Ten Topics To Write About 

1). Results of the election. How you feel about the next President? Pros/Cons. 

2). NFL Ratings     

3). Concussions 

4). Successful people without a formal education 

5). The pros/cons of living on campus and off campus

6). Students dropping out of High School 

7). Killing Shelters

8). Greek Life in big schools and small schools

9). Homeschooling 

10). Capital Punishment 

Amy Worthington
Professor Young
English 1100
10/19/16

Still Separate, Still Unequal America's Educational Apartheid

1)  “Children who have been in programs like those offered by the ‘Baby Ivies’ since the age of two have, by now, received the benefits of six or seven years of education, nearly twice as many as the children who have been denied these opportunities; yet all are required to take, and will be measured by, the same examinations. Which of these children will receive the highest score? (Kozol 46).”

Children who received more education were from Upper Class families and not lower class families. This is because in order to receive more education parents had to pay large sums of money and parents in the lower class could probably not afford to do this for their children. With more education comes more opportunities, like college for example. College and more education will lead a student in an Upper Class family to be more successful then children in a lower class family would be.

2) “Affluent parents pay surprisingly large sums of money to enroll their youngsters, beginning at the age of two or three, in extraordinary early-education programs that give them social competence and rudimentary pedagogic skills unknown to children of the same age in the cities poorer neighborhoods (Kozol 46).”

These early education programs benefit the children because they are already ahead in their education compared to students in surrounding areas. The children at lower and middle class schools are taught to follow the rules given and to not veer away form them even if they disagree. They are like robots where the teacher is there master and they do exactly as he/she says. The students are not learning any skills in communication or critical thinking, that will benefit them in the future when they are applying to colleges or jobs. 

3)“I don’t want to take hairdressing. I did not need sewing either. I knew how to sew. My mother is a seamstress in a factory. I’m trying to go to college. I don’t need to sew to go to college. My mother sews. I hoped for something else (Kozol 52).”

 

This quote demonstrates how hard it is for someone to get out of their social class because they are not given the opportunity to do so. Schools don't prepare students to become more successful. This puts students at a disadvantage when they are applying to colleges. 

4) “There are expensive children and cheap children (Kozol 45).”

The expensive children most likely came from parents who were part of the upper class while the cheap children most likely came from parents who were part of the lower or middle class. I think that the schools in cities need to change the way they are teaching the children in order to better prepare them for college. This will allow children to break free from the social norm and prove that a person born into the lower class can work their way up to the higher class. 

My Opinion on Students’ Rights to their Own Language

Amy Worthington

English 1100

Professor Young

September 20, 2016

           

“A Nation Proud of its diverse heritage and its cultural and racial variety will preserve its heritage of dialects.” This is a sentence taken from the resolution of language adopted by the members of the CCCC. The question that arises from this part of the resolution is if students should have the right to use their own language. In my opinion, the answer is yes.

            You are allowed

to say whatever you want to and speak the language that you feel most comfortable speaking. You can’t be afraid to speak up for what you believe in. If something really matters to you say it and you don’t need to be worried about the consequences. I know, you’re probably thinking that it’s not a good idea to say anything you want. But, the truth is that under the constitution you have the freedom of speech. You can basically say and do what you want to nowadays but there will be consequences which I think is unfair.

            Everyone is always telling us to be ourselves and say what we want to, yet when we are they judge us and we ultimately get hurt in the long run. Professors and teachers say that we are allowed to express ourselves, but I don’t feel like that is true. If you say something to a teacher that they find disrespectful you will be sent to the principal’s office to receive a punishment.  In college it’s not much different, you will be asked to leave the classroom and the punishment will be that you missed important notes.

            After an experience that I went through not long ago, I learned that we all have the right to use our own language. I didn’t use my language at the time of the incident because I was scared and weak, but I regretted not using my voice afterwards. A few weeks later I went back to the incident and I used my voice and it wasn’t too late because I did something about it. It’s never too late to go back to a situation and voice your opinion.

