Last Blog Post of the Year

What was the most fun/engaging activity that you did in ELA this year? Why was it fun/engaging? seminars are really engaging for me because they involve a lot of conversation  What was the most boring activity that you did this year? Why was it boring? Grammar workshops, not interesting to me at all What was your favorite book this year? Why? A Raisin in the Sun was my favorite because I enjoy the topic and I think it is really funny and entertaining What was your least favorite book this year? Why? Maus was my least favorite, it is hard for me to stay engaged with graphic novels What should I definitely keep the same for next year's ELA curriculum? Why? Seminars, they allow for a lot of growth while also keeping class interesting What should I definitely change for next year's ELA curriculum? Why? Make the vocal harder, for a lot of people it wasn't necessary to study because it was more basic vocab Is there anything else that you would like to tell me about your experience in ELA? If so - please put it here. I really enjoyed this class over all!

4/20

In Act II, Scene 3, the "Welcoming Committee" from Clybourne Park comes to visit the Younger family. Why did he come, and why does he seem so surprised when the Younger family are not receptive to his offer?

Karl Linder is the chairman of the "Welcoming Committee" of Clybourne Park, the neighborhood where the Younger's are planning to move. He comes to their apartment to try to convince them to not move to Clybourne Park, due to the fact that they are black, and Clybourne Park is a white neighborhood. Linder tries to offer large sums of money as compensation, but the Younger's refuse his offer. I think that Linder was surprised when they rejected his offer because he expected that because he was willing to give them so much money that moving wouldn't be worth it to them, but they had more respect for their integrity that they could not be swayed by money, but rather that they wanted to exercise their freedom. 

4/12

1. Put yourself into the shoes of the Younger family. What do you think it would be like to live in a tiny, three-room apartment with three generations of your family, without the choice or resources to move elsewhere?

I think I would feel differently about the situation in each different perspective. As Lena Younger, I would feel defeated and frustrated, but would have accepted the apartment as as permanent. When I was younger and newly wed, I thought this place would be temporary, and eventually I would have a house that would be comfortable to raise a family in. As years progress, that expectation gradually becomes less of a reality, and I would face the fact that a house is a fantasy rather than reality. As Walter I think I would feel frustrated, but that frustration would double as incentive to break out of having to live there. As Benetha, I would have the acceptance of the idea that after I got an education and got a job, I would have the finances to be able to move out and afford a more comfortable living space, trusting my hope and hard work will pay off. 

3/8

I started my internship last summer, around mid June. I intern with Megan at the Council For Drugs and Alcohol once a week for three and a half hours. While there, we help a team of councillors update data, keeps files up to date, and sit in on staff briefings and their teen 12 step class. When I am older, I would like to be a psychiatrist, so I feel like having an internship like mine gives me great exposure to that world. I am interested to know what you think about my internship, and what other kinds of internships you all have.    

3/2 Post

Comment on any connections that you were able to make between The Great Gatsby and the topics that you are exploring in IHSS and Science. How did our outings and/or the seminar contribute to your ability to make these connections.

One of the major things is Gatsby that hit me pretty hard was the contrast between the East and West Egg, compared to the Valley of Ashes. Although the two areas relatively were not far from each other, the living conditions were drastically different. To me, this seems parallel to our city. After visiting the different grocery stores, as well as the elementary school, I've realized that the economic disparity in Houston is vast. Just a few miles away from our school is a food desert, where many families are living dangerously close to the poverty line. The outings and seminars on the American Dream both made this connection clear to me. I am lucky enough to say that my grandparents and parents achieved the "American Dream", something I thought was common and achievable until recently. Now, I realize many of the families living in these poor conditions might have also been aspiring for the same thing my family was thirty years ago, but were not as lucky. 

2/23 post

On Thursday, we watched two documentaries about migrant workers and then had a seminar to discuss these issues through the lenses of science, literature, and economics. Examine  how this experience informed your understanding of major themes, such as questioning the American Dream and whether we live in a meritocracy, inThe Great Gatsby.

After watching those two movies, my view of how attainable the American Dream is has definitely shifted. For us, the American Dream seems a lot more realistic and achievable. For some of us like myself, because my parents and grandparents have achieved the stereotypical American Dream. For others, because they only know what they are told about it, which is that it is easily achievable with hard work, and that it is common. Both of which are untrue. There are people that work just as hard if not harder as people socioeconomically above them, yet can't break the cycle of poverty that they live in. It almost seems that in our society, we set it up so that people who already are financially well off are set up to keep receiving even more money, while making it harder for those who are socioeconomically lower to get ahead. 

American Dream

The American Dream is creating an ideal life for yourself in America. It generally looks like finding a stable job, being able to support you family, and setting up your kids to be able to have a better life than you did. Although this is definitely ideal, I don't think it is as realistic or achievable as it used to be, or as it is publicized. My grandfather moved here in the 70's with eleven kids, and no money. He saved up money overtime, and him and his friend bought one Burger King location. He saved up the money from that location, and bought another. Over time, this added up, and today the family company owns over 500 all over the country. He started a family company where all of his kids work, and some of his grandchildren have started to work. Even though he was able to achieve the American Dream, I do believe a lot of it is luck along with hard work. It seems like you have to be at the right places at the right time in order to have the opportunity presented to you. The cost of living itself is so expensive, its almost impossible to save up on a low salary, especially supporting a family. Although I do think it is do-able, I don't think it is realistic.