Nicolas Simon
Mike Rose Summary
In the chapter "Hand and Brain in School," Mike Rose, the author of the Mind at Work, talks about how his education revolved around tracking. When it came to tracking, there were three types of classes: college prep, general, and vocational (Rose 167). Mike Rose, as a child, was placed in the vocational track because in society as a member of the working class, it was common for a child to be place in this track(167). He did not like being there, so he worked really hard to get into the college prep track, in which he did later on (167). He states in the beginning of the chapter, from personal experience, converting from a vocational track to a college prep track to a college prep track was very difficult to do and it did not happen very often (167). The way that schools would assess the students on deciding where they should be placed is through the IQ test (168).
After going a little bit more in depth about the IQ test, he talks about the history of the vocational education. In the chapter, it stated how in the past vocational education mostly taught manual labor (170). The women back then also had a different curriculum from the boys. The girls were taught domestic skills such as: cooking, cleaning, how to raise a family, etc (175). Also, until The Civil Rights Movement, the chapter discusses how vocational education for African Americans was slim to none.
In response to what I read in the chapter, I was surprised to see with the exception of vocational education, how similar education was. The chapter talks about different tracking, well to a certain extent. But schools today have some kind of tracking as well, where their students can learn at their own pace. I feel this is a good system to a certain point. If it is possible or if it has not been done already, I think that after the students are placed in a tracked course, they should have the option of switching to a higher or lower level class at anytime throughout their pre-collegiate education.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Definiton of Work Revised (Beth Morello)
Work
Work can have thousands of different meanings depending on how you look at it. To some people it may be their job, raising kids, going to school, exercising, or cooking. However, when most people are asked what work is they will say their job. I asked three people what is and isn’t work without giving them a definition and without them looking it up and these were the responses I received:
Adele said, “Work is boring, it’s just something you do and it’s a way to make money. Personally I hate it. Work isn’t always fun or useless, and work definitely isn’t sitting around watching TV all day.”
Nick said, “Work is a job, something you do to accomplish success and make a living. Work isn’t lying around watching TV or being lazy and not doing anything like sleeping all day.”
Brandon said, “Work is hard to find, hard to keep and very time consuming, but it is worth it in the end. It will take you farther in life and you will be grateful for it. Even though many people hate their jobs; it’s all part of work. Work involved dedication and commitment. Work isn’t what you do for fun or just to do.”
These three people all had the same basic idea of what work is but to me work isn’t just a job. Work is everything you do. It takes effort and can be physical or emotional but in the end you always accomplish something.
Work can have thousands of different meanings depending on how you look at it. To some people it may be their job, raising kids, going to school, exercising, or cooking. However, when most people are asked what work is they will say their job. I asked three people what is and isn’t work without giving them a definition and without them looking it up and these were the responses I received:
Adele said, “Work is boring, it’s just something you do and it’s a way to make money. Personally I hate it. Work isn’t always fun or useless, and work definitely isn’t sitting around watching TV all day.”
Nick said, “Work is a job, something you do to accomplish success and make a living. Work isn’t lying around watching TV or being lazy and not doing anything like sleeping all day.”
Brandon said, “Work is hard to find, hard to keep and very time consuming, but it is worth it in the end. It will take you farther in life and you will be grateful for it. Even though many people hate their jobs; it’s all part of work. Work involved dedication and commitment. Work isn’t what you do for fun or just to do.”
These three people all had the same basic idea of what work is but to me work isn’t just a job. Work is everything you do. It takes effort and can be physical or emotional but in the end you always accomplish something.
Friday, December 4, 2009
GIG qoutes (Samantha Coughlin)
Gig Quotes
Bar Owner (Lucy Vasolsky) p. 118
“If I see somebody coming drunk, I say go to sleep, no drinking more. I cut them off. I say get out or else I get police. I must do that because some people can make hurt for nice people.”
