The Governments to Blame For Public Schools Down Fall

The Governments to Blame for Public Schools Down Fall

When talking about education in the California system one of the main concerns is the budget and how it effects the students and the schools. Education reform is a huge problem here in American and should not be put on the back burner for any reason. Our Children’s future and educational outlook should be our main priority to government funding. Thats why its outraging to read an article that blames the public school teacher for the down fall of the schools while in reality its the government’s guidelines.  The article “Teacher: Step-by-Step guide to how “reform” is harming public schools”, by Valerie Strauss is an eye opening piece to how government wants to handle the education system problems. Rather than taking responsibility for their lack of sense, they would rather take the easy route and blame the hard working teachers who put in long hours for little pay. The problem is when you look at the bigger picture you can see that its not the teachers at all its the government and how they are choosing to spend their funds on charter schools over the public schools.

There are obvious ways to try and fix the failing education system in public schools, if only the government would allow such things to take place.  Elizabeth Walters reports in the New York Times, “All it would take is some new textbooks, better technology and some classroom supplies followed by allowing the teacher to teach how they believe students will learn the best. No more of this we can only allow teachers to teach what is on the STAR test, and prepare students to only succeed on those tests instead of in higher education”. The Government solution to the failing system is to just blame the teachers and start funding charter and private schools because they have a better score report on the STAR test. They think that just because its a charter or private school that the teacher are automatically better and only the best students must be there. “Well thats not it at all, the reason charter school and private schools do so much better is there not stuck to a specific style of teaching that they have to do, or a set of guidelines that they have to follow when they are teaching”, reported by Elizabeth Walters, New York Times. Public schools suffer not because of the teachers, but because of the pressure the government puts on the STAR test.  So instead of blaming the teachers we should consider the reasons they system is failing in terms of the government. 

In fact, it’s not the teachers that make the difference between the charter schools and the public schools at all, and the students even agree.  It has to do with the environment of the schools and the types of children that attend the two different types of schools. Also the charter schools are granted better equipment and have more to offer their students in terms of educational support. The question is why do these charter and private schools get such better support from the government? Larry Miller’s explains in his blog,  “By analyzing the Department of Education databases for the 2007-2008 school year, the researchers calculated that the charter school network received $12,731 in taxpayer money per student, compared with $11,960 at the average traditional public schools.”  Now if the government put just as much funding into the public schools and allowed the teacher to teach different things and not just the STAR requirement than Public schools could be in just as good condition as the charter and private schools. Its not the teachers to blame for the failing education system it’s the government for giving more support to one community over the other.

Op-Ed Piece

The Governments to Blame

Education reform is a huge problem here in American and should not be put on the back burner. Our Children’s future and educational outlook should be our main priority to fix. Thats why its outraging to read an article that blames the public school teacher for the down fall of the schools while in reality its the government’s guidelines.  The article Teacher: Step-by-Step guide to how “reform” is harming public schools, by Valerie Strauss is an eye opening piece to how government wants to handle the education system problems. Rather than taking responsibility for their lack of sense they would rather take the easy rout and blame the hard working teachers who put in long hours for little pay. In the community of educational programs let that be sports, honor groups, clubs, and even different types of schools like private and charter, there should be no one community that is more valuable then the other. 

There are obvious ways to try and fix the failing education system in public schools, if only the government would allow such things to take place.  All it would take is some new textbooks, better technology and some classroom supplies followed by allowing the teacher to teach how they believe students will learn the best. No more of this we can only teach what is on the STAR test, and prepare students to only succeed on those test instead of higher education. The Government solution to the failing system is to just blame the teacher and start funding charter and private schools because they have a better score report on the STAR test. They think that just because its a charter or private school that the teacher are automatically better and only the best students must be there. Well thats not it at all, the reason charter school and private schools do so much better is there not stuck to a specific style of teaching that they have to do, or a set of guidelines that they have to follow when they are teaching. Public schools suffer not because of the teachers but because of the pressure the government puts on the STAR test.  So instead of blaming the teachers find other reasons for why the public school system is going down the tub and lets try and offer some good solutions. 

In fact its not the teachers that make the difference between the charter schools and the public schools at all, the students even agree.  It has to do with the environment  and the types of kids that attend the different types of schools along with charter schools are granted better equipment and have more to offer their students. The question is why to the charter and private schools get such better support from the government? “By analyzing the Department of Education databases for the 2007-2008 school year, the researchers calculated that the charter school network received $12,731 in taxpayer money per student, compared with $11,960 at the average traditional public schools”(Larry Miller's Blog). Now if the government put just as much funding into the public schools and allowed them teacher to teach different things and not just the STAR requirement than Public schools could be in just as good condition as the charter and private schools. Its not the teachers to blame for the failing education its the government. 

- Let me know if i am on the right track. the whole idea of writing the op-ed piece kind of confused me. 

Learning Genre

Pick 2 articles and figure out there Genre. Opposite the Editorial = Op- Ed
First Article Playing the Violence Card
1.The point of this article is to inform and pursued people about the type of violence going on in todays country.
2. it takes the format of an news article, is not to long.
3. This is written from the point a view of one man but backed with lots of statements and seemed to be pretty good facts. Its written from third person point of view. The writer is trying to show that its not fair for people to be playing the race card in violent situation because most of the time its the same race who is causing them the pain.
5. It is an evidence piece, it is using different people to back up the points that he is making. He is not summarizing another article, he using new facts to prove is point.
6. He is trying to inform the public of what is going on in the community involving the different races and the violence that being delt with. Most time people try and blame other races for accident or crimes when in reality most the time its the same race as you.
the writer is using very educated language, larger words and good grammar.

