"Do Schools Kill Creativity?" Response

1.      I do believe school is playing a part in stripping creativity away from children.  As art, music, or theatre classes are offered in public schools, they are not seen as having as much importance as academic classes.  I was very involved in theatre in high school, and I had many friends who were extremely talented.  We worked hard for hours every day doing something that we loved. However, we were being told there was no point because it would never get us anywhere in life.  Before I took allied health classes and realized I wanted to be a nurse, I did want to major in theatre.  My parents hated the idea, and all I heard was “you’ll never find a job” and “there’s no way you’ll keep food on the table”.  I think this is the exact opposite of what children need to hear. I learned a very important lesson from my theatre teacher, and that is to never let anyone make you feel bad for doing something you love to do
2.    Education was created to produce people who are ready to go out and start a career.  However, students do not always end up doing something that they truly enjoy, they do something their parents want or something they know they can find a job doing. I believe that no matter how long you go to school or how successful you are, it’s not worth it if you are not happy.  School, for me, did prepare me for my future career.  I was privileged to be able to take a CNA class while I was a senior.  However, my grade in that class was not equal to the standard academic classes I was taking. So even though I was getting prepared for the future, I was not getting rewarded for it. As a writer, I have grown so much throughout school.  I have found that no matter what class you take, writing is something you will have to deal with.  I was able to find what works for me and what does not, and apply them to many different subjects.

      3.     I think his solution, if applied, would be highly effective.  I believe there are many students who would benefit significantly from the change.  I would enjoy seeing children get excited about school because they know they have the freedom to express themselves in a way that is comfortable for them.  I think children need to be introduced to these things.

      4.     I would define intelligence as not only the ability to learn and process knowledge, but to be able to take those skills and apply them to everyday experiences.

      5.     This video relates to standardized testing because it addresses one of the main problems arising in education.  The system is designed to only take the scores of test given in the basic academic classes they are required to take. The video opens up the new idea of introducing children to art and music, and to let their minds explore and be.  With this new possibility, students will not only have to sit in a desk all day while listening to a teacher who is teaching strictly to a test.

Constructive Criticism

                In class this week we discussed different types of comments that we might share with each other and our group.  Some people mentioned the fear of giving constructive criticism because of how it may be perceived by the other person.  I wanted to share that I lack confidence in my writing, and I encourage you to tell me things I can work on and improve.  Maybe you could share techniques that work for you or inform me of flaws you see in my writing.  I also really enjoy reading about experiences that you might have that are similar to mine, so feel free to share those as well.

                I believe that constructive criticism should be just that: constructive. As long as criticism comes with a suggestion to improve the problem, I will welcome it graciously. I always give a paper for class to someone else to proofread. It helps so much to get a new perspective and some fresh eyes on my work. I also feel that encouragement along with criticism is very effective. While suggestions for improvement are useful, comments on my technique or wording helps me to know that all I’m doing isn’t wrong. These things paired together make for a great peer review.

My 54 Year Love Affair with the SAT Reading Response

          The reading starts out introducing Stanly Kaplan, and listing some of the things he has accomplished.  It links his name to test preparation, and explains how the article will go into detail about how he got started with the SAT.  Kaplan found himself intrigued by this test after tutoring a high school junior named Elizabeth.  While Kaplan was teaching her algebra, she asked him if he could help her prepare for the SAT.  This leads Kaplan to do research and look over the booklet given to him by Elizabeth.  He reads the sample questions and comes to a conclusion that the questions on this tests required students to apply their knowledge to basic concepts, instead of asking for information that could be memorized.  Kaplan sat down and made up his own questions that would challenge Elizabeth, and would require her think harder.  The article went on to describe the SAT in depth.  It stated when the test was given, and how it was scored.  It also informed the reader that the test was not always used in the admission process to colleges. The more widespread the test got, the more universities that required it.  Kaplan also concluded that the SAT used information that is studied over a significant amount of school years.  The student would not only have to know the information, but know how to apply it.  He believed the SAT provided a level playing field for students.  He then went on to describe the foundation of the College Board.  They believed that no matter how many times the student took the test, their results would remain the same, and it was a predictable outcome of how they would perform in college. Lastly, he described how the College Board developed the Educational Testing Service, the foundation that writes, administers, and scores the SAT. Overall, Kaplan found that his tutoring business greatly flourished as the popularity of the SAT hit an all-time high.