             

I found lyrics from Eminem and he sums up what I’m trying to say. The song is called “Say what You Say”:

Cause what you say is what you say

Say what you say how you say it whenever you saying it

Just remember how you said it when you were spraying it 

What Identity Means to Me

Amy Worthington

9/6/2016

Professor Young

ENGL 1100, Writing Skills Workshop

What Identity Means to Me

            Your identity is formed by where you come from, what you believe in, and who you chose to be as a person. It is what makes you unique and different from other people around you. To me identity is how you behave and carry yourself in your public and private life. A person may act crazy in front of their friends, professional in front of their co – workers, and respectful in front of their parents. That doesn’t mean that they are acting different from who they are. They are behaving in a way that they believe is appropriate in the situation that they are in. All of the ways that they act is what makes up their identity as a whole.

“I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.” (Pg. 249). I do not come from a different country, speak a different language, or know what it’s like to feel ashamed or alone because of what language you speak. I can imagine what it feels like, but I can’t fully understand what other people around me go through. To me a big part of what makes up your identity is where you are from. Where you live can determine what you can do for fun, how you act now, and who and what you can identify yourself with. For example, I am from Philadelphia which is a big city. I feel like living in the city made me tougher and more easy going. I can identify with people who were raised in Philly because of the slang words that we use and the way that we talk to each other in general. Even if you want to put your past behind you and not think about where you are from, it will still have shaped you into the person that you are today.

In the story, “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”, one quote stood out to me. The author says “There are more subtle ways that we internalize identification, especially in the forms of images and emotions.” (pg. 253) I think that your identity is made up of how you would act in certain situations. This could be how you react to bad news, sad news, or what you are watching on television. I think that depending on your response, it could show other people around you who you are as a person and how you choose to identify yourself.

As I get older or enter new situations in my life, I feel like my identity is changing. I feel disconnected with myself as a person. But the truth is that as you mature and become older you learn new skills and have to adapt to different situations depending on your age. Your identity is forever changing and developing throughout your whole life.

Reading Response Questions to "How to Tame a Wild Tongue"

Amy Worthington

9/3/2016

Professor Young

ENGL 1100, Writing Skills Workshop

Reading Response Questions to “How to Tame a Wild Tongue”

1). The opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist’s chair connects to the overall point of this essay and title in many different ways. When I first began reading this essay I was surprised about the opening line. The author made a point to start off the essay with a different line that was the same as the title, but worded differently. We discussed in class the meaning of the different words in the title and as I was reading this line I kept thinking about what the different words meant. In the opening paragraph the dentist says to her “I’ve never seen anything as strong or as stubborn.” Throughout the story she talks about how she feels like she doesn’t have a say on what’s going on around her and how she feels disconnected with her identity sometimes.

2). Anzaldua’s use of the Spanish throughout her writing was due to the fact that she has gone through many situations where she has to speak a certain language to please other people, and to fit into what is considered the social norm. After her many years of going through life trying to please other people, she decided at one point to not feel ashamed about existing. She wanted to have her voice back and not hide who she was for anyone. She used Spanish in the story to convey to us who she really was and how she feels comfortable speaking to others reading her work.

3). Yes, I think that academic English can be defined as standard Spanish. They both have the same meaning in the sense that they both make you look educated when you speak it. Speaking both of these languages means that you are using words that are advanced and this is also a good way to help you identify yourself. Chicano Spanish can be described as nonstandard because it is “slang” in the sense that you are not using big words. There are a few conclusions that can be made from referring to one identity as standard versus nonstandard. If someone is using a standard language then it shows that they are well educated, and if someone is using their nonstandard language this could show that they are uneducated. That’s not always the case though, some people may prefer to talk in their nonstandard language when they are among their friends.

4). Yes, I think that it is necessary to write in Academic English as an identity. It conveys who you are as a person and who you are choosing to be. It shows that you are educated and that you know a lot about the things that are going on around you. 

