Letter to an Elementary School Student (Savannah H.)

Dear Savannah H.,

I started writing a little before Kindergarten. My mother always used to buy me coloring books that had enough space for me to write my own story to go along with the picture I colored. During story time, I was always the first student to sit in front of the class and listen to our teacher read. Every story that we read took me on a journey and made me feel apart of the story. When I began writing, I wrote everyday in my personal journal. What I wrote in my journal depended on how I felt at the moment, or I wrote depending on what we talked about in class that day.

In elementary school, I remember learning how to writer uppercase and lowercase letters. Also, I remeber the day I learned how to write in cursive, I was really excited. Writing about what I wanted to be when I grew up always grabbed my attention in class. Some of my friends wrote about being a doctor or a fire fighter, but I wrote about being a professional basketball player in the NBA. The people around me, like my parents, friends and teachers, inspired me to write. Each of them were characters in my own book and they each had big roles in my book. They inspired me to write stories, poems and even comic books. Savannah, you seem very interested in writing and that is very good. If you keep reading and writing, you can go very far into your imagingation.

Sincerly,

Brian O.

Self-Assessment Reflection Response

When writing my academic paper, I pondered on a goal that I could potentially find for myself. Since my annotated bibliography answered all the questions that I was left with after reading various authors’ articles, I looked for any holes that I saw in these authors’ writing and backed it up with initial research that I did. I based the structure of my paper off of two points, how children’s social class backgrounds affect when and how they seek help in the classroom and how parental involvement affect children in the classroom. Within this structure I included a hole that I found in my authors’ writing, which is how I saw time as an underlying theme between all the articles. Overall, I believe that I reached my goal of expressing how time served a vital role in social class help seeking. Throughout my writing process, I made sure that I spent my time wisely. I used the advice that I received from Megan in class on how to incorporate the information I provided in my joining the conversation assignment in my academic paper. Once, I found a foundation for my paper, I took it to the writing resource center and got assistance on how to structure my paper. Furthermore, each member of my inquiry group served a vital role in developing my paper. They were able to show me their perspective of how I could better my writing without overstepping their boundaries. I saw myself change and develop as a writer because I am now capable to point out information that I believe should be included in someone’s writing. Also, I am able to take constructive criticism from my peers and make it an advantage. The hardest part of this process was figuring out how to structure my paper and actually trying to start to my paper, because my goal was to get away from the traditional style of writing that I learned in high school. On the contrary, the easiest part of this process was applying my information to my paper because I already did all of the necessary research. Overall, I am pleased with the structure of my paper and the information that I have argued but I believe that I can improve my writing by rephrasing a couple of my sentences, so the reader better understands my message. In the future when I write, I plan on searching for a theme that I believe an author should have included in their writing and I will back up my argument with research that I have done on the author’s articles.

Workshop Reflection Response

Each member of my inquiry group served a vital role in revising my academic paper.  Individually, they each shared effective and valuable advice. Rachel Pilkington was very engaged in the workshop. Rachel enlightened me on my excessive use of quotes in my introduction paragraph and she concluded that it would behoove me to summarize my points instead of using too many quotes. Also, Rachel reminded me that it is essential to cite every author that I include in my writing.  Furthermore, Dominica Beverly was also helpful during the work shopping process. Dominica pointed out that I repeated some words and phrases were redundant. Also, Dominica pointed out that I made a group of words, such as parents and students, unnecessarily possessive. In addition, Kayla Edge also contributed to the work shopping process. Kayla pointed out many grammatically incorrect errors and phrases that I could have made easier for the reader to understand.

                 The most valuable advice that I received during the work shopping process was from my colleague Rachel. Using too many quotes in a paragraph without summarization devalued my paper so I am very fortunate for this piece of advice. My least valuable advice that I received was to correct the punctuation errors in my paper. Despite its importance, correcting punctuation errors is the last step in my revision process.  When I revise, I plan on summarizing my main points and I will use my research to back up my points. Also, I plan on removing any repetitive words or phrases that are redundant. Lastly, I will correct all the grammatically incorrect errors in my paper, citing all the authors I used as well.

Response to Megan's comments

I found two things most helpful from Megan’s advice. Megan pointed out to me that I consistently summarized the article instead of analyzing it.  She believed that it is important to state what my strengths and weaknesses of the article were and whether it was credible or not and my thoughts on that. Furthermore, I consistently failed to state the questions that I had after reading the article. In addition, Megan reminded me that it was essential for me to explain how the authors’ argued their points and how well they argued them. I found this advice extremely helpful.

The least helpful advice I received from Megan was to correct a couple of grammatical errors where I misunderstood where an apostrophe and a period went The advice was still helpful but it was just the least helpful advice I received from Megan because correcting grammar is the last step of revision.

I believe that Megan did a wonderful job giving me advice on what to revise for my paper. I do not have any questions for Megan’s comments.

When I revise, I plan on stating and describing the strengths and weaknesses of the article and whether or not it was credible. Though the article did not leave me with any questions after I read it, I will state and describe topics that I believe the authors’ missed in their articles. In addition, I will tell whether the authors’ argued their points well or not. Lastly, I will go to the Writing Resource  Center and have someone look over my revision, because I believe that another person’s thoughts on your writing is essential in the revision process. 