Drug Dealer (Chris Muller) p. 135
“I mean, I know a lot of people who’ve gotten fucked up doing this. They get busted or worse. Like I know this kid—some people knocked on his door, he opened it, like a dumb-ass, they just ran up on and took like ten grand worth of cash and they ties him up and pistol-whipped him”
Social Worker (Elizabeth MacLean) p. 510
“My clients are people who’ve been charged with everything from homicide to rape, sexual offenses, domestic violence, drug sales, drug possession, and so on. Mostly drugs.”
Bar Owner (Lucy Vasolsky) p. 118
“If I see somebody coming drunk, I say go to sleep, no drinking more. I cut them off. I say get out or else I get police. I must do that because some people can make hurt for nice people.”
Drug Dealer (Chris Muller) p. 135
“I mean, I know a lot of people who’ve gotten fucked up doing this. They get busted or worse. Like I know this kid—some people knocked on his door, he opened it, like a dumb-ass, they just ran up on and took like ten grand worth of cash and they ties him up and pistol-whipped him”
Social Worker (Elizabeth MacLean) p. 510
“My clients are people who’ve been charged with everything from homicide to rape, sexual offenses, domestic violence, drug sales, drug possession, and so on. Mostly drugs.”
Mike Rose Summery (Beth Morello)
Summery to Mike Rose’s The Mind at Work,
Chapter 2: Styling Hair
Vanessa is an at home stylist who likes to do her hair freely, not by the book. She cuts hair dry because she can see what she’s doing right away. Vanessa stated that she hates doing hair wet because she “Can’t wait to dry it and then go in and do her work…” (32). Vanessa has her own way of working which is different than Sharon’s who works at a salon. The difference between Vanessa and Sharon is how they work, Vanessa builds off of each thing she does and Sharon likes to map it out first (33).
As stated Mike Rose, “Roughly 90% of hairstylists in the United States are female” (34). Working with hair has employed many women over the years wither “from their homes; or small neighborhood shops; or specialty salons; or multiservice salons; or salons; or upscale urban, trendy, expensive ones” (34). Plus there are people who don’t have degrees and work at home. Also all of the hairdressers are not the same they all have their own way of doing hair and their own techniques. Some prefer working out of their house so they have the freedom to do what they want on their own time, while others prefer the more professional setting that makes them feel more like it’s their job not just something to do.
For an experiment, Rose took pictures of old-age hairstyles and showed them to various hairstylists. As a result, the stylists’ comments were “heavy on analysis and technique” (36). However, the nonstylists made comments on “the look of the style, made general historical observations, and generated stories to accompany the picture” (36).
To me it shows that there is never one specific type of work. Work can be anything you make it to be. Work could be the president, a CEO, a hairdresser, a cashier, or even being a student. Work is everywhere and everyone even if they’re unemployed participate in work. Each person, even if they have the same job as another, takes different approaches and come up with either similar or very different results. That is apparent in the chapter The Mind at Work, there were two women with the same job who took very different approaches but still had the same result. One of the lessons I got from Rose’s book is no to underestimate the work people do and not to down size anyone’s’ job. Work is a very complex word that had no set definition and can mean something different to each person.
Chapter 2: Styling Hair
Vanessa is an at home stylist who likes to do her hair freely, not by the book. She cuts hair dry because she can see what she’s doing right away. Vanessa stated that she hates doing hair wet because she “Can’t wait to dry it and then go in and do her work…” (32). Vanessa has her own way of working which is different than Sharon’s who works at a salon. The difference between Vanessa and Sharon is how they work, Vanessa builds off of each thing she does and Sharon likes to map it out first (33).
As stated Mike Rose, “Roughly 90% of hairstylists in the United States are female” (34). Working with hair has employed many women over the years wither “from their homes; or small neighborhood shops; or specialty salons; or multiservice salons; or salons; or upscale urban, trendy, expensive ones” (34). Plus there are people who don’t have degrees and work at home. Also all of the hairdressers are not the same they all have their own way of doing hair and their own techniques. Some prefer working out of their house so they have the freedom to do what they want on their own time, while others prefer the more professional setting that makes them feel more like it’s their job not just something to do.
