Thinking and Writing about Literature (and Teaching Literature) » discussion

Teacher Refuses to Give State Mandated Assessment Test to Students

comprhet — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:44:29 +0000

Given our recent reading of Lives on the Boundary and various class discussions we’ve had, I thought you all might find this article interesting (and inspiring?).

DQ #6

comprhet — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:17:08 +0000

The section on Harold Morton in Lives on the Boundary struck me with anger and disappointment towards the education system. The remedial reading teacher stated “Harold’s problemis neurological. Perhaps aphasia. I think the problem is even too great for remediation. He needs a clinician to work with him” (Rose, 123). I was angry when I read this section. I feel that if Harold’s teacher’s got to know him, like Rose, they would see Harold is lonely and his loneliness is affecting his school work. In my opinion Harold’s teachers seemed to pass him along like he isn’t their problem. If Harold never worked with Mike how do you think he would perform in school?Who would you hold responsible for Harold’s delays in school and his struggles at home? While keeping Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs in mind, do you believe a student needs to have his/her basic needs meet, such as love and belonging, in order to have self esteem and succeed in school?

DQ #5

comprhet — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:15:48 +0000

On page 47 in Rose’s Lives on the Boundary, Rose tells of how his mother uses the phrase, “se vuol Dio,” or “if God wants it” after almost every statment. He then continues later with, “I carried wiht me no history of assurance that what I was feeling would lead to anything.” How does this show that Rose is allowing his/his family’s past to affect his beief in his own abilities? Do you think it brought out a sense of insecurity in Rose?

DQ #4

comprhet — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:14:42 +0000

On page 46, Mike Rose talks about a traumatic death that happened when he was in college. Do you think this influenced him to be the person that he is today? Why or why not? Also, from the beginning of the book, Rose has talked about his educational experiences. Is he telling his audience this story because he wants people to be aware of an oppressed minority and poor situation? Why or why not?

DQ #3

comprhet — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:24:06 +0000

In this first half the book, it is clearly evident that author Mike Rose has lived through a pretty eventful, yet meaningful life through schooling and the teachers that he has met along the way. I’ve often heard people say that to truely understand something, you have to experience it and Mike Rose does just that. He is an educator who comes to sincerely connect with his students because he is on their level and has formerly experienced what they are experiencing, presently. In your opinion, do you think Rose would have connected as well as he did with his students in the Teacher Corps volunteering if he hadn’t been able to relate to their struggles? and if yes, would it have been as effective do you think?

DQ #2

comprhet — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:21:04 +0000

Lives on the Boundary

When JOhn had moved into his apartment in L.A., after 4 months, they had entered Loyola University. As he described the beginning of his college experience (pg. 41) and all the different programs and activities the college had offered, allowed me to sort of compare Loyola University in the 60’s, to THe College of Saint Rose and the different things our college offers. Do you think Loyola University and Saint Rose are alike by the way he described his experiences? different? How so?

DQ #1

comprhet — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:20:35 +0000

It seems like college professors these days will not be there to hold your hand and help you pass they just tell you that you are on your own. If Mike had so much trouble in his first years of college and was in danger of failing, what made him keep going? Also why were the techers so interested in helping him pass and change schools?