Academic Paper

Brian Okoye

Professor: Megan Keaton

English 1103

8 April 2013

Previous studies show that “children’s social-class backgrounds and parental involvement affect when and how they seek help in the classroom (Calarco, 2011; Lareau, 2000).” Based on my own research, I have concluded that students’ class backgrounds equip them with different micro-interactional resources (e.g., propensities and strategies) for meeting teachers’ expectations in the classroom (Lareau 2000; Lareau and Weininger 2003). Furthermore, “teachers ask for parent involvement and social class has a powerful influence on parent involvement patterns (Lareau 2000).” In addition, “Inequalities arise from class differences in the material resources that families can invest in children (Bachmann and Dip rete 2006; Duncan et al. 1998; Kalian 1994; McLeod and Shanahan 1993; Sirin 2005; Teachman 1987) and the quality of schools that children attend (Hedges and Rowley 1994; Kahlenberg 2003; Lee and Burkam 2002; Rumberger and Palardy 2005).” In some schools, middle-class and working class students receive different resources and opportunities.

Middle-class children are more proactive in the classroom when making request for help forcing teachers’ to be more responsive towards them. They tend to be more proactive in the classroom when making request for help because they bring to the classroom the resources needed to meet teachers’ expectations. Since they have the proper resources needed to meet teachers’ expectations, middle-class children request more help from teachers using different help-seeking strategies. I found it intriguing that the extents to which these help-seeking strategies actually work in the favor of middle-class children coincide with the availability of their resources in the classroom. Since their resources needed to meet teachers’ expectations are automatically available for them, they neglect waiting for assistance and approach their teacher directly, sometimes being interruptive. In result, middle-class children spend less time waiting and are in a better position to complete their assignments. Those who generally asked for help continued until they were satisfied. These help-seeking strategies used by middle-class children puts them at an advantage over their working-class peers and in result these advantageous help-seeking strategies then become forms of “cultural-capital that can be used to produce meaningful situational advantages (Bourdieu 1977, 1985).” This cultural-capital included completing work quickly and correctly and deepening their understanding of key concepts. Middle-class students’ help seeking efforts allow them to appear as smart.

“Middle-class parents have a tendency to be more proactive in parent-teacher interactions than do lower-class parents (Lareau 2000).” Parents in the middle-class consistently take more active roles in school than do working-class parents when considering verbal development, attending school events and reading to children. In addition, middle-class parents generally bring their work into their family’s life, allowing themselves to be available at home. In result, middle-class parents’ spend more time with their children reading to them and helping them with their homework assignments. Middle-class parents’ are also very close to other middle-class parents who have children that attend the same school. In result, middle-class parents’ have more resources and references when they are indeed or information dealing with their child’s schooling. Furthermore, most middle-class parents’ only work one job during the day, enabling them to be a part of their child is after school events. When teachers’ see how involved their student’s parents are outside of school, they can easily build a relationship with that student which often carries over to the relationship they have with that student in the classroom. Middle-class parents’ frequently intervene and attempt to take a leadership role in their children’s schooling.

Working-class students are less assertive in the classroom due to their lack of resources. Their limited facility with help seeking prevents them getting the help they need to complete assignments and activities quickly and correctly. Without the proper resources needed to meet teachers’ expectations in their possession, work-class students miss the instructions of the assignment given by the teacher. They often refrain from asking their teacher for help because they rarely admit that they are struggling, so they sometimes attempt to do it on their own. This gives working-class students less time to complete their assignments. Moreover, working-class students avoid seeking help in situations where middle-class students consistently do so, especially situations dealing with physical objects and in class assignments. Working-class students’ help seeking efforts risked them being seen as uninvolved.

Social class has a powerful influence on life changes because it influences the values that parents hold and pass on to their children. Working-class parents tend to separate their work life with their family life. A lot of them are single working-class parents whom at the end of their shift, they may have another job to attend to in order to provide for their family. It is then up to their child to complete their homework on their own. In reality, they are unable to do because they refrained themselves from asking their teacher for help in class that day. Most working-class parents are unaware of or do not believe afterschool programs. Therefore, they do not intervene in their children’s school programs. These programs have the ability to make up for the material missed by the student in the classroom. Working-class parents’ seek little information about their children’s curriculum or educational process, and the little time that they spend reading to their child and teaching them new words, these approaches are less than the teachers’ expectations. Working-class parents’ lack the skills and the confidence to help their children in school.

                                                                      References

Calarco, J.  (2011). "'I Need Help!' Social Class and Children's Help-Seeking in Elementary School," American Sociological Review 76, no. 6: 862-882.

Lareau, A. (2000). Home advantage: Social class and parental intervention in elementary education. Rowman & Littlefield Pub Incorporated. Book.

