My "real educational experience"

Tim Belicose
9/23/15
English 1100
Prof. Young

Jean Anyon Response

            Education systems in the U.S. have changed drastically in the past 100 years; America has been trying to positively transform them over time. Jean Anyon's study on U.S. education was performed about three and a half decades ago in which during that time many changes could have been made. Anyon explains that the social class an individual student is in determines their quality of education they receive. I can partially reject that statement because many poor people that are being educated in this time actually have about the same chance as anyone else to be successful. 

            I, personally went to a catholic grade school/middle school and a public high school. Even know the levels of education are different between high school and grade/middle school, there was never really a clear difference in the financial aspect of people that attended these schools. Type of people meaning whether they were coming from a poor, middle, or wealthy class family. I realize now that while I was in catholic school, the parents or guardians would go out of their way financially to make sure there kid would get the best education as possible. There was also financial help provided for students that needed new school uniforms or school supplies. Those kids were to eventually get money to go to the high school of their choice if they were keeping good grades. The high schools that most of them had chosen whether public or private, all seemed to have the same degree of education. In pretty much all high schools of New Jersey, they all run off similar educational guidelines. Their main purpose was to ready students for further education and most of them had the same opportunities. It all depends on how hard the individual works to be their best. If they are very successful throughout the beginning of their education, then they will have a better chance of making a good salary. Sure, there are a small percentage of students that go through a faulty education system and never really pursue the goal of a high-end job but everyone has the potential to be great if they physically put their mind to it.

             The education system has obviously changed lately and it is not just solely based on what financial level you are one. There are some slight disadvantages given to the poor economic class and there also are some advantages given to those in the wealthy economic class. These advantages should not be a major turning point in the success they pursue. Almost everyone should be able to work to their best of ability and try to to triumph if they desire a economically comfortable lifestyle. 

Your Language in Your Academic Setting

Tim Belicose
9/15/15
English 1100
Prof. Young

                                                              Your Own Language Blog      

                Having your own language typically means that your language is the way to how you react, socialize, and talk. Without being able to use your own language that you know, you would never be able to communicate effectively to other individuals. It is what makes you able to live your life successfully and allows you to transmit your thoughts and ideas to to other people so they can react upon it. This is why I think that all people should be able to transmit their thoughts in any language they prefer to be the best at.    

                The most important thing to meeting a new friend is understanding their personality and the way they act. Without understanding them socially as a person, how can you ever know how they are as an individual. Language is so vital to every part of life in the past and future of any individual. It also plays a huge part in how people learn.  Students coming from different countries or areas that had a different language then the one they are in now only know how to efficiently learn when using the language or languages that they know. If any teacher or professor did not allow them to write in their best language during their class, how will you ever know their full potential? This is like telling a dog to do new tricks without teaching them how to exactly do it; it is not possible. Even though it may be hard to translate the individuals different language; it will be harder for the student to learn a new language and effectively use it. If I was in this same situation, I would not want the additional stress of learning a new language efficiently so why should anyone else experience this. "A nation proud of its diverse heritage and its cultural and racial variety will preserve its heritage of dialects."(Arthur, pg. 4)

               It is so important to present your language how you want to no matter what anyone else tries to embellish upon you. You must embellish upon your own language to grow stronger as an educated individual in this world. You should also not be forced to change the way you communicate if there is no problem with your prior way of speaking. Every individual person in this world should know their best communication method and should flaunt it until near perfection is made; the process of growth in their language should never be halted.

                                              

Gloria Anzaldúa's "How to tame a wild tongue"

Tim Belicose
8/29/15
Prof. Young
Writing Workshop

             Reading Response Questions

1. Discuss how the opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist's chair connects to the overall point/message of the essay and title.

The opening scene in "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" connects to the overall point/message of the title because mainly; the first line of the paragraph talks about the dentist controlling her tongue. This is trying to allude to the fact that throughout the essay she is almost forced to talk in English with her current situation.

2. Discuss Anzaldúa's use of the Spanish throughout her writing. Did it make sense? What was her purpose?

I thought Anzaldua's use of spanish throughout her writing made sense because she was trying to show how aggravating it is to read or listen to a different language without fully understanding the meaning of it.

3. Can academic English be defined as Spanish(Standard) and can Chicano Spanish be described as nonstandard? Why? What inferences, conclusions, can be made from referring to one identity(language) as standard versus nonstandard? 

I think it can not be described as nonstandard because they are two totally different ways of speaking. A different version of a base dialect does not mean that it is not "standard".

4. Discuss the necessity of speaking/writing in Academic English as an identity. Is it necessary? 

I do not think it is necessary for all activities in American life but in a lot of cases it is helpful to know a good amount of Academic English or even slang English.

5. Anzaldua describes different types of Spanish identities. Discuss the various types of English identities you know and use.

The types of Identities I know and use would only amount to two of them: Slang and Formal English. When using Slang English you usually cut off the beginning or ending of a word to allow your sentences to flow quicker. Formal English is the correct use of all English words with little to no abbreviations or slangs.

6. Pachuco. Do you use a secret language, secret identity, to communicate to your friends? If so, what?

I do not specifically use a secret language or secret identity to talk to my friends but occasionally I will use slang to get my words across quicker.

7. Chicano Spanish can be compared to non-standard English. What form of English(standard or nonstandard) do you speak with your friends(audience)? What form of English do you speak when you talk to your mother(audience), professor(audience)? Why?

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My Understanding of Identity

Tim Belicose

9/2/15

Prof. Young

Writing Workshop

              Identity

            Identity is a very descriptive word that may accompany many different definitions of itself. A general overall definition of itself would be how you and others perceive you. This would involve things like race, gender, language, presentation, actions, and sometimes even friends. The word "identity" can allow an individual to understand another individual’s characteristics, and various personalities within them that leads to a better acknowledgement of their life.

            Now, a standard definition of identity could be the one that I stated above, but everyone has different opinions. My opinion of what identity means is the way someone thinks about you and the way of how you judge yourself. For example, when a cop pulls you over and asks for your license, u want to have a good "identity" in which you have done nothing bad in the past. If a cop sees that you have had a couple of tickets in the past, he may think of you differently and may even treat you with a different attitude unlike if you had a clean past. This is not the only example of this and this is how society works nowadays. If a majority of people around you like what you do and how you act, you will be treated with respect. If that’s the opposite and you have a questionable identity people will react to you negatively or with a bad attitude. Although, there are many occasions in which people judge individuals just by how they look. This is where this phrase can accurately come in: "Don't judge a book by it's cover." 

            Identity is not defined by just appearance or presentation but personality and language as well. An individual could wear the most dissatisfying outfit you have ever seen and could look like an ignorant thug but what could matter the most is how that person acts. That person could be as nice as anyone else and deserves equal respect like anyone should before you really get to know who they really are. When you "judge a book by it's cover", you are not giving that person a chance to show their true personality. In some cases, the person may be exactly what you expect, but that is not what always happens and I think the true definition of identity should be applied in a situation that could be like this. Precautions should be made when analyzing the identity of a person.

            Everyone has a different perspective on the way we perceive the world around us. If we usually think positive about the world around us, then we are most likely a person that retains a good identity. If we are negative about the world, we will most likely have an identity that almost no one wants to associate themselves with. The definition of identity is the way someone thinks about you or how you think about yourself. Although, you can not forget the fact that there is more than just and individuals appearance; personality matters more.