                I believe Kaplan’s argument was against the statement in the SAT booklet that said “cramming and last minute reviewing had no purpose”.  He wondered why the College Board would include that statement, and that is what sparked his interest.  He believed that he could come up with a significant way to study effectively for the SAT.  Kaplan argued this point very well.  He took time to do intense research on the type of questions asked, and what was required to answer them.  He looked through sample questions, and then sat down to write his own.  He used these questions to help prepare students and get their brain into the mindset of applying knowledge.  What I took from this article was that if the statement made by the College Board happened to be true, then why did Kaplan’s tutoring business expand so rapidly when the SAT became the primary test scores looked at when applying to college.  What I would like to know that was not mentioned in this article was how well the students scored on their tests after they went through his tutoring sessions.

`               I agree with what Stanly Kaplan is saying.  I do believe that there is always something you can do to prepare yourself and better your test scores, no matter what type of questions are asked.  I also believe that by doing sample questions, your mind will better be prepared when reading questions on the test, rather than being shocked.  It is always better to go into a test, especially one as significant as the SAT, with an understanding of that is expected.  This reading did a very impressive job of explaining to readers how and why the SAT was created, and the process of how it got to be so important.  I believe it is a good test to take, and will help colleges know what to expect from you as a student.  The questions on this test were honestly some of the most challenging questions I have ever been asked, and I do think it is good to expose students to that before they start college.

                The golden line I chose from this article was that the SAT “could help democratize American education by ushering a larger, more diverse group of students into the world of higher education”. I chose this statement because I think it is really important to not only focus on a student’s background or other circumstances, but to make a single standardized test with unique questions. This gives students the opportunity to apply themselves in a way they never have previously.  Each student starts out equal to each other, and gives them all the same chance at being successful.

Writing History Response

          Throughout school, writing has never been my strong point.  I always had a hard time putting what I had to say into words, and being satisfied with the way it sounds.  Though I made better grades on my writing assignments than a majority of my classmates, my personal expectations were never filled.  I worked hard to move past this issue and better myself and my writing. I owe a lot of my progress to teachers who saw potential in me.

            Growing up, I got a little too comfortable with the ability to write.  I would sit at home and write little books, and even draw illustrations to go along.  They were never really that impressive, and would be about pets that got lost and found their way home.  Even though they seem silly as I read over them now, I remember how excited I was back then to share them with my family.  As I went through middle school, we were introduced to the DARE program. In the conclusion of this course, each student was required to write an essay for a contest. We were able to pick any topic discussed throughout the program.  I chose to write mine on how I would always pick friends who would respect my decisions, and never pressure me. Surprisingly, I won the essay competition and got my paper published in a local newspaper.  This was a huge accomplishment for me, and made me more confident in my ability.

            I grew even more through high school.  I had small writing assignment here and there, but my main focus for the first couple years was playwriting.  I was highly involved in theatre all four years, and took many classes along with my work after school.  In my theatre classes, we learned about theatre history and genres.  We had the privilege of writing the plays we performed.  I believe this helped me develop my writing in many ways.  Before, I had trouble getting started.  I would sit in front of a piece of paper for hours without any idea of how to even begin a paper or play.  I had a theatre teacher, Mr. T, who taught me something that stuck with me even to this day.  He taught me that you need inspiration more than anything to spark a good story. 

This followed me to my sophomore and junior year. I had a teacher in tenth grade that saw my potential and inspired me. Mrs. Kendrick took the time to critique my writing and help me in such a positive way. She gave me books that she thought I could write good reports on, and helped me through the process. Following that year, I had my biggest writing project so far.  My junior paper was an intense research paper that I had to complete to graduate.  It was a total of eight pages, which at the time was equivalent to telling me the world was ending.  I wrote my research paper on the different types of deforestation and their effects on the environment.  My English teacher that year, Ms. Spearman, took time to teach me how to really engage myself in a topic and to become dedicated to my writing.  When I finished writing, I can honestly say I was proud of what was on those pages, and received the grade of a 99.

My family also highly encouraged me through school and my writing.  If they had not been there to push me, I would not know what I am truly capable of today.  I owe a lot to my cousin. She is an excellent writer, and I always look up to her for guidance.  She always teaches me in ways that do not intimidate me or make me feel insecure. I now have a good foundation to grow upon and become an even more successful student while I go through college. College writing was a whole new adventure for me.  I took Dr. Steven’s Intro to Sociology course last semester.  In this class, I had to write a sixteen page paper on a topic I was lucky to get five pages of information on.  This was extremely difficult, and I learned how to ramble about anything and everything until I had enough to satisfy the page requirement.

