. It has produced some of the greatest, and influential minds ever to have lived. If the school system was as detrimentally corrupt and broken as Gattos claims it to be, then we literally would all be zombies; truly the living dead. I find school to be a lot like life-whatever you make it out to be.
essay rough draft
The ideas and principles of schooling have been around almost as long as civilized humans have been walking the earth. The majority of people would most likely tell you that schooling-education in general is a must if you are looking to live and lead a “normal” productive life. In the article, “Against School” by John Taylor Gatto, he deviates from this way of thinking, and argues that school is ultimately a waste of time. Gatto even goes as far to say that school turns children into “gullible, mindless consumers.” I do not agree with this idea for several reasons. Let me explain why.
The first reason why I don’t think that school conditions students and children to be “mindless, gullible consumers”, is the fact that just about everyone who has made it out of high school knows how much hard work, and dedication it takes to get through it all-with passing grades at that. In the second paragraph, on the very first page, Gatto makes a claim about how the school system has affected not only the quality of life for students, but teachers as well. “Teacher are themselves products…trapped inside structures even more rigid than those imposed on the children.”(1) A lot of students could probably tell you how true this quote may seem. But, what many fail to realize is that teachers are thee for a reason-they enjoy teaching! It is true that not all teachers are built the same. Of course there are teachers who could care less what, or who, or how they’re teaching. But, for Gatto to make such a broad assumption that all teachers are “bored” and “trapped” would be insulting to a large majority of teachers, who take pride in knowing that what they are teaching can change peoples lives. In my senior year of high school, my AP English teacher was a prime example of that. We studied the work of Shakespeare, as well as classic books, such as “The Great Gatsby”, and “Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. We learned about structuring essays, and the different types of essays that could be written. She showed us countless methods and ways to strengthen our reading, writing, and comprehension skills. My AP English teacher was a living example of one reason why John Gatto’s claim about the school system is false.
Another reason why I disagree with Gatto’s claim about public education “crippling” children is that the school system is not at total fault. For every “bored” or “trapped” teacher, there are countless more students that feel the exact same way. In the article, “Learning (Your First Job)” by Robert Leamnson, he makes a very important point about learning. “…Learning is not something that just happens…You cannot be ‘given’ learning, nor can you be forced to do it.”(1) This quote may just be the most obvious quote in existence, but it is also the most overlooked. The reason the public school system does not work for everyone, is that not everyone has the want, or will to succeed. Therefore, not everyone will succeed. CUNY is a public school system, for graduates of high school. I find the biggest difference in “types” of people is noticed when you go to college, from high school. In high school, a lot of people are there because they legally need to, its mandatory. This reflects in their attitudes, and obviously their grades. In college, however, there is a substantial increase in the number of students who actually want to learn. They are there to benefit themselves. That desire, is the driving factor that pushes most to their limits, and to ultimately accomplish their goals.
The last reason why I disagree with Gatto about the public education system is the fact that Gatto’s word should not be taken at face value. We have already seen the broad generalizations made by Gatto about teachers, how products of the public education system are “gullible, mindless consumers”. Gatto makes yet another generalizing statement regarding school, and its overall purpose. “…School is meant to determine each students proper social role…As in ‘your permanent record'”.(4) Now here is where we really get to see the immense claims Gatto is making. Gatto seems to have created a conspiracy theory, conspiring against the public education system. Though a “gutsy” move, once you realize that what Gatto is essentially saying is that schooling determines where you will be in life, socially. Not the individual. He also is saying that your permanent record somehow has a huge help in this decision, I think most would agree that that is not a very sound statement to make.
In conclusion, Gatto’s various outlandish claims about school turning kids into zombies, are in fact unjustly found. It involves conspiracies, and statements made to seem like facts, based on a total bias. A Â bias that goes against the public education system of today, and everything that it stands for. Like I mentioned in the introduction, schooling and its principles have been around for a very long time. It has produced some of the greatest, and influential minds ever to have lived. If the school system was as detrimentally corrupt and broken as Gattos claims it to be, then we literally would all be zombies. School, like life, is whatever you make it out to be.
What I Learned from re-Reading (Gatto)
The first time that I read “Against School”, by John Taylor Gatto, I found myself very bored, due to the amount of tangents and extra information thrown into the article. Â But, I came up with a plan that would help me to maintain focus and therefore abstain from boredom when re-reading this article. One of the things that I will do is to make a mental analysis of the main idea of every few paragraphs. The purpose of this is to ensure that I am being constantly reminded of the main idea of Gatto’s words, instead of getting lost in the text. The next step that I will take, that will ultimately help me with getting a better grasp of the article, is making sure that I am not tired when re-reading. If I am awake and alert when reading, it is only natural that I will better understand what I am reading. This is opposed to rushing through the article, simply to get it over with.
One of the new things that I learned when re-reading this article, and applying the methods listed above; is the point Gatto makes about kids and boredom. “Well-schooled kids have a threshold for boredom…dread being alone…seek constant companionship through th TV, Computer…”(5). This quote speaks volumes for me due to the reason that it is something just about everyone can relate to. Gatto goes on to talk about a method that could be considered controversial. Gatto stresses that kids should be “challenged with solitude”, so as to learn to “enjoy their own company”(5). What this means to me is that if a kid, or a student learns to naturally function while being by themselves, they are way less likely to get bored. This method, if proven true could change the lives of countless of people, unaware that the simple solution to preventing boredom was right under our noses.
