Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Richard Rodriguez "Aria"
1. "Because I wrongly imagined that English was intrinsically a public language and Spanish an intrinsically private one, I easily noted the difference between classroom language and the language of home."
This quote reminded me of "Teaching Multilingual Children" because in it, Collier talks about how teachers of multilingual students must demonstrate an appreciation for children's home languages even though they are teaching a new language. The situation that Richard is describing is an example of why this point is valid. He believed that because English was being taught to him in school and Spanish was not being emphasized, Spanish was a language that should only be spoken at home with family. It was as if there were two realms: a one in which Spanish was acceptable, and one in which only English was acceptable. This quote is an introduction to his story of how learning English was a life-changing event for himself and his family, both positive and negative.
2. "I moved very far from the disadvantaged child I had been only days earlier. The belief, the calming assurance that I belonged in public, had at last taken hold."
To me, this quote has both a positive and a negative tone to it. The fact that he finally felt like he belonged is great; although, it is sad that he didn't feel like he belonged only because he primarily spoke Spanish. This, again, is why students who are learning English as a second language need to be able to use their first language in the classroom, even though the goal is to make them successful English speakers. Otherwise, it feels as though their own language is inferior, and that the student himself is inferior, because he or she does not speak, as Delpit would say, the language of the culture of power. ESL classes should allow students to learn the language necessary to interact fully in society while not feeling culturally inferior.
3. "After English became my primary language, I no longer knew what words to use in addressing my parents. The old Spanish words )those tender accents of sound) I had used earlier-mama and papa-I couldn't use anymore. They would have been too painful reminders of how much had changed in my life."
This quote shows just how life-changing it was for Richard to change from one primary language to another. In my mind it raises the question, "Did he really need to remove all traces of the Spanish language from his life?" The school's suggestion that his parents help him practice his English skills was taken to an extreme, in that even his parents adopted English as their primary home language. Richard goes on to explain that his father had a much more vibrant personality when he was able to speak Spanish with relatives than when he spoke English with the immediate family. Practicing English skills and changing from speaking one language to another language entirely are two completely different things.
I found this story easy to read because it was interesting and its message was easy to grasp. It relates directly to "Teaching Multilingual Children," which centralizes around the theme that properly teaching English as a second language means requires emphasizing the preservation of one's original language. Essentially, "Aria" can be viewed as a narrative response to "Teaching Multilingual Children," which is a theory-based article. As I mentioned earlier, it also has a bit of Delpit in it, because English is being represented as a language of power—a "public" language—while Spanish is being degraded as a language only to be spoken at home—a "private" language. Richard was only able to feel like he belonged when he successfully learned English, even though it caused the communication among his immediate family members to suffer.
This quote reminded me of "Teaching Multilingual Children" because in it, Collier talks about how teachers of multilingual students must demonstrate an appreciation for children's home languages even though they are teaching a new language. The situation that Richard is describing is an example of why this point is valid. He believed that because English was being taught to him in school and Spanish was not being emphasized, Spanish was a language that should only be spoken at home with family. It was as if there were two realms: a one in which Spanish was acceptable, and one in which only English was acceptable. This quote is an introduction to his story of how learning English was a life-changing event for himself and his family, both positive and negative.
2. "I moved very far from the disadvantaged child I had been only days earlier. The belief, the calming assurance that I belonged in public, had at last taken hold."
To me, this quote has both a positive and a negative tone to it. The fact that he finally felt like he belonged is great; although, it is sad that he didn't feel like he belonged only because he primarily spoke Spanish. This, again, is why students who are learning English as a second language need to be able to use their first language in the classroom, even though the goal is to make them successful English speakers. Otherwise, it feels as though their own language is inferior, and that the student himself is inferior, because he or she does not speak, as Delpit would say, the language of the culture of power. ESL classes should allow students to learn the language necessary to interact fully in society while not feeling culturally inferior.
3. "After English became my primary language, I no longer knew what words to use in addressing my parents. The old Spanish words )those tender accents of sound) I had used earlier-mama and papa-I couldn't use anymore. They would have been too painful reminders of how much had changed in my life."
This quote shows just how life-changing it was for Richard to change from one primary language to another. In my mind it raises the question, "Did he really need to remove all traces of the Spanish language from his life?" The school's suggestion that his parents help him practice his English skills was taken to an extreme, in that even his parents adopted English as their primary home language. Richard goes on to explain that his father had a much more vibrant personality when he was able to speak Spanish with relatives than when he spoke English with the immediate family. Practicing English skills and changing from speaking one language to another language entirely are two completely different things.
