Let Teenagers Try Adtulthood (CRR)

The opinion piece titled "Let Teenagers Try Adulthood" by Leon Botstein speaks about the traditional American high school institution. Botstein argues that high schools in America are "obsolete" and "should be abolished". He believes that schools do not accurately represent the way real life works, that life is not a popularity contest dominated by athletes and superficial good looks. Botstein then continues to explain how times have changed so that "constraints to the perception of adulthood among young people may have existed decades ago have now fallen away", resulting in the need for change. This is why Botstein proposes a new school system where students graduate at 16 years of age. In order to enhance his argument, Botstein utilizes rhetorical devices such as diction and pathos. 

First of all, Botstein uses extensive diction to persuade his audience and build his argument. For example Botstein states "The victory of puberty masquerading as popular culture" in the fourth paragraph. This example of personification also includes strong diction such as the word "masquerading". This word choice makes the audience aware that teenagers are more focused on their appearance and how others view them rather than their education. Students would rather focus on each other, which is nothing like the real world that awaits them. Another example is found in the same paragraph and states that "the tyranny of peer groups based on ludicrous values meet little resistance". Words from this example such as "tyranny" and "ludicrous" portray to the audience how high school is obsolete and disrupts teenagers maturity. Students are to intent on impressing their peer groups based on unimportant things that they are missing their educational together. The use of diction in this piece emphasizes the authors point the schools need a change.

Another device that is utilized in this piece is pathos. A strong example would be the allusion that Botstein makes about the Columbine shootings. This allusion appeals to the readers emotions because, for some of them, it is still fresh in their minds. The author connects the horrid shooting to the piece by stating that the shooters "felt trapped in the artificiality of the high school world and believed it to be real." However, according to Botstein, high school does not showcase the real world. It is merely a popularity contest. But, that's not with the Columbine shooters believed. They gave up on thinking that life after high school was any different. They believed that after they graduated, they would be thrust into a world of popularity, much like the one they were forced to endure in high school. So, they saw their chance to do something and didn't look back. This specific example of pathos strengthens Botsteins argument and helps to put his views into perspective for the audience.

All in all, Botstein wants his audience to realize the faults in the high school education systems. He wants to reinforce the idea that American teenagers are not being adequately prepared for a life in the Real world. To affectively do this, Botstein appeals to pathos and uses persuasive diction.

Should Cursive Be Taught In Schools? (SSR)

Today's society is becoming increasingly dependent on technology. The uses of technology in schools range from researching for an essay to taking an entire test on computer. With this in advancement, there seems to be less writing and more typing. Without the need for hand written assignments, the necessity for cursive writing appears to have all but vanished.So the question remains, should cursive writing still be taught in school?

In order to answer this question I thought back to when I was taught cursive in the third grade. The whole process was enchanting to me and I craved the thought of learning more each day. Just knowing how to write my name in cursive at the top of my papers instead of printing it made me feel accomplished and like I was actually learning something. While remembering my thoughts on the topic I felt the need to ask my brother, who is in the third grade, what his thoughts were. However, his did not mirror my own. He told me that he "had learned all of the upper case and lowercase [letters] that I know of" and that he "only uses cursive some of the time." I was surprised to hear those so I continue to ask how he felt about cursive. He replied by stating the following:

"I don't like cursive because we always have to write it twice in cursive. It's kind of hard because it's hard on my hand. I would rather write in print because it's easier and faster."

I thought about what he said and looked deeper into the issue. Cursive has more advantages than I think most people realize.

Four instance, a signature is required for many things such as receiving a registered letter at the post office. How can you sign your name if you were never taught cursive? In addition, cursive, according to research, help students to comprehend more information. As if these two examples aren't enough to persuade schools, cursive also helps students with disabilities such as dyslexia. These students have trouble writing and print due to the fact that some letters look similar. Chris it offers a different view of letters for the students so that they can hopefully become more confident in their abilities.

Given these points, and my personal experience, I would have to say that I firmly believe that cursive should continue to be taught in schools. The advantages are too valuable to just cut the lesson out. It would be depriving young children something they will need in their futures. In order to form a compromise, I believe that students should be taught cursive, and be able to write in it, but it is up to them if they choose to write in it during her high school years. Cursive is an important part of our history and will surely be a part of our future so keeping it a part of the school curriculum only makes sense. 

Rhetorical Strategies of Roosevelt in "The Proper Place for Sports" (CRR)

Recently in class we discussed Theodore Roosevelt's "The proper place for sports". The letter is a response to his son explaining that he is willing to allow him to partake in sports. However, Roosevelt cautions his son not to "sacrifice standing well" in his studies because academics are just as important as athletics.

