After you've finished your homework reading, answer the following questions:
1) What might "Para Teresa" be saying about education in America? What questions about education might it be raising?
2) What are two things that stood out to you the most about "Learning to Read"?
Due: Before our next class meeting
Length: one well-developed paragraph per answer
Reminders: Since we didn't have time to talk about research questions today, you can skip the part of your HW that says to write 5-6 potential research questions. Also, although you're not writing a blog response on LOP this time, do expect quiz questions on it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
!) I think the poem is saying that education in America is looked differently depending on your background and family. The Mexican American students in the poem have two different outlooks on education. The author wants to do well in school for a feeling of self accomplishment and to reward her family. Maybe "Teresa" does not have the support and motivation at home the same way the author does.
ReplyDelete2) I like how Malcolm became frustrated with himself and while he was in prison he made himself educated. He copied an entire dictionary while fascinating himself with new words he did not know existed. My favorite part of the essay was when the English writer called him and asked what his alma mater is.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJoel said...
ReplyDeleteI think the poem is about the teachers being prejudice towards minorities in America. The author tried to rebel against the school by getting good grades and proving to the teachers that she was better than the other children for herself, her family, and every other Latino. The question that comes to my mind about this poem is what are our teachers doing in school to make children want to rebel? School should have a fun and safe learning environment. And, are teachers playing “favorites” with the students of certain ethnic background (i.e. Caucasian)?
One thing that stood out to me was how Malcolm X learned to read and write from a dictionary in prison. I would never have guessed inmates to learn so much from being imprisoned. I thought this was amazing for those who chose to educate themselves and turn a complete one hundred eighty degrees. The second was when Malcolm X mentioned how the Chinese hate white men. I never tried to understand why China would always threaten America, but this opened my eyes. I don’t recall hearing about how white men sent millions of pounds of opium to them and making them addicts. White men have destroyed their industrial development and had their statuses lowered to mere dogs as well. I can understand why they would threaten America. That is what shocked me the most from what Malcolm X has said in this article.
I believe the poem is talking about how different cultures look at education. in the poem the mexican american students are the ones talking about education. The author talks about how she gets pencils and paper for christmas and how education is stressed in her family. The other girl famliy might not have the same look on education.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest thing that stood out to me in the story was how he read the whole dictionary and taugh himself how to write and understand the words. He must be a smart person because not eveyone could teach themselfs how to read and write.The second thing that stood out to me was how he read so much and got no sleep, i thought he was a bit crazy from jail because i have never herd of anyone liking reading as much as malcom did
I believe the poem is trying to show how Teresa and the author are both going to the same school, but the author is benefting more then Teresa is. the author is doing it for her family, she was raised to believe that education is important and that she will be looked down upon if she doesnt succeed in school. while Teresa doesnt get that support from home. Why is it that both girls go to the same schoool but the author gets more out of her education? I think the author is trying to say is that all the blame shouldnt be put on the school system for our children not learning, a big part of it is how you are raised to see education. it depends on the indivisual.
ReplyDeleteThe two things that stood out to me the most from "Learning To Read", was how one person (Bimbi) inspired Malcom x to pursue such an interest in education.I have never been inspired by anybody as much as Malcom was inpired by his friend to start opening up a dictionary and just teaching himself how read and write. Also another thing that stood out was how he compared his education in prison to education in college. Saying college had to many distractions and that in prison he would sometimes spend 15 hours a day studying. It showed me that he spend that time wanting to educate hismelf while most people in college just sit in class so they can go off to pursue a career in the field they have studied years for. While All Malcom wanted out of his readings was to better himself and to be able to have a sophisticated converstaion. He wasnt doing it for the fancy degree or for a career in the future but to educate himself, to be more then just a felon in prison and that shows true character. How many of us (setting school aside) could say that we would be willing to open up a book a few hours a day just to educate ourselves? Not many
In "Para Teresa" it is evident that neither girls look at education as something that is meant to be good for them. Both girls have their own form of rebelion. One girl decided to take their oppressors head on. The other uses subterfuge to turn their own tool against them. What was supposed to make her homogonous with the white culture was compelling her to further represent her own. The entire poem seems to make the reader ask "What is our education system supposed to be doing?".
ReplyDelete"Learning to Read" stood out to me because of Malcom X's increadible determination. Teaching one self to read based on a rudimentary understanding of the written language and a dictionary is not an easy task to undertake. The other way it stood out was Malcom's gross generalization of the "collective white man". By taking a hard line view on a group of people based on their color has made the author just as much of a racist as the people he condemns for racism.
i think the poem is about the value of education. it's more important to the author because of how much her family stressed the importance of it. she knew that nothing good would come from being a rebel and from not listening to higher authorities. teresa on the other hand most likely never had anyone tell her how important school is which might be why she rebels.