I am someone who likes to take the time to plan out my writing. I would like to conclude that my writing has better results when I have planned and reviewed. I also include most of my research in my outlines. This helps my thought process, and keeps me on track. Through the years, this is first time I have gotten to look back on everything I have accomplished, and the reasons I have become the writer I am today.  I have noticed that I never took the time to write until I was forced to, in school. I never looked forward to papers that were assigned to me, especially when I was told to write about a certain topic or had a specific guideline.  While writing my junior paper, I was given the opportunity to choose a topic, and expand my knowledge with research. That is something I believe every student should be given the chance to do because it made me enjoy writing.

Writing Timeline and School Trajectory

Writing Timeline and Schooling Trajectory
Writing Timeline	Schooling Trajectory	Similarities
Writing short stories with illustrations to form little books	Learning to structure sentences and how to form paragraphs	As I was learning and growing in writing, I used knowledge I acquired from school to write short stories for my family. They were not necessarily anything special; they all involved some type of animal that was lost and found its way home.
Winning the DARE Essay contest	Winning DARE Essay contest	In middle school we had to attend the DARE program. During the conclusion, students were asked to write an essay about what we learned through the course. My essay won and was published in the local newspaper.
Junior Paper/Senior Project speech	Junior Paper/Senior Project speech	In high school I was able to expand my abilities in writing to a whole new level. I had never taken on such long or intense papers like my Junior paper. I wrote an eight page research paper and received the score of 100%. I also was able to experience writing a speech which was presented in front of judges who not only were able to read my research paper, but could see how I presented myself.
Playwriting	Taking theatre classes that focused on playwriting and story developing	Throughout high school I was very involved in theatre. I took many classes that not only involved acting, but also allowed us to write the plays we did, and develop the stories ourselves. I grew very much in my writing through this time. I was able to build on a quality that I was not strong in.
Research Papers	College level writing and researching	First semester of college I was expected to write a research paper with expectations I had never encountered. I was forced to expand my boundaries even more and go deeper into my research.

Writing Timeline

     I have never felt like I have been a strong writer.  I never could word or say anything the way I wanted it to come out. I worked really hard through school, and always made good grades on my writing assignments. However, I never lived up to my own expectations.  I had a teacher in tenth grade who saw my potential and inspired me. Mrs. Kendrick took the time to critique my writing and help me in such a positive way. She gave me books that she thought I could write good reports on, and helped me through the process.
     In eleventh grade I had another teacher who influenced my writing. Ms. Spearman took time to teach me how to really engage myself in a topic and to become dedicated to my writing. Throughout her class, I had to write my Junior paper; a research paper I had to complete to graduate. I chose the topic of Deforestation for my eight page paper. This paper was the first work I had ever been proud of.  I knew by looking over it that I had put my absolute best into it, and was excited to share it with my classmates and family.  I am thankful of all the time and effort my teachers put into helping me develop and grow as a writer.
     I am someone who likes to take the time to plan out my writing. I find it much easier to get it done because I already have an outline and basic ideas of what to write about. I would like to think that some of my best writing results from something I have planned and reviewed. I also include most of my research in my outlines. This also helps aid to my thought process and helps to keep me on track.
    Looking over my timeline, I see how I have grown and learned more techniques.  I have never have taken the time to look back at all the reasons I have become who I am as a writer.  I can generalize that I was not a very strong writer until I got in high school, and I think this applies to most students. I never took the time to write until I was forced to. I always dreaded papers that were assigned to me and when I was told to write about a specific subject.  When I wrote my Junior paper, I was given the opportunity to choose a topic of my interest, and expand my knowledge with research. That is something I believe every student should be given the chance to do because it made me enjoy writing much more.


Schooling Trajectory

     While looking back over my path through school, I discovered that I started out really insecure and not confident of my writing. I never fully learned how to set goals and how much planning would help my writing. Besides the teachers I previously mentioned, I had a theatre teacher, Mr. Treharne, who also helped me. He taught me that you need inspiration more than anything to spark a good story. 
    My family also had a huge role in my inspiration as a writer. They always supported me and pushed me to do the best I am capable of. I owe them for how successful and confident I am in myself today. I grew up with a cousin who was very close to me. She was an excellent writer, and I always looked up to her for guidance.  She had an answer or solution to any problem I had, and never made me feel insecure about it. I now have a good foundation to grow upon and become an even more successful student while I go through college.
    My freshman year in college, I was enrolled in Dr. Steven's Intro to Sociology class. Through this course I had to write a sixteen page paper on a topic that you could struggle to get five pages out of. I was stuck rambling about random things and pushing through it, to somehow come out with a 100. My writing is best done in a quiet place with no distractions. Otherwise, I will be doing anything and everything besides focusing, as I am experiencing now. Overall, I am proud of my progess through school, and hope to grow even more in this course.