Mainly in the first paragraph, Roosevelt uses pathos to get his point across. Roosevelt is trying to convey the message that there is more to life than athletics. In order to do this, Roosevelt expresses his concerns and later explains that his son, Ted, can be successful with his academics. When Roosevelt says that he doesn't want Ted "to run the risk of being laid up for the sake of playing in the second squad" he is building his pathos. Roosevelt is worried that Ted will get extremely hurt when he is second string, which could possibly hinder his ability to achieve other things or even his chance to become a part of first squad. This is effective because Roosevelt is voicing his concerns, as a father, for his sons well-being. Another example of pathos is when Roosevelt mentions that he "had consulted Mother and thought the matter over." By mentioning Ted's mother Roosevelt shows that he values his family ties. This also shows Ted that his parents are unified on the matter. In addition to mentioning Ted's mother, he also mentions Ted's brother Kermit when he says he has qualities "resembling Kermit's" rather than Ted's as well as mentioning the jumping performance of the family horse. These examples further enhance Roosevelt's pathos and showcase the importance he places on family. Finally, the pathos seen in Roosevelt's close family ties can also be seen when he strays away from the initial topic of football and states "By the way, I am working hard to get Renown accustomed to automobiles." This shift in topic shows a strong relationship between Roosevelt and Ted because he is taking advantage of this letter to talk with his son about personal details unrelated to the letters original topic.

Another major rhetorical device in this letter is Roosevelt's tone. Roosevelt's tone can be characterized as warm yet authoritative. Roosevelt grants Ted's wish to play football, but he also clearly states that he must not allow sports to distract himself from more important things such as academics and character. It is clear that Roosevelt has a tremendous respect for sports but believes that they may distract people from issues going on in their lives. This tone is effective because Roosevelt is speaking to his son as a father while also inserting authority when he warns his son not to allow sports to be his sole focus and consume his life.

Finally, Roosevelt effectively builds his ethos in this letter. This can be seen when Roosevelt offers the example of Plinty's letter to Trajan.  The letter "speaks of [it] being advisable to keep the Greeks absorbed in athletics, because it distracted their minds from all serious pursuits". In this case, Roosevelt argues that sports distracted the Greeks from important issues at the time, such as the Romans. Another example Roosevelt offers are the British officers and the Boer War. Roosevelt firmly believes that their "efficiency partly reduced because they have sacrificed their legitimate duties to an inordinate and ridiculous love of sports." This example also shows how an intense love of sports has distracted one from their other obligations. These examples are effective because they further prove Roosevelt's message that one should not solely focus on sports. Roosevelt appeals to ethos easily to Ted because he looks up to his father for advice. On top of that, Roosevelt is the president of the United States and has earned his fair share of credibility.

The three rhetorical strategies of pathos, tone and ethos are all effective in conveying Roosevelt's message. The three collaborate and work together to produce the message that one should not let athletics rule their life. By using pathos, Roosevelt is appealing to Ted in order to point him in the right direction and offer fatherly advice. By using a warm yet authoritative tone, he is showing that he cares and worries about Ted so the offers cautions for him to follow. Finally, by utilizing his ethos Roosevelt is proving to Ted that he is reliable and has his best interest at heart. Roosevelt is able to effectively work each of these devices into his letter to enhance his overall message.

Are Psychology and Sociology Worth Your Time?

Right now students are being pressured to finalize their schedules for the upcoming school year. One of the many decisions that we are faced with is whether or not to take the psychology and sociology courses. Luckily for my peers, I am taking both courses this year. That is why I have often been asked questions such as "is it hard?", "should I take it next year?"  and "is it worth my time?". So, should you take them? Well, in my personal opinion the answer is yes. These courses are most definitely worth the time you would spend and I strongly recommend taking the courses if you have the opportunity. 

A large amount of students have asked me if the courses are hard. I'm not going to lie, they aren't a walk in the park. However, they aren't extremely hard either. As long as you have a strong work ethic and you have no problem taking an exorbitant amount of notes, you should be great. This isn't a class that you can just show up, sit down, and walk out of while absorbing all of the lesson. But what class is? This is just like any other class only more interesting. 

Before I explain the courses I would like to offer one piece of advice. On the first week of psychology/sociology, whichever one you take first, Mr. Ruane was kind of intimidating and scared me a little. After that week at least four people dropped out of my class. Don't be one of those people. This class is worth the time you have to spend and you won't regret it, I know I don't. 