I found this story easy to read because it was interesting and its message was easy to grasp. It relates directly to "Teaching Multilingual Children," which centralizes around the theme that properly teaching English as a second language means requires emphasizing the preservation of one's original language. Essentially, "Aria" can be viewed as a narrative response to "Teaching Multilingual Children," which is a theory-based article. As I mentioned earlier, it also has a bit of Delpit in it, because English is being represented as a language of power—a "public" language—while Spanish is being degraded as a language only to be spoken at home—a "private" language. Richard was only able to feel like he belonged when he successfully learned English, even though it caused the communication among his immediate family members to suffer.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Jonathan Kozol "Amazing Grace"
1. "'I saw a boy shot in the head right over there,' he says a moment later, in a voice that does not sound particularly sad, then looks up at me and asks politely, 'Would you like a chocolate chip cookie?'"
Cliffie's nonchalant attitude towards witnessing a boy shot in the head is portrayed here by his instantaneous switch to another topic, namely the cookie. This indicates that such an occurrence is a regularity in Mott Haven. Think about how rare it would be for one of us to witness a murder in our lifetimes, provided we remained within the same socioeconomic conditions in which we currently reside. If I were ever to encounter a murder scene or the results of it, I don't believe I could even consider a cookie. Kozol explains throughout the article various aspects of the neighborhood that make it borderline uninhabitable, but this quote was particularly shocking because of how rapidly Cliffie was able to switch topics and what it revealed about the frequency of murders in the neighborhood.
2. Page 8, from "He seems to take the lessons of religion literally..." to "'God told us, 'Share!'"
People of color are known to have a strong religious faith. This dialogue between Kozol and Cliffie reveals the strong faith that he and his parents possess. This quote is not the only time strong religious beliefs are mentioned in the article, and it made me consider the relationship between poverty and faith. Consider how miserable the lives of these people and compare it to the strength of their religious faith. What surprises is me is that instead of looking at their current lives as depressing, although they may be frustrated at times as presented in the article, they look towards God and live according to what they are taught in church. They still put the well-being of other people before their own well-being, and try to focus on any positive aspect they can.
3. "The pastor tells me that the place is known as 'Children's Park.' Volunteers arrive here twice a week to give out condoms and clean needles to addicted men and women, some of whom bring their children with them."
Although the descriptions of rats, frequency of HIV/AIDS, asthma, and number of prostitutes in the neighborhood was surprising, these two sentences were particularly shocking to me, for the simple fact that a place known as "Children's Park" is where needles and condoms are dispersed. I support giving out condoms in order to promote and ensure safe sex, but not at a public place to which people bring their children. Also, the needle and condom programs are clearly not working to full capacity, as Kozol makes reference to how many people in the neighborhood have contracted HIV/AIDS due to unsanitary needles or sex.
This article was a realization for me about how how intense the effects of extreme poverty can be. Unlike the articles we have read previously, this one is not arguing the author's position on a particular issue and providing a method of solving it. Rather, it is a narrative of the author's experience in a high-poverty neighborhood in which all occupants are of color or Hispanic, and an interview of one particular child who presents an astounding maturity level for the age of seven. Equally as astounding as the economic and health-related conditions of the neighborhood are the statements that Cliffie presents. He tells us his philosophies and experiences in such a way that I could not imagine a child's voice saying them. At the end of the article he even taps into the metaphysical realm in saying that "...we were put here for a purpose, but these people in the streets can't see a purpose."
Sunday, September 6, 2009
First Entry
Hello and welcome to my blog. My name is Eric and I am a sophomore, majoring in chemistry for secondary education. I'm also trying to get certified in another science such as physics or biology; I haven't decided yet. I do not live on campus but I'm pretty much there all the time. My classes this semester are organic chem and physics which both meet six hours a week, this course, and a gen ed. I also work at RIC in the Office of the President, and I'm the President of the RIC Student Chapter of the National Science Teachers Association. When I'm actually not at school I'm hanging with friends, facebooking, or whatnot. I'll throw a random fact at you: my favorite TV shows are older sitcoms like the The Nanny, Golden Girls, and Roseanne.
I have to admit this is pretty awesome. I've only had one class in the past in which we tried to use a blog, and we only used it once, so I'm interested in seeing how this works out.
EF
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