5). The different English identities that I know are social class/rank, professional, gender, and age. What social class you are in might determine how you speak to others around you. For example, if you are in a lower social class you may not have been able to receive a college education and therefore you will not talk to people in a higher social class. Or if you are a professional and work in an office you will talk and say things that are serious and that are mainly about work. Also, depending on your age, you will have more knowledge about the world and therefore sound more educated then the people around you. 

6).  I think that how I talk to my friends could be considered a secret language and a secret identity. When we are talking we will use slang words that may not make sense to the older people around us. We abbreviate different words and talk about things in a language that may be considered secret to the people around us. 

7). When I am talking to my friends, I talk in nonstandard English because that is the easiest way to communicate with them. I don’t use big words and I don’t think about what I am going to say because they are my friends and I feel comfortable in front of them. When I am talking to my mother or a professor I use standard English because I want to sound educated and smart. Whenever I am talking to an adult I like to know what I’m talking about and have a serious conversation with them. 

8).  “I am my language” means that your language is what makes up your identity. You were born and raised using that language and for me I have been using it for almost eighteen years now and I can say that it is something that I identify with. You can’t hide who you are because eventually you will be figured out by the people around you. 

9).  I think that the introduction and conclusion connect because the author made a point to use the words that were in the title in the introduction and the conclusion paragraphs. In the introduction the dentist asks her how she controls her wild tongue and how she saddles it down and in the conclusion she makes sure to explain herself. She says that she keeps her tongue when other races give up theirs. She goes on by saying that she has a stubborn tongue, but she is not going to change that for anyone around her. 

10).  Yes, I think that the language that you speak can be part of your identity. The language you speak could say a lot about where you are from and who you hang out with, which could help make up your identity. It makes you who you are and it is a symbol of you carrying on your family tree. 

11).  Identity is really important to me. It is what makes you unique and special and unlike anyone else in the world. You can struggle sometimes with who you are as a person, and you might even think that you have lost the person you once were. But, once you think that you have lost yourself you can either give up and loose that person completely or find the person that you used to be. In wild Tongue the author says “I will no longer feel ashamed of existing. I will have my voice. I am my language.” This quote refers to what I stated above because she is saying that you should not feel ashamed of who you are and you should not change yourself for anyone. 

Getting to Know Me

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Getting to Know Me

ENGW 100
Prof. Young

1. I play soccer. I have been playing on my towns club team since i was seven years old, and this year we won the overall tournament. 

2. In my free time I enjoy visiting new places, and I like going on hikes with pretty views. During the summer i went to Yosemite Park and hiked up to places with waterfalls and amazing views. 

3. The most ridiculous lie i have ever told would have to be when this guy asked me out and i said that i didn't have a car. He then offered to pick me up and i then told him that i fell down the stairs and broke my foot and couldn't go. 

4. Whenever i am writing an essay i always have an outline next to me. I can't write one with out it or i will repeat what i already said. 

5. I don't have a lot of writing experience, but my senior year we had to write a twenty page research paper. I feel like the research paper helped me become a better writer. 

6. The name of the most recent book i read was called The Cage. It was about a group of girls and boys who were taken from earth and are now living on another planet. Throughout the entire book they try to escape from the people who took them. 

7. I don't usually use social media. The only social media that I use is snap-chat and the only reason i use that app is because i like the face filters. 

8. This semester i want to learn how to write better papers. I want to learn this because i think that it is a good skill to have. 

9. Identity to me is what makes up you. It is something that makes you unique and special. 

10. A problem that is important to me is the drinking age. Once you turn eighteen you are legally considered an adult and can move out of the house, so why can't you drink? I think that once your legally allowed to make your own decisions then you should be allowed to drink. The drinking age should be eighteen. 

11. B. Although i do not consider myself that good of a writer i don't think i would rate myself any lower then this. I ask for help and use the resources provided around me to make my papers better.