To me these classes are more than just a grade on a report card. You learn things in these classes that pertain to everyday life. For example, psychology is about the mind. By taking this class you will be exposed to what goes on inside the minds of individuals. You will learn about what it is that causes you to think certain ways, learn about nature v. nurture, and learn about certain expedients that may just blow your mind. One of my favorite chapters we were taught this year was about the development (physically and mentally) of infants. Although, if that doesn't interest you don't worry. Throughout the semester you also learn about the development of teens and ways of parenting which are both things that you can relate to your life, as well as many other things. 

On the other hand, sociology is more about groups. Have you ever wondered what caused you to do something that was so far out of your comfort zone? Have your parents ever asked you why you did something you weren't supposed to? Well, the answer to this might be the the people you hang out with, or your peer group. This is something that we are taught about in sociology. This course is more about explaining the connections between an individual and the works around them. And, if you're like me, then you will be happy to know that there is an area about infants in this course as well. 

I can't begin to describe the amount of interesting things I have learned about these subjects just this year and I can't express my passion enough. When I'm older I plan on going into the field of psychology. However, I feel as though anyone, no matter what you choose to do in the future, you would immensely enjoy these courses. 

Now, let's just assume that the previous paragraphs haven't persuaded you to take the courses. What if I told you that most people have to take courses like these in college? Mr. Ruane, the psychology and sociology teacher, told us on day one that these courses were going to help prepare us for college. Anything that will help me in college is definitely what I would call worth my time. 

This is my freebie!

I had a lot of homework this week and a sociology project that I had to do tonight so I sadly didn't have time to do my blog this week.

Bieber Roast Taken too Far?

This past Monday, pop star Justin Bieber was Comedy Centrals target. However, Bieber volunteered to be the guest of honor so that he could own up to all of the things he has done in the past and start fresh. Comedians Kevin Hart, Natasha Leggero, Snoop Dogg, and Pete Davidson were only some of the many people there to "roast" Bieber.


Many of the jokes made at the expense of Bieber involved jabs at his religious tattoos, his music, and his former relationship with famous singer Selena Gomez. Each of these jokes and more got a laugh from the audience and even Bieber himself. Nonetheless, some jokes left the audience in shock and Bieber stone faced. What were the topics of these jokes? Abortion, "Beliebers", and the one and only Paul Walker.

The first topic that failed to arouse many laughs from the audience was about Bieber's fans. Natasha Leggero was the first to poke fun on this topic by saying:

"Justin's fans are called Beliebers, because these days it's politically incorrect to use the word retards."

This joke hit a nerve in the young star as he sat there with a straight face, obviously unamused. If Bieber was clearly upset about this joke, imagine all of his teenage fans out there! How did they react? Not so well according to all of the tweets sent out after the joke was made.

As if calling Bieber fans retards wasn't harsh enough, Leggero also made a joke about Bieber's mother deciding not to abort him. Although abortion is a touchy subject, that didn't stop Snoop Dogg from joining in and saying:

"When your mama was 17 years old, they were trying to convince her to get an abortion, and they are still trying to convince her now."

Bieber also failed to see the humor in this joke much like many other people. Considering that Bieber is "pro-life" and very religious didn't help matters much.

Finally, Pete Davidson made a joke about Paul Walker. This young star died in 2013 when he tragically lost control of his car and ran into a tree at over 90 miles per hour. Davidson joked that:

"Just this past year, Justin got arrested for drag racing. Unfortunately it wasn't with Paul Walker. What? He's doing great! He's got a movie coming out."

In my opinion, all three of these jokes went to far but the Paul Walker joke was the harshest joke of the evening. Bieber was a gentleman and laughed at all of the jokes directed at him but the Paul Walker joke was hardly about Bieber. Do I believe that these jokes crossed an unspoken line of sorts? The answer is yes. I believe that there are plenty of things Bieber has done that you could make a joke out of without bringing up such personal and touchy topics. 

I also agree with the decision to cut out jokes, such as the Paul Walker one, from the official airing. Why? Well, as I stated before, the comedians took these jokes a step too far. Calling teenage girls retards, saying Bieber should have been aborted, and making jokes about a man who tragically passed away was uncalled for. Keep in mind that "Beliebers", Bieber's mother, and the family of Paul Walker could have been watching. How would they react? Would they find these jokes particularly funny? I don't know about them but I do know that if I were one of those people I would be deeply upset.