Next Article

Can Privatization Kill?
1. An other informative piece, its purpose is to share its knowledge of the bad things that are going on with immigration and how things could be handle differently when handling people who you are escorting back to a country.
Its laid out in a clear and effective formate that makes it very efficent and easy to understand. He uses facts and a very firm voice to make it clear that he knows what he is talking about. Its an argument piece because he is trying to get his information across to people and make them understand.
Using facts and statistics. Journal piece

Sources

This paper is so difficult, because picking a community you belong to that relates to the over all conversation of social class, the american dream and the issue they face is more challenging that you would think. I don't really connect with any community that is facing social class issues or that is struggling to reach the American dream in a bad way unless I talk about the middle class and I don't want to thats to broad. So I picked a community with in Fresno State the NSCS which is an honor society for the most part that, I am hoping to learn about the different social classes with in it, how important education is and if it make a difference in there future and the ability to reach there American Dream.

The first sources I will be using is the official website of NSCS, I am hoping to get the basic history of when the group was created, who created it and what the purpose of the group was when it was first created. I also really hopping that it will shed some light on the racial break down of the group and the social classes that are influenced by the higher education needed, and the fee you have to pay to be a member.
-"NSCS exists to recognize and elevate high-achievers. We are dedicated to the ideals of Scholarship, Leadership and Service; ideals that are evident in every benefit and scholarship we offer." This is one of the quotes I am going to be using in my paper, bacause it shows that this communite values educationa dn hard work but that you don't have to be the top class to be successful becuase thats what scholoarships are for. I will be focusing on that.
"We encourage academic achievement, but also provide opportunities for members to develop leadership skills, positively change their campuses and communities, as well as prepare for future endeavors (internship, grad school, career)" This is the other line I found interesteing that is more than just grades its aboout producing a well roundedstudent and preparing them from there American Dream.

Now my other source is a personal interview with Heather Do she is the president of the Fresno State community of NSCS. She has a lot of insight to offer because she has been a member for a few years and can really describe what this community has to offer and how it help reach the American Dream.
" She mentions how it has helped her pay for her college tuition through scholarships, and now she doesn't have to worry about student debt after college". This is important because its putting her that much more closer to the American dream and she wont have to be in debt before she even starts life.
"Next she talks about how race and social class aren't a huge issue because the fee is only a one time thing unlike some other honor programs".

These two source will be very helpful in writing my paper about community success and the American Dream

Annotated bibliography

So in the last post I couldn't decide if i wanted to write about fresno state as a community or the NSCS and after thinking about it I am going to try and challange myself and write about the NSCS. My goal for this paper is to see what this community is made up of. Let it be the upper class, the middle class the lower class or a mix of all and most focused on the highly educated and hard workers. I want to point out that the value of education not based on race, social class or religion is what makes the American dream come true and that this community its separated based on this dividers.
https://mynscs.secure.force.com/MyChapter
This is the official website for NSCS, and I believe it will be able to offer me great dealt of what the history of the organization is about, and so important facts on it. I also find that it will be able to introduce to me all the member here at fresno state and also around the country at other schools. This will allow me to see the difference races and and maybe social class of the type of people that belong to this group. I am so hopping to find what the group values most and how it will help people reach there American Dream.

Personal Interview with the Chapter president here at fresno state. (Chapter President Heather Donat hdonat@mail.fresnostate.edu)
By talk to her and meeting up with some of the different members I will be able to get there take on the whole aspect of the group and what it has to offer its members. I will be trying to find out why people join the group?, how being a member is helpful in reaching the american dream and if different classes effect this group or if its a mixture of every thing. I am also hoping to find out if the different locations are connected or if its  a solo thing.

http://her.hepg.org/content/h0m026p670k618q3/fulltext.pdf
This is an article that talks about how in general social class and effect education starting in the first grade and will shape kids from there on up. Based on your social class will decide how the teacher treats you which will determine how you learn and if you become better prepared in school and life. I will than relate this back to the NSCS and how its not so much based on race but of on the environment and the social classes that the groups located in and how the kids were raised.

http://www.publicagenda.org/press-releases/americans-view-higher-education-key-american-dream
This is just a tool to get my mind thinking about how different classes view education and the idea of reaching the American Dream. How lower class find education even more important as a tool to get up from the bottom to middle class. They see it as the only way to be able to better there life and by doing this and becoming a member of this group it allows them scholarships and even more chances to better there education and reach that american dream.

Project 2 ideas

Project 2 Brainstorming

1. I have two ideas of what I am think about doing my paper on, the deciding factors will be  which one will provide the most information and be the most interesting to write about. 

1. My first idea is to write about Fresno State, as a community. It provides plenty  of thing to discuses, like the class make up of the school based on how many kids are financial aid verse having to pay tuition, or there the values that make up college students and how they all equally value the idea of education and success. For success we could talk about the amount of kids who graduate with honor, regular or faster or slower than others, there so many things that makes this community different from others. 

 B. Or I am thinking about a much narrower community, my only fear is not having enough to say about them, I would have to talk about the idea in general and than focus more on the specific group of the community. I was thinking about writing about The National Society of Collegiate Scholars, I am currently a member of this group here at fresno state, but its not only here at Fresno State, all college offer it is on a National level. I was thinking though that to be a member you have to get really good grades witch puts you in a certain community that other students at your school, you either value education more, or are more dedicated to school. I am going to find out if class, race or religion play a roll in who is a member of the community or if its a wide mixture of all. I am predicting its going to be mostly upper middle class because there is a small fee you have to pay, but I that might not play a roll at all. 

These communities both value you a lot of the same thing, hard work, education, success and reaching your goals to the best of your ability the second option just might be a little more focused or dedicated on all these topic. 

