Rhetorical Strategies

The article I found was called the "Why the Current Education System is Failing Future Generations: A Note From a Teacher". This article had some useful and informative information in it. I believe the thesis is "However, before we go making assumptions about the reasons for this barrier to learning, I have to mention that it has very little to do with the teachers at said schools; it has much more to do with the systematized testing that drowns out organic, curiosity-driven, energetic, and fun learning." I picked this sentence because the author states why the education system is failing. The organizational strategy for this article was listing reasons and then explaining them through out the article. The author separates the reasons into paragraphs. The main point of this article was to talk about  why the education system is failing. The stylistic technique used in this article was Parenthesis. The author used it a number of times to help the reader understand what she means.

Peer Reflection

1. What advice did you receive from each member of your group? Alex told me that I should include Pathos, Ethos, or Logos in my paper. Joseph told me that I should not you "I" or "My" in my paper. John told me that I should expand on each topic and give more detail.

2. What was the most helpful piece of advice you received? I think it was the advice about adding pathos, ethos, or logos in my paper. I think this would really help my paper become more complete.

3. What was the least helpful piece of advice you received? The least helpful advice was that I needed a title, it wasn't helpful because i already knew that.

4. What are your plans for revision? My plans are to incorporate all of the advice i received from my group and use it in my paper. I will take out the "I" and "My"s of my paper. Expand on each topic, and add pathos, logos, or ethos.

Visual Analysis

Keith Douyotas

2/26/13

English 112

Visual Analysis

            The title of the first visual is called “The Education System”. It is a factory with students entering through one side with a book bag, and then exiting the other side with a diploma. There is a man with a big grin on his face saying “good”. On the side of the factory there are pipes that are labeled, Intelligence, Discipline, and Creativity. Coming out of the pipes is garbage. My interpretation of this comic is students are going through the education system not learning anything, just having their time wasted. But, in the end they will get their diploma like everybody else. My main argument is that the school systems need to change the way their education system words. Students need to enter the school system with a mindset to want to learn, and in the end leave with Intelligence, Discipline, and creativity.

            The second comic I chose was called “American Education System”. It has a kid who is saying, “How is jumping through these supposed to give me an education”. There are three hoops labeled, math, English, and science. Lastly there is a teacher who is saying, “You’re lucky. They used to be a lot higher.” My interpretation of this comic is the kid doesn’t think taking English, Math, and science classes will help him get an education. The teacher says that the “hoops” used to be higher meaning the education system has become much more easier for students to get through the education system. My main argument is that the students aren’t really learning anything, and the teachers don’t really care either.

            Both of the comics I chose are related to the education system and how it is either not working, to easy to get through, or that the students are not learning anything that is useful for them in the future.

Comic #1

Comic #2

Visual Analysis

Keith Douyotas

Visual Analysis

2/19/12

            The fourth picture has a key and a piece of paper that has the word success written on it. The key is on top of the piece of paper. It might mean key to success, but that is all that you can really see. There might be multiple meanings to the picture that are not seen but inferred. Like the key to success is education, or something like that. Or it could be the other way around meaning success is the key. It could also mean once you succeed at something a bunch of doors open for you. I think the overall message of the picture could be that anyone can be successful if you have the right key.

2/14

The writing into the day was a picture with all these different words. All the words were different sizes and had no apparent pattern. We were told to analyze the picture and write down anything we see. We then got into groups and shared what we have discovered. The different group members all shared what they found and told others what they missed or didn't notice. What we found out was that some of the words were more important than the others. We thought this because they were bigger than all the other words. Some of the bigger words were education and learning. But who knows, for all we knew it was just a picture with random words with no apparent connection or relation to each other.

Exploratory Proposal Draft

Keith Douyotas

Eng 112

2/10/12

Exploratory Proposal

Creativity in the Classroom

            The definition of creativity is the state or quality of being creative. To be creative one has to think on his or her own without the assistance of someone else. In schools today, students are not being as creative as they should be. They are being told what to do, what to write, and what to say. Some examples of creativity are Brainstorming, asking “What-if” questions, Role-Playing, and Provocation Techniques.

            Brainstorming is a very important trait that many students should learn in school. It allows a group of students to discuss different ideas that have to do with the same topic. The purpose of brainstorming is to get the mind thinking “outside the box”. This allows for new and different ideas to be presented. Once an idea is presented that is feasible, the students can work the idea into a solution. Students in schools today are taught by a certain set of rules and guidelines that they are expected to follow.