ReplyDeletethe thing that stood out to me in "learning to read" was the determination that malcom had to learn how to read and understand what he was actually reading. you would think that someone in prison wouldnt even think about that type of stuff so when he copied the dictionary and read all those books it came to me as a surprise.
i think that the poem is about how schools and their teachers treat studens differently based on their race. it talks about how the author trys to rebel and be a good student, to show the system that they were wrong. their prjudices made the kids think that education wasn't mean for them or they didn't deserve it. teresa conforms to what they want and trys to get the author to give in too. the question that is makes me want to askis what is really going on in the schools. what ar the teachers doing to make the kids want to rebel.
ReplyDeleteone of the things that stood out to me the most in "learning to read" was the fact that malcom taught himself how to read and write better. the fact that he knew what steps to take, or if he didn't, that he took really good ones that i would never have thought of. his dedication was another suprising thing to me. i understand having a lot of time on your hands but to copy a dictionary, or to love reading so much that even after lights out, you read by the dim light of a hall-lamp, where gaurds pass by every hour and you could get in trouble. that is something i would do and would probably get scoulded by my parents but i couldn't imagine what prison would do.
In the Poem "Para Teresa" i think it it trying to show how different families stress on education compared to others. The authors family seems to value education much more than Teresa's family. The author get pencils and other school supplies for Christmas, which show her family really wants her to succeed. I also think it shows that schools aren't all to blame for our education its how determined the students and families are as well.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that was surprising was the fact that he started to learn to write and understand what he was reading. Most inmates wouldn't think of studying as an option. They would normally still do what they are doing and most dont learn anything from their past mistakes. The second was his determination to actually sit there and write out the whole dictionary day by day. Its shocking how much he learned and how well he could comprehend what he was reading just after going through the dictionary once. Its amazing to see how something like that could drastically change somebody's life.
1.I think that the poem is saying that some children are more motivated to succeed and better themselves because of the situation they grew up in. Other children don't have motivation and allow obstacles and pride keep them away from success. Some children think that conforming means that they are letting others run their lives. I think the poem questions the role of teachers and parents in the education of children.
ReplyDelete2. Two things that stood out to me from "Learning To Read" is the amount of information that Malcolm knows and his desire to learn even more. I was impressed by his commitment to learn everyword in the dictionary. The amount of reading and studying is also impressive. He is right, i dont think any college student could be as committed to their school work as he was.
In the poem, Teresa and her friends gang up on Ines for trying to show them up and for being a teachers pet. Being called "a credit to her people" tells me that she was trying her hardest to be educated to prove that anyone can succeed, no matter what background or ethnicity. The support from her family shows me that she probably grew up differently from other kids. Assuming that opportunities for education were the same for kids of every race, then this poem is saying that support from home will be more beneficial to the child in succeeding.
ReplyDeleteThe two things that stood out to me the most in "Learning to Read" were that Malcom X was so driven and interested to educated himself and that he could remember everything he read. Being able to recall many books, authors, and specific details fascinated me.
I think the poem is trying to say that the education system does not give minorities as much of a chance as everyone else. the author is trying to say that not much is expected of mexican-americans. the author points out that the other student just stops trying. she must feel that it is pointless because education isn't going to take her anywhere. The question I think it raises is if the education system is treaty everyone equally.
ReplyDeletethe thing that stood out to me from "Learning to Read" was malcolm x's passion for reading. It seems that he developed most of his beliefs straight from his readings. I had no idea malcolm x never went to high school. the way he is remembered in history is as a very smart and outspoken leader of the black people. It was interesting that he considered his time in prison as a blessing. He said he never would have been able to study that much. What was also interesting is how he presented the history of the white man. He really stressed that the white man has caused all the problems of the world. It is no wonder he was so passionate leader knowing all the information he had attained from reading.
I think "Para Teresa" is saying in order for an individual to succeed they must want to, it is easier for an individual to do this if their family supports them. I think the narator is picked on by teresa because of her own insecurities. Teresa is not supported by her family, her mom doesnt tell her not to dye her hair or make sure she is doing her homework assignments or that she has the right supplies. This brings up the question, can a student succeed in school without the support of their family?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading "Learning to Read" what stood out to me most was when Malcom said "I never had been so truly free in my life." He is a prisioner and yet with the privilidge of using books and ability to learn he is happier and doesn't even feel imprisioned. Another thing that stood out to me was the fact that they prision had debate teams, inmates were able to discuss real situations and argue intelligently about them.
I feel as if the poem "Para Teresa" is describing Ines's struggle with being accepted by her own people. She feels as if they share something in common because of their cultural similarities, despite having different lifestyles. She tries hard in school to avoid disappointing her parents and grandparents, who in turn did not have the same opportunities as she. School here in America is such a privilege that we often take it for granted.
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out to me in Malcom X's essay is his determination in learning to read and write. He spent most, if not all of his time in reading books and trying to understand concepts that are usually overlooked. His strive to learn is very intimidating in the sense that I have more access to books and other resources and yet I feel as if I still have a lot to learn, while Malcom, has an immense variety of knowledge. Another thing that stood out to me was his strong opinion against the "bleached" man. He is outraged by the actions of the white man and what they stand for.