2. For Fresno State I would say it has a features that resembles the lower class and the middle class, I would guess at this moment that it has few participant from the upper class due to it only being a state school and its location kind hurts it. It has a wide range of race and religions among the students, Mexican, Asian, African American, Caucasian, Middle Eastern, and much more all In different presents of course. Were a group in the fact that were a organized institution of people all after the same goal, to receive a higher education. What makes Fresno state different from others groups is location it gets a lot of students form different towns but yet all still pretty local. If I looked it up I would guess it would say most student are from the surrounding towns, not from out of state. It has a wide mixture of cultures and different people unlike church communities might have, or specific races or organizations. The member all face the same struggles of being classified as a college student and being lazy or poor. 

1. The same goes for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars it has a the mostly the same aspects as Fresno State does, they might just be more narrow because it a more specific classify group there requirement to be a part of it, and the results of its member could demonstrate a change in class, race or religion.

3. I am interested in Fresno State because I am a member of this community and the results will be interesting to no, that if social class effects the kinda school this is, and if were better for it or worse off for it. 

1. Along whit the NSCS this is a very specific group I belong to and aim interested to find out the social class background, the race ratio and how all those things effect the way the program runs. 

4. I would say both my communities are focused on the success rate of how well there member do and where there able to get in the world, determine how well the communities functions. To be successful I think they would say graduate will the highest GPA you can, the most connections and the best experience to pre-pair you for the real world. There barriers would consist of money, budget cutes, class cutes, temptation that take them away from studying. There ability to make to graduation. 

5. For Fresno state I need to find out more about the college and its student population, the percent of races, amount of students on financial aid. The graduation rate, how many kids graduate with honors, or two degrees, how many kids come from out of state.   I need to figure out what success means to college student.

1. Than for the NSCS, I need to find out the amount of students at fresno state belong to it, the race ratio, class ratio, finical aide ratio. Than I also want to compare that to the nation records and see if location has an effect of the records. Maybe see what fresno class background is to compare that. I also need to find the average grade point average and see how there success rate out of college is. 

This is my basic idea for my project two I just have to decide which group to do, your opinion would be very helpful. 

SO What, Who Cares

Chapter 7 They Say I Say.
The main aspect of this chapter is about answering the question who cares, and so what, these are the main things that needs to be answered so you don't leave your audience lost and unsure of what was just read. You want your reader to feel connected to what your trying to say. By naming researcher your providing a connection to the bigger overall question and it provides more reliability to what is being said. Its nice to bring up who would challenge an idea or who would support an idea to show why and how it is related. The so what aspect relates to making your idea relate to a topic that people already find important that way it relates more to someone and gives them a reason to believe in it. These are all ways on how to make people interested in what you write about.  How this relates to what we have been talking about in communities is we need to relate it in are papers in the aspect of who cares about the problems in the communities who does it effect and how would we make people believe what were trying to say. Now the so what involves us explaining what the meaning of this paper about communities does for use and why its so important that we take time to talk about it and inform people.

Articles
I read an article from New York times about Mr. Kony and its hard to say where it states the who cares. i don't believe it does because it doesn't make any reference to village people, psychologist or any person or group of people, t just say what the president said, or what some journalist said, and that might county but i don't believe it shows me who cares.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/times topics/people/k/joseph_kony/index.html

Next article
In another New York TImes article, this time about immigration, I found only one part where there was an particular person backed up the evidence and that was a legal expert, it wasn't even a whole group. unless it counts when say the Obama administration is backing up the steps and work, that could be a group that cares. So i feel this one did a little better job in showing me the idea of showing the who cares part and the effect it has on how i read the article in a more in depth and believing way.

Education Effects on Class

Chapter 6 in class matter has to do with how important college in today life style is and how people who are unable to attend college regret it and miss it their whole life. It talks about how a man who decided to drop out of college for a good job in a supper market does pretty good for himself his whole life yet still knows that his life could be so much better if he went to college and  had an higher education. IT also talks about how schools are not segregated by race or religion any more but by social class and how mostly upper income students are the ones attending college, while lower ones don't find it important or necessary. It also talks about the amount of education needed and how they think based on your class will determine how schools look at a students SAT scores.That just a overview of what the chapter is about it goes in to a lot more detail on how classes play a role in people life and how not choosing college is the wrong choice in today world. Now chapter 7 talks about how two older man lived a great life with out college and worked there way up there companies to have good jobs, until one day when they both lost there jobs and realized how important college had become.
Now when comparing things between these chapters like the education needed in social classes and mobility available there a lot alike, they both show that education is now more important than ever and that for mobility in today world college is not only recommended but needed.  The ways for social mobility back in the old day was working your up through a good company and today it was to be done through education, its almost impossible to do it that way now and for people who have are living life nervous of loosing there job.

Images

When I look at this picture I see a city with a bad part of town in it, a lower social class maybe or just a few angry people who are hurting from the economy who think its ok to tag the area. I also see nice cars so it has to have some money in the area. This is also representing the poorer class and how angry they are  that upper class  for receiving all the benefits of the government, in forms of bails out. 
When I seen this my stomach drops to think there are people who have to live this way. To be this desperate in life to not be able to have a house, or a job. What kind of American Dream is that. To be so bad off your lower than the poor class. There are so many guesses ow could make about they way these people live there life, if they choose to or if something happened in there life to but them in this situation. It says alto about our government how we just let this go on, how things can be this bad and we cant fix them. Is it the peoples fault of the communities fault for what happens to them? I notice that its mostly men in this picture so is that saying something, are mostly men homeless.
To me I see a business meeting with an pretty fair share of men mad women so that makes me feel good to see the different genders. That shows that its not still set in the ways of men having all the power and say in business. It also shows them all pretty equal . Not one is still at the head with more power of control. Now obviously someone is in charge but there not over using there power. It looks like an upper class group of highly educated people, all dressed very nice and they look like things are going okay. 


