As a graduate of Dunellen High School and a participant of the school’s Creative Writing class, Angelena Guzzi is taught the value of strengthening the ability to express emotions and ideologies through creative elements. As a member of this course, properly learning these efficient artistic habits in recognition of developing empathy in combination with honing emotional intelligence remains a personal goal. Ms. Guzzi hopes to incorporate elements of writing toward encouraging e others to partake in a similar emotional journey. With an ambivert personality, she excels in facilitating activities, yet never steers away from stepping into the limelight when necessary. Being a lifelong member of Dunellen, New Jersey, has paved the path for Ms. Guzzi to find comfort in her abiversion as several opportunities to display her diverse abilities arise, such as succeeding as Drama Club president, yet confidently choosing to work backstage over performing on stage. These experiences will enable Ms. Guzzi to continue to diligently complete tasks in a manner that can serve as motivation for those around her. Resilience is an integral attribute of Ms. Guzzi’s success as a worthy member of Generation Z and allowed her to strive toward becoming the powerful woman she has always hoped to be.
Angie Guzzi
Mr. Lowenberg
Creative Writing
20 March 2019
Renovate Reading Rhetoric
A notification pops up on the iPhone in a student’s hands: the green application icon for Google Classroom pings with an announcement stating summer reading essay prompts had been posted. A sigh fell from the younger learner’s lips and classmates around him expressed the same acrimony as the students’ junior year English teacher stood in front of the white board, explaining the impending assignments. The lecture regarding deadlines and expectations was delivered and comparably consistent to previous speeches given by former English teachers. The class was to choose an essay prompt regarding devices used to encourage plot development in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird that was assigned to be read over the concluding summer break. Sharing her biased adoration of the novel, the class’s instructor promised the adolescents that the assignment would be as enjoyable as reading the novel was. Collectively, the students scoffed at their teacher’s belief that the novel had actually been read.
The discussion regarding reading in the American education system needs to shift focus to a mutual growth of knowledge and competency between a teacher and their students, rather than a curriculum-based, archaic methodology in the delivery of classic American literature. It is vital that facilitators strive to understand their students difficulties establishing a positive relationship with text while students work toward recognizing the course expectations and lessons a teacher is provided at start of the school year. The prescribed methodology espoused has been that the goal of reading is increasing mindfulness through the development of rational ideologies in order to navigate complexities of adult life. Yet how can be mindfulness be achievable through “forced” literature and analyzation? A reader’s mind is not at peace when they are subconsciously dissecting a writer’s rhetorical or literary choices; with a mind constantly at work, resorting to a world that is far from one’s own is nearly impossible and largely frustrating, resulting in growing apathy toward reading. Facilitators have grown frustrated at this drastic increase of avoidance toward reading long-form texts in Generation Z and iGen and understandably so - their job is to teach students through reading and when reading is abandoned, minimal information is retained, making the delivery of their lessons much more strenuous. Though what is lost in the lesson plans and state curriculum is that education is not one size fits all; visual learners depend on diagrams and videos, tactile learners rely on the aid of hands-on classwork, and auditory learners lean on listening to a discussion or audiotape for reading success. Means of achieving an overarching understanding of prescribed texts for these different learners range from YouTube videos, in-class discussions, Khan Academy and SparkNotes yet most of these tools are strongly discouraged in the education system.
Renovating the outdated literacy mindset must include encouraging the application of study tools such as SparkNotes or CliffNotes rather than shaming a student that turns to these materials for assistance. Rather than enforcing the idea that using these resources is a means of cutting corners, encourage application of these bountiful tools to get a clearer understanding of the text and thus, getting a better grade - something that most students cannot turn down. There is no doubt that it is human nature to do what one is told not to: a child sneaking in a cookie before dinner, siblings fighting with one another after they were told to stop, or aggravated students turning to SparkNotes as a means to indirectly disrespect their teacher. A response similar to this results after an extended, summer reading list is given to young learners - groans about the work follow suit and students begin to plot their plan to avoid reading the prescribed text, such as turning to the tools that are so adamantly advocated against. To prevent this apathetic behavior from developing, a well-constructed list with peer input of long form texts should be offered to students, ensuring the necessary literary devices are present in these texts and will thus be discussed over an extended period of the course, tying into other required curriculum texts. This allows for peer-involvement in the development of the lessons they will be taught, offering an opportunity for student voices to be heard while also orchestrating a facilitator’s success in their task of teaching.
Applying these simple solutions creates a complementary learning environment: students will be more willing to learn and participate in conversations and assignments that regard text that intrigue them and the teachers learn from what allows success in their students and in themselves. Developing a rational perception through reading insightful literature established an inner peace in an individual - growing comfortable with what is known and what is to be known creates a bank of knowledge that can only expand through application in dealing with the complexities life has to offer. The overall goal of mindfulness will be achieved through a reciprocal, excited energy being passed around the classroom environment that implementation of these standards.