Reasons why "I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read" was an Effective Arguement

Recently in class we have been discussing "I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read" by Francine Prose and I felt as though this text was considerably effective. The main purpose for Prose to write this was to inform people of how the education system is lacking and how it is effecting young readers.While Prose uses a variety of rhetorical devices to help convey her message, pathos and ethos are utilized a lot and is successful.

In the very beginning of the essay, Prose uses pathos to help convey her message. This is achieved when she starts mentioning famous books that she knows most people have read. Prose realizes that most of the audience has enjoyed these books when they read them and uses this to get her point across. I believe that she mentioned such critically acclaimed books because it would grab the readers attention.For example, when I was reading this and saw the books she mentioned I thought "hey! I read that book!" and it just intrigued me because I wanted to find out what she thought was wrong with the book that I had enjoyed so much. Some of the famous books that she mentioned are Lord of the Flies, To Kill a Mockingbird, Brave New World, and A Separate Peace. Personally, I was surprised when she mentioned these books because I had also loved most of them. My personal favorite out of the group of books she mentioned was To Kill a Mockingbird because of how you could relate to the characters. The book also had a wonderful plot line and the ending was unexpected, which is what I loved so much. For those of you who haven't read it, I strongly recommend it. But back to the point of this blog.
 
Prose then continues by establishing her ethos by stating all of the research that she has done to support her claim. Prose conducted a research and gathered about eighty or so reading lists from high schools all throughout the country and stated that it was "a numbing sameness, unaffected by geography, region, or community size." Prose also establishes her credibility when she discusses her position teaching college students. Both of these were successful because it granted her a credible vibe that readers will notice and be more likely to have an open mind while listening to what she has to say.

Prose also makes the assumption that kids today don't like reading, and I agree. I feel as though the texts we read in school are boring to most students so they aren't interested in discussing them. Even though I am an avid reader, I have to admit that some of the things we are asked to read in school are unappealing. Prose also says that teachers are lazy. Well, this is something that I have to disagree with. I don't think that teachers are lazy, I just think that they are teaching their students what they were taught. That's not their fault is it?

Finally, I do agree with what Prose says when she mentions the future of literature in education systems, primarily in the last paragraph. Prose states that "... the roaster of literary masterpieces we pass along to future generations will continue its downward shift, and those lightweight, mediocre high school favorites will continue to rise, unburdened by gravity, to the top of the list." This is the last sentence of her essay and I feel that it was a strong and powerful way to end it. Prose is using her last sentence to prove a point, to challenge the education system, and to provoke thought in the readers mind. Will the education system change and allow for different teaching methods? Or will we allow things to remain the same, unchanged, for the generations to come? She leaves the choice up to us.    

Enjoy Your Free Time (PB)

Most people have something that they enjoy doing in their free time. For instance, I enjoy reading and hanging out with my friends in my free time. However, the one thing that I enjoy most is having the chance to spend quality time with my family

I love spending time with my family for many reasons. First of all, it brings us closer together and helps us strengthen existing bonds. At every family get together the adults and teens all gather around and just talk while the younger kids play outside or in another room. We like to see how everybody is doing but most of the attention is on us teens in the family. I know that a lot of people hate this part of family gatherings, but I don't. Questions such as "how's school" and "have you thought of your future plans lately" always come up in the conversation. Still, the most frequently asked question would have to be "is there a special someone in your life yet". I laugh and leave that last question to my (more social) siblings to answer but the others I actually enjoy answering.

Why do I enjoy these questions? Well, I feel as though they force me to actually consider my future. I've always found leaving home an unsettling thought, but talking about it with the people I love most makes the thought bearable and almost seem more exciting than terrifying. I tell them my plans and they offer their opinions, which is my favorite part. Hearing what they have to say, whether it be a story from their own experience or them just adding their input, allows me to see things from another perspective and answer any lingering questions I may have had. The whole process helps me grow as a person, helps me make better decisions and helps me figure out my future plans.

My family also likes to get together and play board games when we have the chance. A little family competition is always fun, right? We play the classics such as Chutes and Ladders, Clue, Monopoly, and Battleship. Although, we also enjoy the newer games such as Headbands and Mad Gab.
 
        

However, this is just what I enjoy doing in my free time. Everybody is different in their own way. Instead of spending time with family, one could possibly enjoy painting, writing, or playing video games. There is no one option. Doing something that you truly enjoy in your free time, no matter what it might be, can relieve stress and make your day more enjoyable. All you have to do is find that special something to do.