From looking at these different images I am able to see the difference in the classes and how social economic levels show in peoples lives more then they say they do. Its easy for people to ignore situations if they don't take the time to recognize them 

The Revising Process

When it comes to writing a paper I never no what to say, I always get carried away with words and the  meaning gets lost inside my hug paragraphs and long sentences. Thats why I look forward to peer editing. A chance for someone else to read my paper and find the meaning in it, and can let me now what i need to cute out. The only problem with that plan is it never works that way. I have never had a useful peer editing session. Every always reads the papers and says yea you could fix one or two things but its pretty good. When in reality its horrible and so much needs to be fixed. I don't know if this is because our classmates are scared of hurting our feelings or if they really don't no what to look for when fixing our papers. I will say i do like the more about because it allows us to see what are classmates what to know more about and what we are missing. By seeing what is missing allows me to focus more on what is needed other than some other idea I could be distracted by. Over all i feel like i get the best reflection for the teacher, I just don't feel like the peer reviews give me enough to fix, or change to make my paper an A paper.

Class Backgroound

Narrative

In the Land of the Free everyone has this different idea of what the American Dream means and how it should be achieved. Not only is the American Dream a big part of who you becoming, your class background also play a huge role in the values you form and the person you turn out to be. For many it may be a challenge to place your family in a certain class, but I would defiantly say mines in the middle of the middle class. We where by far not the wealthiest family in the neighborhood, but we never had to worry about having food on the table at night. I believe that where you go in life depends all on how you grew up and what you learned from your family. I don’t really know to much about my moms family besides that they were not very well educated, I think my aunt was there first one to go to college on that side of the family. Than there’s my dad’s family, they have been In America for 7 generations now and with each generation they move up the social ladder. I believe my dad’s side of the family the Starks, were for the most part always a member of the middle class. Which presented them with the opportunities to go to college and better there life with a good education. My Dad comes from a family of six children and he is the only one who didn’t go to college, and I know that he regrets that choice everyday of his life. In My family education is very important to us, its how you make a life for yourself where you can be comfortable for the most part. Growing up in the middle class has showed me many of things I have experienced both the lower class and the upper class and seen how different there lives are just because of the class they live in. Being from a middle class background I feel I learned they most valuable skills. I was taught from the day I was born, that to get anywhere in  life you have to work hard and hustle. I was lucky enough to be given the necessary tools in life to succeed I just had to be smart enough to use them and I did. My parents valued the idea of eduction and doing well in school, along with always trying my best even if it wasn’t good enough, they also instilled honesty and trust in me. I would have to say I was given a great opportunity growing up that when it was happening I didn’t see it that way, but not that I am reflecting back on it, I see it has really shaped who I am as a person. I was able to grow up in a middle class family, living in a lower class neighborhood, that showed me how the others sides lives and how lucky I am to be born a member of the middle class. By growing up with kids from the lower class it opened my eyes to how they live and what they go through, the struggles they face, and how they behave. It taught me how to act around them and handle my self in situations out side of my comfort zone. My life would defiantly be different if I grew up in a different class. 

First Part, still needs a lot of work.

The American Dream as a Guild Line

Each day that we ignore the economic struggles people are facing, we widening the gap between the classes and are putting more obstacles in the way of the ladder to success. Is this behavior leading to the end of the American Dream as people imagine it, or is our country able to reform the dream and continuing to progress in a forward motion. I am going to be arguing that even though are social classes are growing farther part and people are struggling to move from one class to the next, their dream for mobility is still alive and strong, just different then the original Dream. My goal for this paper is to show people what the American Dream should be thought more as a guild line than the actual dream and how each class faces there own set of obstacles that prevents them from climbing up the ladder to obtain the American Dream. Using the book Class Matter by Bill Killer and a few scholarly journals I will evaluate the traditional American Dream and what it has offered people, the different social classes along with there obstacles and how they can use this idea of the American Dream as a guild line to reach social mobility. 

Every individual has a different idea of what the American Dream means to them, how it will effect their life, and if it will pay a significant roll in who they become. When you hear people talk about the American Dream what comes to mind, do you think about money, freedom or being able to reach your highest goals. One individuals idea of the American Dream was mentioned over fifty years ago by a man named James Truslow Adams, who had a more general idea in mind. He wrote, “Its that dream of a land which life should be better and richer, fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement, regardless of social class or circumstance of birth” (Brandon King). What I believe Mr. Adams goal was in created this American Dream was to give people hope who came to this country to escape their situation in their home land that good could come to them. That they didn’t have to be born here to be successful and everyone has the equal opportunity in America to be whoever they want to be and are not defined by the family they are born into, or raised by. Now in today social hard times he reformed it, “To be successful means to have a steady job, financial security, a place to live and people in your life who love you, if you have claimed all that then you reached the American Dream”( Brandon King). By redefining this idea he has set guild lines for every individual to strive to live up to yet still achievable by most people so they don’t lose faith in the Dream and continue to climb up the ladder. 

Skeptics View: 

What makes the American Dream such a big deal and powerful is that no matter how much are country is in denial we have to face the fact that we are divided by classes; we have the lower class, the middle class and the upper class and what this means is based on the amount of money you make and the education you have you live a different life style than others. The point of the American Dream is to make it possible for people to climb up the ladder of success and move out of their class with hard work and perseverance, but whats happening in today society is the obstacles are to overwhelming for people to succeed so they are just giving up on the dream. Rather instead of giving up on the Dream lets find out whats standing in there way and try and help them over come it. 

Missing parts. 

Obstacles. 