Workshop Reflection Response

Both member of my inquiry group did a good job helping me revise my dialogue during the workshop. I saw Rachel Pilkington’s advice on my dialogue to be very helpful. Rachel explained to me that it was challenging for the reader to establish the topic of my inquiry based on the structure of my writing. She went on to suggest that by rewording a couple of my sentences throughout my dialogue, I could make my dialogue more understandable. During the workshop, Rachel also explained to me that my use of an analogy is not necessary in this assignment, and that it will only make it more complicated for the reader to understand. Rachel pointed out a couple of grammatical errors that she saw throughout my dialogue but her advice mostly focused on my dialogues structure and my use of an analogy. Dominica Beverly also played a very active role in fostering my thoughts of revision. Dominica also believed that it was challenging for the reader to establish the topic of my inquiry based on the structure of my writing. I focused on conveying some of the author’s main argument in my dialogue by including their argument in a personal experience of their character. Dominica reminded me that it is important to stay consistent in making sure each author’s character has a personal experience that incorporates their main argument so that the characters are able to connect. Throughout the process of the workshop I believe that the most helpful advice was to revise the structure of my dialogue because if it is challenging for the reader to understand my main inquiry topic then I did not do a good job on the assignment. On the contrary, the least helpful advice was to fix the grammatical errors in my dialogue because that is the last and least important step in revising my writing. When I revise my dialogue I plan on making it easier for the reader to distinguish my inquiry topic by rewording some sentences in my dialogue. Also, I will make it easier for the reader to understand my inquiry topic by not using analogies. Next, I will specify each of my character’s personal experiences making sure they focus on my inquiry topic. Lastly, I will correct any grammatical errors are in my dialogue.

Joining the Conversation

Brian Okoye

03/31/2013

English 1103

 

Cast (The Students):

 

Jessica McCrory Calarco (Calarco)

 

Annette Lareau (Lareau)        

 

 Jean Anyon (Anyon)

 

 Lee Mun Wah (Mun Wah)

 

 Brian Okoye (Okoye)

                                   

On a Thursday night in the metropolitan Charlotte, NC, a small crowd of UNC-Charlotte students gather to watch a new film, “Freedom Writers” which is being featured in the UNC-Charlotte movie theater. After the film and you upon their departure, conversation about the film begins to spark.  

 

Lareau: I can’t believe how well Hilary Swank completely transformed the values her class. They really value and appreciate their education now!

Mun Wah: You know Lareau. Positive occurrences like these can happen every day if only people were knowledgeable of what we just witnessed.

Anyon: I totally agree! Asking people how social class in schools came into existence is like asking my four year old little sister to find the circumference of my car tire.

Okoye: (chuckling) Very comical Anyon, but also very true.  What are your thoughts on “Freedom Writers” Calarco?

Calarco: Well, if you must know. I think the director of this film did an outstanding job displaying how   Swank’s student’s backgrounds and surroundings has affected   how they ask her for help.

(There is sudden pause by the group)

(Instantly followed a roar of laughter)

Anyon: Are you serious? Swank’s students were scared out of their mind to ask her for help.

Calarco: (raged) Hey, you have to consider some things. These students would not be as scared to ask for help if they were provided with the proper resources recommended by their teacher. Is it fair for them to compete with students in AP classes for these resources when they need them just as bad?

Okoye:  Not bad Calarco, not bad.

Calarco: (boasting) What can I say? I’ve done some research in my spare time.

Lareau: You think you know everything, huh Calarco? To what extent are these student’s parents helping them gather these resources, if they’re even helping at all? (sadly speaking) I must have you all know that because of where I came from and because of my parent’s situation, I did not have their support when I was sitting in that classroom. Four years ago, I was afraid to ask my teacher’s for help just as I was afraid to ask my mother for a spiral notebook and a pencil box.  I was living the life of a freedom writer.

Anyon: Now Lareau, I don’t think Calarco intended to affect anyone. Their school system is very unequal and we need more people like you who will challenge the school system and contribute to struggles in the classroom.

Mun Wah: Right Lareau. Everyone doesn’t receive the same opportunity, but we have to get to know and understand the people that are different from us. Just as Calarco mentioned the students in AP classes, we have to accept them just as they have to accept us.

Calarco: Hey, I’m down with accepting any and every one.  I was one of those students who had all the necessary resources needed to succeed in class. I think it gave me an advantage over kids like Lareau.

Okoye: (very inquisitively) Hmm, I find that very interesting. You and Lareau seem pretty equal to me, what makes you think you had the advantage.

Calarco: Well, since my parents could afford resources and provide me with them, I felt confident enough to ask my teachers for help. Instead of waiting, I approached my teachers directly, and in some circumstances I was interruptive but I completed my assignments on time.

Lareau: (regretful) Yeah my parents could’ve been more proactive.

Anyon: How so?

Lareau: They could have been verbally developing me, attending my school events and keeping engaged in books.

Calarco: My parents were always at my school events. I think these experiences have fostered strategies that enabled me to ask my teachers for help.

Mun Wah: So overall we can agree that the film exhibits how to create a sense of community in the classroom and how students can get to know each other more personally?

Anyon: Definitely.

Okoye: Agreed.

Lareau: Si.

Calarco: Indeed.