This is my freebie!

Due to the fact I've been sick all day, I'm going to use my freebie.

Does School Start too Early?

In today's school systems, the amount of sleep a teen gets is not nearly enough in order for them to function properly. The average amount of time a teen needs to sleep is eight to ten hours. How can this be accomplished if teens are so busy? They have plenty of after school obligations, plenty of homework and plenty of studying to do throughout the night, so when do they sleep? Even though a teen has all of these obligations, they still have to wake up early in the morning so the process can repeat itself time and time again. There's a simple solution: start classes at a later time.

I'm sure that most people have heard a student say "it's just too early" when he or she is asked why the class is so quiet. This statement holds much value. Asking a student to pay full attention to the lesson, and comprehend it as well, at such an early hour is a lot to ask. After all, the night before was most likely spent doing homework one may not have truly understood in the first place. However, if school started at a later hour this may no longer be an issue. Instead, the student would be awake and ready to learn to their full capacity. An additional bonus to this would be that the schools would have better attendance among their students.

There have been many studies conducted to support a later start time in schools. For example, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement that recommended class starts times be delayed to 8:30 am or later. The academy stated that it would align the social schedule to the students biological sleep rhythm. Also, Judith Ownes, leader of the policy statement, was quoted saying that the "research is clear that adolescence who get enough sleep have a reduced risk of being overweight or suffering depression, are less likely to be involved in automobile accidents, and have better grades, higher standardized test scores and an overall better quality of life." This study, and countless others, support the need for later school times.

Another experiment conducted tracked 9,000 high school students in three different states to see how a later start time affected them. The results showed improved grades in math classes, English classes, science classes and social studies classes in schools that started at 8:35 am or later. Studies such as these have prompted schools around the United States to take part in delaying school times.

The natural sleep cycle of a teen puts them in conflict with the start times of school. Instead of waking up on their own, they often need the assistance of an alarm clock or even their parents. But once they wake up it doesn't get any easier. Teens are like zombies in the morning. They walk around slowly, moan and aren't fully attentive. Starting school at a later hour would give them the extra hour or so that they were deprived of and help them to have a more productive day.

In my opinion, a later start time in schools would majorly benefit the students. As a high school student myself, I have experienced the struggle of not getting enough sleep. A majority of my nights have been spent studying and doing homework until I couldn't physically stay awake any longer. Studying may have been easier if I had been able to pay full attention to my teachers lesson in class. However, being so tired from the night before has caused my mind to wander during the lesson. I feel as though a later start time would help my grades and health overall. Just having a few extra hours of sleep makes me feel revived and ready to start my day. Am I the only one? According to studies across the United States I'm not. While writing this post I wondered if Lakeview would consider starting school later. My thoughts? I don't think that they will. However, possibly with time and more studies with positive results, Lakeview would consider making this change.

Would Free Community College Really Be Effective? (PB)

Anyone paying attention to the news would know that education is a hot topic right now. First of all, Obama recently mentioned it in the State of the Union Address. He proposed that the first two years of community college should be free. But the real question is, will it provide the proper outcome expected? In my personal opinion the answer is no.


I agree that higher education is really important. However, I don't think that making it free is the solution we need. Community college would provide the education needed for better jobs but that doesn't mean that there will be jobs ready for the graduates. This is the flaw in Obama's proposal. A higher education would prepare people for better jobs but just merely having the credentials won't create jobs. The purpose of going to college is to provide the training experience to secure a higher paying job to make providing for yourself and others easier.


Yet another reason why community college should not be free is that paying for college provides an incentive for the student to take the course seriously. If you are going to spend your money on something, you might as well get your money's worth, right? You wouldn't want to purchase a car and only drive it once, you want to drive it all the time so you know your money was well spent. The same general concept applies to how you spend your money on college.


This reason can be seen by the experience of Thomas W. Miller, Jr. Miller taught a week long course at a University in Paris an explains how different the behaviors of the students were. The students in Paris would be on their phones or walk in and out of class while most students in the United States are respectful of their professors and were attentive. Miller talked to his students about the issue and he realized that since his students in Paris payed little money for college, they didn't value it as much. He posed the question " so why should I expect them to value it?".  And I agree with Miller. If you are not paying for something, there isn't as much motivation as there would be if you were.

I feel that free community college is to extensive. Instead, college prices should be lowered. This would cause people to still work towards their goals and provide an incentive for students to strive for the best they can do. Meanwhile, the government needs to work on producing more employment opportunities for our graduates.

Miller's Experience