Counter arguments 

My solution to the problem

Showing how to use the American Dream as an outline

New Articles

3 News Articles that have to do with what we have been talking about in class and how they relate to the overall conversation.
1. One of the main things we have been talking about is health care and how it effects the social classes and what things we can do to change it or help it progress. Well i found from New York Times that as of february Obama made it where colleges have to offer birth control to women free of charge. Now the big problem here is that its against some schools religions like catholic schools don't want to have to partake in it. The article also talks about the health care reform that was passed in 2010 that allowed lower and middle class families to be able to receive help with there insurance.  This information could be helpful in showing how health care is not equal for all but that its not always a good thing to that people try to make everything equal.
      http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/health_insurance_and_managed_care/health_care_reform/index.html

2. This article is about the taxes and people wanting to taxes people who make over a million dollars to help decrease the taxes the middle class is pay to close the deficit. For millionaires to pay the 10-month extension of the payroll tax credit. The republicans are not for this though while the demarcates are using it because they believe that the rich should pay for everything.  This also relates to the gap in the classes and how each class view each other, the lower class wants the rich to pay for everything and the rich doesn't want to, so the middle class gets stuck paying the heavy taxes which is one of the down falls of being in the middle class and is defiantly one of there obstacles they face in reaching the American Dream.
      http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/democrats-continue-pursuit-of-millionaire-surtax/

3. This next article is about how the college tuition have been increasing hugely in the last few years. The problem with this happening is education is an important part of the American Dream and with out people being able to afford college there chances to be successful will go down and they will have a harder time reaching the american dream. The tuitions are obstacles in the way of the middle classes who make to much to get financial aid but not enough to afford the increased cost.  I will be using tuition as one of the obstacles that stand in the way of people reaching there american dream.
       http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/26/pf/college/college_tuition_cost/index.htm

Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography 

Keller, Bill. Class Matters. New York (N.Y.): Times, 2005. Print.

Class Matters is a great tool to use in my paper about the social classes and being able to reach the American Dream. Ever chapter has been useful in helping me understand the growing gap between rich the middle and the poor classes and how they effect peoples lives. The first chapter just talks about the different classes in general and about the system. The second chapter helps us see how belonging to the different classes affects the medical treatment you receive and the way you are treated as a person. The higher up you are the better care you get and the healthy you are, while the low class is struggling to even get a little medical help. Now the third chapter is about how a rich girl marries a middle class man, and how the different classes are able to live together in a working house hold while working through these difference. The fourth chapter I found interesting to see how a girl who was raised very poor got the chance to move up to the middle class and was given a good education and able to succeed with a great job and support her self, she still didn’t feel like she belong in the middle class. This book will be a great help in showing examples how how classes and growing apart. 

King, Brandon. "The American Dream, Dead, Alive or on Hold?" "They Say/I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing : With Readings. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel K. Durst. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2009. 572-79. Print.

This is from the article you handed out in class, I found this piece of writing very helpful in forming some of my ideas and using the evidence to support what I am trying to get across. The article did a great job of laying out what the traditional American Dream used to be and how he thinks it has revolved to fit today society in a more realistic form, in stead of just assuming it has disappeared all together. He also talk about how he thinks the economy should be saved by not increasing taxes but by allowing the rich to keep there money so there more whiling to spend it and help increase spending in the economy and it will give them more of a reason to higher more workers. Now I am not sure it I totally agree that not raising the rich taxes is he most effective way but he makes it sound like a good plan. I just need to do some more research on the topic.

Peck, Don. "Can The Middle Class Be Saved? (Cover Story)." Atlantic Monthly (10727825) 308.2 (2011): 60-78. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Feb. 2012.

This article is a scholarly journal so its a bit more sophisticated than the other two source I have been talking about but I feel it could be very helpful with making my point through the next paper. It talks about the recession that has hit back in 2007-2009 and how hard it hit the middle class and how it compares to other times when the economy was like this. It also talks about how having a high school diploma is not enough any more that to be successful a college degree is going to make you more successful in the long run. It also talks alto about wages increasing the how the classes were effected by the big recession. 

"Saving The American Idea." Vital Speeches Of The Day 77.12 (2011): 431-435. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Feb. 2012.

This source is also a scholarly journal that has to do with the American Dream and if its still available based on the economic stance America is in today. The founding fathers had this idea of an Dream that Americans should strive for that would make them feel like there able to live there own life. We are in tough times and sometimes we take equality and liberty for grantee. 

Writing about our Papers

Writing about our Papers 

Part 1 

What problem issue, conversation, is being responded to .What position are you talking, what will you be arguing suggesting. Is The American Dream still alive in our country, is it possible to reach this dream as a county or as an individual? What is the American Dream right now in our system? We have been talking about the different levels of classes in are system the poor the middle class and the upper class, does belonging to one of these levels effect you reaching the American dream, is it possible to move from one class to the next. These are the ideas I will be talking about and discussing the challenges that prevents people from moving out of classes and reaching the American Dream. I might even suggest some ways to make it possible for people to reach there dream, and embrace their obstacles. 

Part 2 

What are other saying about this? What have we been seeing in our research reading, What are your intention as a writer, what do you want to accomplish with this paper, What are the task you will need to do? For the most part we have been talking about how unfair the system we in America have and that to be successful you have to have lots of money and power, now I don’t agree that in the big picture we have to have lots of money to reach our Dream. In the readings there is a clear line that the classes effect people and that classes do exists in our system and they play a bigger role in choosing our path than we think. My goal of this paper is to show people what the American Dream should be thought more as a guild line than the actual dream and how each class faces these own set of obstacles that keeps them from climbing up the ladder to obtain there Dream. I want to inform people of this idea of how to set goals for themselves that are more realistic than the American dream but till allow them to reach for the stars. First I will need to look up people different views of what the American Dream is, and what it means to them. See if there whiling to reshape it into a more obtainable goal. Then I will need to look up the different classes and see what the main obstacles that prevent each class from moving up to the next. These will all be the main concepts behind my paper. 

