Social class and the hidden education quotes

• "In the executive elite school, work is developing one's analytical intellectual powers."(6)

I choose this quote because an executive school is a school for children of the upper class and its saying hoe their school system is developing their intellectual thinking and preparing them more for college. 

• "Public schools in complex industrial societies like our own make available different types of educational experience and curriculum knowledge to students in different social classes."(1)

Public schools curriculums are determined by your zip code. The education boundary also relies on places depending on income. The low income people receive less education while it is different for the people who have a high income. 

• "Social studies in the working-class is also largely mechanical, rote work that was given little explanation or connection to larger contexts."(4)

This quote is an example of how the class environment was because of the social class it was. The lack of explanation doesn't help the students learn. They are learning information and do not get to ask why they are learning what they are learning. 

Social Class and Education

Sami Armstrong

Professor Young

ENGW 1100_3J

September 24th, 2015

After reading Jean Anyon article, “Social class and the hidden curriculum of work”, I can agree with the author's point of view that an area's income determines the type of education a school district receives, but then I also disagree because that is not always the case in some necessaries. Jean Anyon article informs the readers of the different areas that are determined by income and how that contributes to the type of education that area receives. Jean Anyon analyzed the Working class, Middle class, Affluent Profession schools and the Executive Elite schools and analyzed the difference in the behavior of the students and the teachers. Also how the class is set up, the attitudes toward learning different subjects and how each class is different from one another. I agree with Jean Anyon that your location depends on the type of education a student receives, but then again I disagree because in my own experience I went to a prominent school in a poor/middle class neighborhood, where our school was #1 in my city and we were at the top with other prominent schools in New jersey.

In other words, I agree that the location and income plays a role to the type of education is given in a specific community. In the article some scholars pointed out that, “different types of educational experience and curriculum knowledge to students in different social classes.” (Anyon 1). In this quote it is evident that social class plays a part in the type of education you will receive. The higher your social class, the better the curriculum in the schools will be. However, I can disagree with this in my own personal experience. In Newark, New Jersey where there are majority Public schools for the students. These Public schools have old, out dated books, lack of control and bad curriculum for the students. This is different from the school I attended in High School. I attended North Star High School in Newark, New Jersey. A school that was surrounded by other bad Public Schools. We stood out because we were a charter High School. We had books, good teachers, one of the best curriculum a school can have and in the end it showed we were different than all the other High schools in my area because we were the number one High school in my city. I am from a poor/middle class neighborhood, but yet I went to a prominent school that was better then some white schools in New Jersey. From my own personal experience, this is why I agree and disagree that your location determines your education.

Your Voice Matters

A language is someones identity and is what makes them who they are. In writing, students should have the right to use their own language in an academic setting because their language is a piece of their identity and writing can be an escape to reality. Using your own language in an academic setting is another way of expressing your style. Style is the way you express your emotions or writing or form of art. If a student has a chance to express that then why stop it! Writing is another way of voicing your point of view on a topic, issue or to express your emotions. Striping away someones freedom of speech is like trying to take candy from a baby. Like in the text I previously read, How To Tame A Wild Tongue, the author Gloria Anzaldua, the protagonist was being stripped from her identity because of the language she spoke. For example, in the story the author began the story with a scenario where the dentist was "Cleaning out her roots". This was a metaphor that society was trying to strip her of her identity (roots) because of the language she spoke. I also believe that your language should be allowed in your writing because its able to paint a vivid picture for your readers to understand your story. Its like taking away someones freedom of speech away from them. Rights to your own language shouldn't be stopped in an academic society because its your creative style that you choose to include your language in your writing. If a person is restricted on being able to write and include their language then they are going to be submissive to the restrictions and not know what their own voice is. 

What Identity Means To Me!

After reading the article "How To Tame A Wild Tongue" by Gloria Anzaldua, I began to look at my identity more and what unique characteristics make who I am. Gloria Anzaldua story was about how language can make someone who they are and is apart of their identity. However, when one tries to strip them from their language, they are also stripping them from their identity and your identity is the perception people have of you. The protagonist in the story was going through a tough time of having their language tamed by those who weren't from the same culture or origin as them. As being "outsiders" and not Americans, Americans felt as though they needed to speak Americanized English. In the text, there was a hatred quote that stood out to me the most, "If you want to be median, speak American. If you don't like it, go back to Mexico where you belong."(Anzaldua 256). This quote stood out to me because not being American or spoke American Standard English, you was looked down upon. You were dehumanized for being who you were. In the quote it states, "If you don't like it  go back to Mexico where you belong", this quote shows the hatred that American people have for people who come to America and are considered "Aliens" to them. Here you can see that being who you are is not always accepted by everyone.

In other words, the definition of identity is the distinct characteristics that define you as an unique individual as well as from the perception of other people. Me being an African American Male from Newark, New Jersey, i have some unique characteristics that make me who i am. Me being an African American, I understand my history of struggles the people before me went through for us to have what we have now. I also understand the history of slavery that my people went through and the culture we have created. My identity is important to me because its who I am as a person. Me being from Newark, New Jersey there are some stereotypes that come with where i am from. When people hear Newark New Jersey, they believe all the people from there are uneducated, into violence and are not successful. Well that is a lie, not everyone is caught up into violence and drugs. Me myself i was raised in a good family so i was not introduced to the negativity in my life. Also people seeing me play football for the height and weight i am, i get a lot of respect from people because of how much courage i have for playing a very physical sport. My identity makes me who i am now and how i got to where i am now. The qualities i have make me different from other people and its the unique perception i give to those who do not know me as a person.