Author: Yadira (Page 4 of 7)

Quotes:

1. “Now I’m going to ask you to stick with me while I show you how knowledge of genres goes far beyond a simple discussion of types”. (page 250)
2. “I knew I was looking for other essays written directly to students, and after finding many examples, I looked for common features”. (page 250)
3. “These actions don’t have to be complex; many genres are a part of our daily lives. Think about genres as tools to help people to get things done”. (page 252)
4. “In other words, knowing what a genre is used for can help people to accomplish goals, whether that goal be getting a job by knowing how to write a stellar resume, winning a person’s heart by writing a romantic love letter, or getting into college by writing an effective personal statement”. (page 253)

Response: 

1. This quote is important because when I was taught genres, we were taught the types of genres. Although we actually haven’t gone in-depth of genres and how it’s mostly present in our lives than just identifying the differences in genres.
2. This quote is important to me because I actually do the same. Depending because when I’m stuck in my writing sometimes I need to see a few example writings to get an idea of where to start. 
3. This quote is important because genres can actually be seen in our day to day lives. Which I haven’t actually thought of before reading his essay. Genres have been another influence in our lives and I haven’t noticed.
4. I agree with this quote because it is helpful in knowing the genre of things. It will allow us to identify and understand when reading and writing. As in reading and writing, we can be able to know what message is being sent through identifying the genre it is. 

One genre I know well is a mystery. This genre is very interesting to me because I like how it makes your brain start functioning. Meaning it makes you think about the situation. This genre allows me as the reader to start to think of different possibilities in a mystery book or film. The rhetorical feature of mystery makes you think, understand, and solve crimes. I enjoy it because I feel like it helps me in my reading and writing. It helps me to start asking questions in my reading and in my writing to see what I can add on. Although learning the rules of this genre was taught to me in school. However, at first, I actually didn’t understand it. Later from viewing more mystery genres, I noticed that certain features are always the same. 

          In James Baldwin’s speech he’s main message is that we as people should have our own rights. To allow us to make our own proper decisions and not let us just obey the rules of society. Neither does it matter whether we’re white or black. Mostly because if we allow for society to control us, we would all be the same. Although there should be differences between each other. Which is why we should have our own thoughts and decision to create our self identity. If everything’s the same there we’ll never be differences. Which we need because differences create new developments. Within these new developments we change our society and world. 

        However, when James Baldwin’s says “the world is larger” he means that there’s more to the lies that are told from the white American.  Which is why they shouldn’t obey the rule of society put from the white Americans. It will allow them to uncover the lies that white American have been teaching them. As if the white were more than blacks and making them seem as goddess. Finally can discover how big everything really is. Although if the truth seems to be beautiful or terrible in their eyes. Although it will give them the opportunity to make a difference in society. 

        Lastly, I would have liked to been taught more in school was more on black history. Mostly because I feel like I’m always being taught the biggest changes in our world. Which now thinking about it, it’s always involving white Americans, British, or even Chinese. Although there’s so many changes also made that were caused by are black history but we never really forced on so much. Where we should because we live in a mixed society. Where we should know each history equally not more of one than the other.

    My alarm went off at 6:50am. I woke up and went to eat breakfast with my parents and my older brother. Later I had to go get dressed into my navy blue polo shirt and khaki pants uniform. After getting everything I needed for school I finally got my backpack and left for school. Some days I would walk with my mom to school or she would drive me to school. But today we walked because we had enough time before school started. Also my middle school wasn’t far, it’s about 10 minutes away from home. Later in the course of walking to school my mom and I regretted it because it was really hot outside that day. Which we should have figured because it was the beginning season of summer. Once we got to school my mom would give me 10 dollars for lunch then we would say bye to each other. Then I would walk up a small hill of my school’s entrance and enter school. After passing my school’s security, I would go directly to the cafeteria. Where I would meet my friends and talk for a little. 

    Later when it was time to go to our first class we would be dismissed from the cafeteria directly go to our classes. In between my 5 period class a teacher would come into my art class and would ask my art teacher for me. Which at first it was a bit confusing why I was being pulled out of my class. Once I left the room with the teacher she explained to me that she was a speech teacher and the reason why she pulled me out of my class was because I was enrolled to take speech classes. When I asked why I was in speech the reason was because at my home my parents mainly speak Spanish. Which makes English not my first language, said the teacher. Although that didn’t seem right, because I didn’t know anything in Spanish neither did I speak it. The only language I knew was English. I only spoke English at home and my brother would actually be my translator to my parents. I felt a little discriminated against, I was put into a speech class just because my parents are hispanic and mainly speak spanish and not English at home. Doesn’t allow them to assume that I didn’t know or understand English. They shouldn’t have based my English language knowledge off of my family and what they speak or where they’re from.

    In that period of time I didn’t really enjoy it so much because it would make me feel different from everyone else. Being pulled out of my regular classes to get into speech class. Being separated from my other classmates would make me feel so self conscious about myself. Where I would doubt about how I’m not smart enough. Being taught English language as if I didn’t know or understand English. I was being taught basic English words and how to pronounce them as if I didn’t speak English. In the speech classroom I noticed there were other students also there. Everyone in the classroom was people from different countries that recently entered the school. Which actually needed help to learn how to speak and understand the English language . Other students there were like me put into that class because in their homes there’s another language spoken instead of English. Then I realized the point and purpose of this speech class. It was meant to help students individually for those whose first language isn’t English.

    However I didn’t agree on how they chose which students had to attend speech class. It is actually not fair and discriminating against those that shouldn’t be in it. I see how people from other countries that don’t speak English at all can actually see it as very helpful and it is. Although other students like me didn’t see it the same way. Well for me in particular because I was born in the United States and raised in New York. I was raised with the English language not the Spanish language. Which makes it unfair that just because they knew that at my home spanish is spoken more than English.  Which seemed discriminating for me because they’re putting me in a class that teaches me English just because my parents don’t speak English at home. Which shouldn’t mean anything to them because I’m attending school. My knowledge and whether I understand the English language is not based on what my parents speak. But based on my hard work and accomplishments in school. 

    I’m agree that sometimes it’s hard to understand the English language.  But I’m a kid that is also learning with my other classmates at school. Throughout the course I will obviously make mistakes. Not all kids learn in the same past as others. Which is normal I’m learning more and more about the English language. In the process I will develop more and more my English language and techniques that will make me better in reading and writing skills. I didn’t see the need to put me to the side and treat me differently as if I didn’t know anything at all of the English language compared to my other classmates. I started to get embarrassed every time my speech teacher would come into my class and call me out to leave. Having to leave my regular class to go to another that I shouldn’t be in. This would  make it seem as if my other classmates were smarter than me. Which is what they create with having these separate classrooms from regular classrooms. I wasn’t being treated as equal as my other classmates. When I should be because I don’t see a difference in what is or not spoken at my home. The only thing that should matter is that I’m attending school. Throughout school I will keep growing and strengthening my English language. If along the way I’m struggling then I think my teachers should help me along the way. But not separate me from my regular classes and make me feel less than others.