Part 3 

What is at stake with the problem or issue, what will happen if we don’t change something or pay attention to the issue or problem? What do people saying is going to happen? People happiness along with their well being is at stake if nothing changes in the next few years. Our Country is going deeper and deeper into debt because people are either trying to live a richer life than they can afford of people are being greedy with their money and not helping out the people at the bottom that are working hard yet still not able to pull there own weight. By being able to understand all the classes and what there dreams are we will than be able to see why they do what they do in terms of spending. One person said that its becoming the rich and the rest and that everyone is blurring together in a poor economy except the top 1%. People are concerned with how the country is dealing with the suffering people and helping them out. 

Chapter 4/ Sources

Chapter 4
Up from the Holler
    This chapter was about one girl who was able to move up social ladder from a poor unhappy life to a middle class life style. Now this was not easy, and it didn't turn out quit how she wanted but it shows that with hard work it is possible. The main points are how a girl grows up with a really poor sick mom and dad who wasn't around and in her teens she was put in to foster care, which is the worst thing that could happen in these town. She was luck to have a middle class cousin who took her in and helped her out. He being middle class was able to offer her a better education and a new life style, she went to a college for liberal arts met her husband and got married. She became a lawyer after graduating top of her class and internship, they were able to live a nice life in a good part of town and a nice house. She was part of the middle class and she worked long hard hours to get there. But even with all of this she still didn't feel like she belong she didn't know the same things the middle class new, she wasn't raised the same way, she went to a poor college and felt so unsure of her self. She than later ended up moving back to her home town taking over her cousin law firm and adopting her niece and nephew out of foster care, and promised to raise them so they fit in to the middle class life style. What I found most interesting about this chapter was how at the end she talked about what makes the difference in middle class kids and poor kids and its how involved the parents are in the life, that is so true its not money its the involvement.
You asked about a situation where I ever felt awkward or different based on social class and I could say yes but noting that is over traumatizing. I hate going into small town shops, you know the ones that are really expensive and the girls just stare at you, and once you look at the prices you know you cant afford to even be in the same room with them. Those moments when you feel like your less than them cause you cant waist money on 100 dollars shirts. Also when you go into parts of town that is poorer than you and you see situations that make you feel uncomfortable or even scared because these people are talking about things you never think of doing. Social class are different all over and when you intertwine them you are going to feel awkward unless you really know how to act or pull off the situation.

  Sources.

These are just some of the sources I will be using on my bigger project paper, I went on the the school library cite and looked up journal articles that way. By putting in ideas i wanted to write about, and than skimming the sections and finding out they will be helpful in building  a wrong paper. I also will be using class matters chapter 2 and 4 are both going to very helpful in me proving my point. I am still looking for more source but all the one I find will most likely be from the library's page because I know I can trust those articles to be scholarly and reliable sources. They even have graphs and statistics so I can find my logos information to help support my idea. My main focus is going to be on the fact that the American Dream is not ment  to be look at as a whole but for each individual in general and that social classes make it impossible for America to view it as a whole.
"Saving The American Idea." Vital Speeches Of The Day 77.12 (2011): 431-435. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Feb. 2012.
Peck, Don. "Can The Middle Class Be Saved? (Cover Story)." Atlantic Monthly (10727825) 308.2 (2011): 60-78. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Feb. 2012.
http://www.sesdweb.net/3757201013142825680/lib/3757201013142825680/John_Woodens_pyramid_of_success.pdf

Evaluating Sources

Evaluating Sources
After reading through chapter 6 in one of are helpful books it just refreshed my memory on what different kinda sources are out there and the test you got to put each one through. Just because something is published doesn't mean that is a good piece of information to use in an important piece of work. The 3 most reliable sources are scholarly journals  either prints or databases on line, creditable internet cites and news papers. I believe after reading that these are the best sources because they allow the most credible people to access them, also they are up to date for the most part depending on what the purpose of the piece is and they can be a mixture of primary and secondary sources. Depending on the information you are hoping to agin for the source will depend on which one you use, how you use it and how it will benefit you. When using a scholarly journal you are getting top of the line information on a specific topic for a professional in that area so they information can be primary or secondary and is the most accurate you can get depending on who wrote, and at what university it was written. It can also be good to use the internet to get more down to hearth information or more people friendly info that people can understand better and are more aware of, as long as internet cite has a credible author and sounds good it will be a great source. It can be helpful with getting numbers and dates that can be hard to find in journals. Now news papers can be beneficial in finding the most up today information and statistics along with graphs and charts you just have to be careful which news paper you use and maybe double check some on the information. All three of these sources can be great tools for finding information as long as you look for a credible author and good references. When it comes to finding good sources it just takes some time and skimming to make sure its helpful.
    For my project I will be writing about how in America we have this ladder to success which is a metaphor for people moving up the different economic class and reaching the top along with the American Dream. Now I am going to be talking about the obstacles that America as a country has put in the way of the ladder and how maybe there is a better solution than the ladder. So sources I might use maybe a scholarly journal on how the government divides the classes, or the economic levels of the country. I could also use a internet cite to find the statistics for how many people are in each class and how many actually move from the bottom all the way to the top, and how many stay at the same level. These would both be very helpful in proving my points and find be good credible information, to convince my readers in an logical way and an emotional way.

Prompt 1 Question

Victoria Stark 

English 5B 

Mrs. Hensley 

February 3, 2012

The Ladder to Success

Before we can talk about the ladder to success we must first clarify what it means in terms of the American people to be successful and why there is this idea of a ladder involved in the process. There is no set meaning for what it means to be successful, most people have come to the conclusion that it has to do with how much money you have, the power you hold, and if you have loved ones to share it with. This idea could be different for every person, but lets go with that for the over all American population this is what it means to be successful here in America. Now what is this ladder that was mentioned; it’s what it takes to get to the top and reach the ultimate American Dream, to have it all. To be able to claim all the money, the power, and hopefully all the loved ones you want, the problem is this ladder is not easy to clime. Its has many steps and each step presents its own difficulties, some may never be able to reach the top and claim the ultimate American Dream, while others will just excel right up the ladder. Why is that you ask; there are many reason but most believe its due to the class you fall into and not being able to progress out of that class liked plan due to the difficulties it presents. The big question here is, is this ladder to success even possible to clime to reach the ultimate American Dream or has the country put to many obstacles in the peoples way?