            Asking “What-If” questions are very important in school because it allows the student to think beyond what is being taught and there for is helping the student learn. Creativity in school is important because if students think they can’t do something then the school system is failing. In the article “Creativity in schools: Every story needs a picture” The author asks, “Why do so many people say I cant draw?” In essence the students are on strict guidelines that do not let them ask them selves, “What if I draw”. When students ask that question it gets them thinking.

            Another type of Creative Thinking is Role-Playing. By using Role-playing in the classroom it can lead to helpful ideas. For example, if a student has to give a presentation and follow certain rules and guidelines, there is not much room for creativity. But if the student is allowed to “Role-Play” or just go with the flow than it will take their creativity to a whole new level.

            Provocation Techniques is the “process where you intentionally reject a truism to help stimulate creative thought” This can be useful in school because It will make the student question what would happen or what could happen if we did this.

            In conclusion I believe the classroom should be a place for creativity without all the guidelines and rules students have to follow. This will allow for a more creative and thought provoking generation that will benefit the future of this country.

Work Cited Page

Browne, Anthony. "Creativity in schools: Every story needs a picture"". The          Guardian, 2009. Print.

Joseph, Chris. Examples of Creative Thinking in the Workplace. Demand Media, Web.

Self Assessment

Self-Assessment Reflection

1. What were your goals for yourself in writing this paper? My goals were to find out if schools do in fact do kill creativity.  To what extent did you reach your goals? I believe I found some valuable information, but did not completely reach my goal.
2. How did you use your time in developing this paper? Researching the subject and grouping similar ideas.  Did you use class opportunities to improve your writing? Yes  Explain. Other students gave me helpful feedback.  How did your use of time fit your goals? Researching the topic further and getting useful information.
3. How did you see your writing changing? Adding more information.  Did you take advantage of the responses from your peers? Yes, I used their input and added it into my paper. Explain how you worked with your peers? Read over the paper, then gave feedback.
4. Who else contributed to your paper’s success? The internet.  Explain their role? Gave me useful information
5. What have you learned about yourself as a writer? My type of writing style. What did you learn from others? Their writing style.
6. What was the hardest part of writing this paper? Gathering information. Explain.  What was the easiest part? Writing the paper Explain. Once you have the information you need, its easy to write the paper. Where did you take risks? The information I incorporated in the paper Explain. Some of the information I have; others might not agree.
7. What parts of your paper are you proudest of? The beginning and the end. Why? The beginning sets the tone, and the ending closes on all the ideas.
8. What parts of your paper still need improvement? The body paragraphs. Why? It might be lacking some important information. How did you attempt to make these improvements before you turned the paper in? Reread the body paragraphs and see what’s missing.
9. Explain your writing process from brainstorming to now. Research the information, organize the ideas, then write the paper.

Responding - Really Responding - to Other Students' Writing

Richard Straub focuses most of his work on reading, evaluating, and responding to student writing. He says it simbple. All you have to do is read it quickly and mark whatever you see. Mark typos and spelling errors. He also talks about the different stages of drafting. Firs what type of assignment is it. A report, an analysis, or an argument. Then you need to figure out the writers interests and aims. Then figure out the work of the class. Such as what type of concepts and stategies you have been studying in class. Lastly, the stage of the draft. Is it an early draft, full but incomplete draft, or a nearly complete draft. Richard straub give some good tips on how to comment and how much you should comment.

Schools in different social classes

Schools in different social classes are all very different from one another. The teachers either don't care and that is the same with the students. In the Affluent professional school students are able to think outside the box and have a little more freedom the other social class schools. 3 students are allowed out of class at the same time, unlike other schools where students aren't allowed out of class. Some of the activities the students did were writing and exchanging a letter in hieroglyphics, and studying ancient civilization. The students are able to work independently because they are not limited by rules.

Ideal testing system

I believe the Ideal testing system would be a test is scored based on how the student answers the question, rather than if he/she is wright or wrong. It would still be written questions but just scored differently.

Seven Ways High School Prepares You for Failure

Responding to the Article:
I was thinking that this person doesn't like their English class, and how they didn't learn anything about writing in their High School English class.

Katelyn said: I agree. They also came up with some good advice for the next freshman in English. The writer gave the reader good pointers and words of advice of how things will start to change.

I responded: I think the advice and pointers were helpful too, and future students should listen to the advice.