As a kid, school seemed like a burden and a waste of time and an obstacle that prevented me from playing video games. My parents, who immigrated to America from China, always emphasized the importance of education and its potential to lead to a better future. My father, who works tirelessly at a restaurant six days a week, often talked to me about school, hoping that I would one day have a job in an air-conditioned office so that I wouldn’t have to work in a restaurant like him. However, during middle and high school, I was easily distracted and hung out with bad kids who had a negative influence on me. I didn’t study and failed to meet my dad’s expectations. Then, one day, everything changed. My teachers called my parents and told them that I hadn’t completed any of my homework assignments. Both of my parents were furious. When I got home, I saw my dad sweating and exhaustion etched across his face. As I sat on the bed, he looked at me with a mix of anger and determination, and said something that would forever change my view on education. He said, “I work so hard for you so that you can live a better life and won’t have to work at a restaurant like me.”In that moment, the weight of my dad’s aspirations and sacrifices felt like a slap on the face (not the bad way) but a WAKE UP CALL slap, I realized that education isn’t a burden, but an opportunity that both of my parents didn’t have. This heartfelt conversation was the starting point for a significant change in the way I thought about college.
Author: Jamie
Homework [1.3]
Based on the story I read in class and the two other stories I read for homework, I believe that the key ”ingredients”of an educational narrative genre are the writer’s personal education journey, the country they come from, their struggles, how they overcame these struggles, and the personal growth they experienced throughout their journey. To begin my own education narrative, I plan to give a little background about myself, such as where I came from and so on. Since it is an educational narrative, I will mostly focus on my educational struggles, how I overcame them, and how I evolved throughout my educational journey. However, I do have some concerns and questions about writing my own education narrative. For instance, I might wonder if my story is relatable to my readers or how interested they would be in it. Educational journey stories can sometimes be boring. Furthermore, I have concerns about sharing my educational struggles because I have struggled a lot, and it may be uncomfortable for me to share these struggles as a writer
Homework 1.2
Mike Bunn says ”you’re already an author” I think Bunn is encouraging readers to approach reading as if they were the author. Authors don’t just write without thinking about what to write. When I was in high school, my English teacher asked me to write a story based on a random picture she posted on the smart board. It was one of the most challenging tasks I had ever done because it required me to write without any prior planning. However, good writing requires careful planning, consideration of the target audience and mindful word choices. For example, when you write a comic book, the writer must come up with characters, come up with creative ideas and make choices. Similarly, when reading, the reader should pause to digest the information and understand the author’s message. It is important to reflect on how the book or article relates to you and to identify what you like or dislike about it. When we write or read, we are expressing ourselves and sharing our thoughts and ideas. Therefore, it is essential to understand the author’s perspective and what message they are trying to send out.
I text almost every day. It could be a message to my manager telling her that I am not available to work, or sending emails to tutors to get extra help. I mentioned in class that I enjoy trading as a hobby. To be a successful trader, I need to express myself after I finish a trade and evaluate whether I made the right choice. My existing communication skills will be useful in my college reading and writing, as I can easily reach out to my professors to express my concerns regarding a topic that I am currently studying.
I noticed that Mike Bunn repeatedly used the word “you” in his article, which suggests that he is TALKING to the reader directly, creating a sense of engagement and connection. I think I will use this technique in my own writing as it is a great way to establish a connection with my audience.