Most people come to America as poor families looking for a place to start over where opportunities may present themselves and bels them with a better life. They come here dreaming of a happier life for their families where they wont be persecuted and forced to live an unfair life ultimately reaching that American Dream they have been hearing about. The only problems with this situation is they are starting at the bottom of the ladder and it’s a long and challenging clime up. Most wont make it due to the education needed, the money needed to get them there and the unfair disadvantages they face like the area they live in, the healthcare the receive and the many obstacles standing in there way. Now there are a few exceptions some people may be blest with receiving a great education and is able to work hard and make it to the top, others might marry into money, and there is those lucky few who win it. While the rest of us maybe able to move a few notches up the social classes but will never reach the top of the ladder. 

Moving up the ladder is all about who you know and what you have to offer other people. People can work there lives away doing important needed jobs and still live their whole life in poverty never being able to reach the ultimate American Dream, that doesn’t mean they haven’t reached their own personal dreams. Our Country as a whole might have to high of standards of this ultimate American Dream and that maybe why its so hard to reach. Not everyone can be at the top because then who would be working the bottom do all the things that people at the top think there to good for. Here’s an idea what if we broke the ladder to success it to different parts and when you reach the top of your part than you can call your self an successful American. 

This idea that you have to be rich with power to be happy and have the ultimate American Dream is just crazy there is know way that every American can clime up the ladder of success and reach the very top, our country is not built for that but we can  break the ladder into parts and each class can have its own top and if you reach that then you can call yourself successful and if you want to go even higher there nothing stoping you just more obstacles to go through. 

A Marriage of Unequals.

Chapter 3 Class Matters
   After reading this chapter I feel more positive about being able to create bonds with different classes, that as long as you know that there is a difference in your classes and the amount of money you make and the education you have than you should be able to handle the difficulties. Each situation and person will be different, this chapter happens to deal with a luck couple who was able to handle the difference in how the were raised and lived life. The women came from a rich family and lots of money, while the man came from a poorer family, couldn't hold a job and didn't have a very good education. Though these two new they had very different lives the man was okay with the women having more power and money. She was very generous with her money pay his bills and putting him through some school. Over all they figured out how to live life together, they went to a concealing group to talk to other people about it, they viewed that helped a little. All in all the kids new there was a difference in the way they were each brought up but they were ok with t and handled it right.
I would say this chapter appeals mostly to my pathos which are my emotions because it relates to how people work together and how this rich women is able to give to people who are more needy she is and this man is able to be in relationship with a women who is more powerful than him with out feeling less of a man or let it rune there relationship. Its shows that class shouldn't be as big as a threat as people make it, it all depends on the people and if they can handle the changes and concepts it brings.
How and why money can complicate relationships, is an important thing to understand. This chapter mentions how the man doesn't want to sound like a gold digger, and how his kids were raised differently, and how he was nervous when the family met, how they would act towards each other. These are all important parts in why money can complicate things,  but if you know how to work through them and not let the families meeting bug you, or how the other person kids were raised, and your okay with sharing the rich persons money then everything will work out.
I found it most interesting as i was reading how easily they seem to make it work out, and how the women was so giving with her money and how the man was okay with taking it. Most men i know wouldn't be able to take money from the women with out feeling like less of a man, and defiantly not admit the women had the power in the house. The was very up to date with the times but not very realistic sounding, I still believe there would be more challenges.

Would most guys be that excepting of the women having all the power and money in the house hold?

If every relationship between mixed classes worked that good, it would make sense to mix classes more often?

Life at the top in America

Chapter 2
This chapter is about how the different class relate to the type of health care the people receive. Everyone knows that money relates to what people can afford in life so what would make health care any different. The chapter talks about three different people belonging to different  classes upper middle, middle class and the working class and how there lives were changed differently the day they each had an heart attack. It talked about how if you have money and education you are less likely to die from disease or heart attack then someone with less money and education. They also state that the gap is increasing between these classes instead of decreasing.  With out going into to much detail about the chapter the upper middle class man received top of the line treatment form one of the best hospitals and was fine within two days. The middle class man, picked a crappy hospital that couldn't offer him what he needed, so a few days later he was transferred to a different hospital. He doing okay but not as well as the richer man due to not getting all the surgeries he needed. Now the lower class woman spent two weeks in the hospital after her heart attack and received minimal treatment no surgery and more problems arose after the heart attack. This just shows how classes affect the kinda health treatment people receive.
     Its sad to think that wealth determine the types of treatment people receive even in life and death situations. People of the lower class don't have the connections to the proper facilities and doctors to help push them through the system, also they don't have they money to afford the cost of the hospital bills. Its sad that when someone sick they have to think about being able to afford the ambulance bill rather than just calling 911. Class place a huge roll in everything we do in this world and the more education you have the more money so the better off you are.
    When reading this I feel sorry for the people in the lower class the tone of the chapter is a informative but sad tone that sounds like the author feels sorry for what he is writing. He is trying to reach out to the public and inform them of what is going on in the world and that class really does matter.

1. How can we fix this class separation to stop growing, and make it fare for the rich and the poor?
2. If we make it fair for the poor, how do we not take advantage of the rich?