In the poem "Para Teresa", I believe that it is stating that education in America is based on whether you want it or not. Its a take it or leave it part of your life that may sound stupid to reject but for Teresa, she would rather be prideful. It's not typical back then for Mexican-Americans to be well educated so perhaps she felt that by getting educated by the whites, it would be stooping to their level and kissing their feet to earn that right of education.
ReplyDeleteAs far as "Learning to Read", I was astonished at how the white race has been so barbaric to other races and ethnicities. It gives you a sense of understanding as of why perhaps certain countries hate the Americans so much. Another thing that fascinated me in the article was how a prisoner could be so gripped by books and how it forever changed his life. Its heartwarming to hear a person to do a complete turnaround in the way they percieve life, which Malcolm X did by reading and educating himself.
Reading the description Ines wrote about Teresa reminded me a lot about the kids I went to high school with. It gives a good example about the way a large majority of students view their education in America today. Either the student understands the value of education and works hard for their personal benefit, or the student becomes arrogant and mocks the other student that is passionate about their education making it seem that it is more about having a big ego and kissing up to teachers. I don't think students like Teresa grasp the significance an education can have.
ReplyDeleteI found it pretty interesting how educated Malcolm X became from reading the dictionary. It seems like he memorized these words in a rote style and usually that doesn't help a person retain information they learn. He also mentions how reading had forever changed the course of his life. It's fascinating to me when people don't go to college and yet they come across as being far more educated than some people that acquire a master's degree.
"Para Teresa" is saying/showing that it is difficult; how much you have to fight in order to break from your racial mold that teacher/peer might put you in to. A question this raises Is why are people racial discriminated against in "public" schools?
ReplyDeleteTwo thing about Learning to Read" that stood out the most was how Malcolm X taught him self to read by copying the dictionary. The other thing that stood out was how he not only emphasized on how African American were suppressed but also how much the Chinese were push around by the "white", Such as the opium war which forced Chinese to do drug and how they just took control of the country because they could.
I found both of these article very interesting! (:
1) The poem "Para Teresa" explains how important education is. She says that in order to change the lifestyle of her people she much take education seriously and not be so passive about it. She wants to prove to the rest of the world that she is intellectually superior not just for her but for her people. "Para Teresa" also states that she must do well in school because all that her family has invested her.
ReplyDelete2) One of two things that stood out the most to me while reading "Learning to Read" was the fact that how Malcolm X taught himself how to read. I thought it was truly astonishing how a man can teach himself to be so articulate and so literate the way Malcolm did. The second thing that stood out for me was how critically he began to think. Through countless hours of reading and studying about the history of mankind he began to see the world for what it truly was. The more he read the more his desire for knowledge increased.
Joseph Wimmer
ReplyDelete1) I think that Para Teresa is saying that education in america is what you make it. If you chose to percieve it as something against your culture, or demeaning, it will be so. If you chose to look at it as a way of rising up, of proving that you are as good as everyone else, itll be that way for you.
2) In Learning To Read, the first thing that fascinated me was how malcom x read the dictionary and completely copied it page for page in prison.
The second thing was just how racist his views were. He looks at the way the white man has treated the world almost as some unconscious white agenda, instead of just basic human nature. Sure the things that white empires have done in the past is wrong, but that is so for every empire. Look at the mongols, or the tartars. They completely decimated whole land areas. Tamerlane made a pyramid out of the skulls of hundreds of thousands of arabs in baghdad, and he was "oriental". Furthermore, if he read genetics he should have come accross the idea that there is indeed no such thing as race. People are all equal, which is to say equally capable of atrocities, and compassion.
the poem would be about making a change for their raza. they are seen as inferior people who lack education. Ines is trying to make a name for herself by being educated. Teresa thinks that she is being stood up by her, but she is misunderstanding Ines by being a good student. Ines says that they have to work together to make the latino race stand out.
ReplyDeleteThe 2 things that stood out to be my Malcom X would be his ambition to read and write. Even though his choices in his youth werent wise, he couldnt have done a better decision than to educate himself. if he didnt go to prison he would have probably still be out stealing or doing worse things. He read the whole dictionary that right there is an accomplishment itself. He converted to muslim and fought for segregated african americans
Kevin "the Martian"
1. I think "Para Teresa" is just explaining how her teachers didnt believe in her and she wanted to prove them wrong.So with the motivation from her whole family to do better her learning skills got better. She became a really good student and was able to prove to her teachers that no matter what race one might be, everyone has the same ability to learn and become a better student.
ReplyDelete2. The first and most obvious thing to stand out at me was the fact that he taught himself how to read. While in prison he copied a dictionary down and read it back to himself. He made himself a profound reader and I find that incredible. Another thing that stood out was that he was in prison he didnt HAVE to read, he CHOSE to. He said he learned more in prison then he would have proabaly learned in some college. He later mentions he studied sometimes fifteen hours a day in prison.