Shadowy Lines that Still Divide

    The assignment was to read chapter 1 in are new book Class Matters which deals with different social, economic and political classes. This chapter talked about how the rules of Advancement have changed and its either harder or easier for people to move up the rungs of the ladder. What I got out of the reading was that classes have split from the original three into multiple smaller groups that are more blurred and harder to identify. From reading this chapter it's hard to get a clear understanding of what people views are some believe that its still possible to move up the social later at that most of them have moved up from the class they were born in yet lots still believe that its unobtainable. That even with lots of hard work and dedication there is still a barrier standing in there way.
        Some may wonder who have read the first chapter why they start out listing the way the classes you to be in American then move into talk about how blurred and distorted they have become. I think its a good way to start it allows us to see how the country used to be divided in terms of class ranking and then it talks about how we are trying to shift into a new direction which many not be working in the best possible way but its allowing people to feel like there reaching there goals even if there not securely there.
    In connecting this to what we have been talking about with the American Dream and what it means to are society or the individual i would say what part of the ladder you are on would have a huge impact on your goals and dreams. If your someone who believes that depending on what class, religion, lifestyle, culture and so much more defines your ability to reach your American dream than if your in the lower section of the ladder who knows if you will ever be able to get to the top of the ladder. Its about believing in what this country has to offer you as an individual not the class you are a part of. If your American Dream is to become famous than you just got to have the skills and the right contacts it don't matter if your poor or not, or if you want to be a college graduate work your but of for good grades and get a part time job in high school to help pay the loans. There always a way to make your dream come true just have to work harder the lower you are on the ladder cause there more steps to take. But the Dream will taste that much better.
   The inequality plays a huge role in how American view there lives, being born in he elite in america is a privileges most don't ever get to experience, yet being born poor is a disadvantage unlike anything in Europe and Asia. ( Class Matters 14)This show how unequal are country is right now and that something need to be done to close the gap that continues to increase.
    When i was reading this all i could picture was rich people sitting in the house or on the boats while poor kids play out side in the dirt and mud while there parents work double shift the factory or fields. How even tho they have little chance they work there but off to try to do better for there kids. All i know is that we need to find away to fix the system, it to much in the past for your new way of fast past life. We want everything when we want it and fast. We need to be able to mobile and active in life.

What would happen if we just allowed all immigrants to move to America and become legal that way they pay taxes and help out with other finical things?

How would society change if we didn't look at people based on class ranking or financial success?

Dose have the opportunities to become rich make people work harder in America?

The American Dream

Today in class we talked about the American Dream some more and how right now our country is partaking in the occupy movement as a way to stand up for what they believe this county stands for and what needs to be changed to get us back on track. After reading Inequality and the American Dream it got me think just how bad some people might have it and how our government should be doing more to help out. To answer the questions.
2. I think when writing its important to get both ideas or points across at the begging of the piece it allows the readers to know what there getting into and what going to be discussed later on. By Talking about what good things America offers us it let the people know that the economist weren't just pointing out all the negative effect and remembered what good things our County has to offer. Then it jumped into the parts that are county are failing in right know and leaving us hurt.
4. In this book there stating that our society not messed up if it has three parts
      1. Society as a whole is getting richer.
      2. There is a safety net for the very poor.
     3. Everybody regardless of race, creed, sex has an opportunity to clim up the system
I disagree with this, yes these three things are very important, and my people come to American because it gives them a start to living a better life, but it doesn't make our county an less corrupt.  One of are biggest problems is how the rich say rich and the poor stay poor when there both working equally hard and equally important jobs, yet rich are continuing to make money and send there kids to college while the poor is loosing the jobs, they homes and cant afford to send this kids to school, just like they couldn't in any other county. How is it fair that because someone is born rich they get a better opportunity in life to be successful because of what there patents can offer them, vers a poor kid who's family worked 60 hour weeks lives in a bad neighborhood is just as smart as the white kid has very limited opportunities to every become rich and if he does he is one out of a hundred. Yes those three things are important but there not all that matters to make out county better. There more to the American Dream than just those.

Know for my own questions:
1.In what way could be make the welfare system a more fair and useful tool for people who really need it to live the dream vers people who are just to lazy to try and use the system in a selfish way?
2. What are better ways to fix they system then to take money from education? Are there other places that people would be whiling to give it up?
3.How can we turn being part of the middle class back into a good thing instead of always being cheated out of everything? They pay the most taxes, they pay highest tuitions in school and they work the strangest jobs.?

Today is a new day full of excitement and adventure and here in America we can do anything we put are minds too. Its call the American Dream and that is why so many people move to America in time of need and suffering in there home lands. Part of the American Dream is risking every thing to become free and reach your highest goal. I know that people all over the world struggle to come here and be happy with the options to make there own choice and not be afraid to live. Here in America we have many opportunities to be successful, we have a free public education system for children, we have the option to go to college and become anything we want to be in life. The government offers many financial aid programs that allow families to be successful in life so they don't fall to much under the poverty line. These are just some of the many great opportunities the government offers to help people reach the American Dream. Know my American Dream is to be able to live a life of happiness which to me means have a family who loves me, food on my table at night a nice house to live in and a job i love going to every morning. I share this Dream with many others who come here just to experience a better life.

About Me

What is there to say about me, I love to be out side in the mountains with trees and waterfalls. every summer me and my dad go on a hike up a waterfall and swim in the streams. I also like to spend my time playing sports with friends. Volleyball and basketball are my favorite i was even on the schools intramural basketball team here. As for my social life i love being with fiends and family going away to school was one of the hardest things i have done i love going home and seeing my family whenever i can. When i am not with friends and family i am study for school or writing papers, i may not be the smartest student but i am the hardest worker and my straight A's prove it. I am excited to see what this new semester brings in the way of challenges and excitement. As an addition in to this.. For my major i am a criminology major. I am studying to be a forensic profiler for the FBI one day. Well at least thats my dream job i will probably start out in the police department whereever i choose to live and work doing CSI work or being a detective.