For an experiment, Rose took pictures of old-age hairstyles and showed them to various hairstylists. As a result, the stylists’ comments were “heavy on analysis and technique” (36). However, the nonstylists made comments on “the look of the style, made general historical observations, and generated stories to accompany the picture” (36).
To me it shows that there is never one specific type of work. Work can be anything you make it to be. Work could be the president, a CEO, a hairdresser, a cashier, or even being a student. Work is everywhere and everyone even if they’re unemployed participate in work. Each person, even if they have the same job as another, takes different approaches and come up with either similar or very different results. That is apparent in the chapter The Mind at Work, there were two women with the same job who took very different approaches but still had the same result. One of the lessons I got from Rose’s book is no to underestimate the work people do and not to down size anyone’s’ job. Work is a very complex word that had no set definition and can mean something different to each person.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Eric Turner: Dating my book
48 Laws of Power
I've been on many dates, some good some bad, but i never would have thought I would be taking
a book on a date. I recently read through the book "48 laws of Power" in which surpriseingly became an interesting expeience. This book was designed to provide one with ways of taking unowned power and channeling it to be very useful in one's journey for success. It sowed me ow to turn the negatives in my life into positives by using them as my advantage. This book also gave many examples of kings, queens, celebrities etc. who all have supposedly took control of their negative past experiences and used that poerto become successful. From what I read, it appeared as a very inesting book that I might consider to look further into.
(Eric Turner's Poem)
Dreaming Of a Nightmare
By: Eric Turner
What would this world be
If it be the world you dreamed
And in the dream that you conceived
Conceived the world as a human being
Being capable to live and breathe
Breathe the air that we all seek
Seek to live another day and believe alive the next week
Weak or strong, poor or rich
Rich indeed is the curse of sin
Since this is a work of god
Unless God is nothing in your eyes
I can’t judge, because your ruler
Rule it right, or human u is sooner
Sooner or later, you will wake
Wake on earth or wake in grace
Grace in which is divine
But the divine itself can be disguised
Disguised as nothing more than hope
Hope that this dream don’t come to be
Because even as humans in a dream
Dreams unleash your true being
Because of how we are
Our human nature will leave a scar
Scaring a dream can leave a mark
Marking the transition from light to dark
Darkness falls
Falls with your dream
Dream for an end
To end the nightmare that just begins…
(ERIC TURNER) Mike Rose Summary
The Mind at Work
Chapter 3 Summary Pages 56-61
Chapter three begins with Mr. Guthier and a team of students in a young woman apartment trying to fix a sink. A young man name Terry is introduced in this chapter with a history of drug abuse and run-ins with the law. As a requirement of his probation along with some of the other students, he is required to participate in a plumbing program with Mr. Guthier. This program do not however act as a punishment for Terry and the other students as they begin to learn that will be useful for future endeavors. The boys begin to realize the knowledge they acquired could be used for future careers as one student states “Hey, this ain’t that hard. I can do this for a living”(57, Rose). Programs such as the plumbing programs were created to make a road or transition from school to work. This program was made successful due to the city’s participation in free repairs for low incoming housing. The plumbing program essentially helps the students learn useful skills such as problem solving techniques. The students are also taught to think things through thoroughly before taking action. For instance, Mr. Guthier states “The good plumber has a diagnostic frame of mind” (59, Rose). Mr. Guthier acts as a mentor to the students giving them hope and firsthand experience of hard work that will be beneficial for future endeavors.
He acts as the support that these young men need to become something better then their environment. I can relate to the students of this story because I use to be one of them.
I use to be a person who felt as though my life had no direction until I met my PAL(Police Athletic League) officer Mr. Maurice Scott. He showed me that with hard work and determination I could be somebody who matters in this world and be successful.This section of the story was truly a memoir to him, and becaus of him, I am the man you see today.
Pat Zimmerman, Alternative School Headmaster
In this chapter Pat Zimmerman, an alternative school headmaster talks about his school in the South. He says the classes are seperated by gender and that he is a strict teacher. If someone says something to another student in a quiet voice, he wants everyone to hear it. He also works seven days a week.
Question for all three posts:
How did you decide which carrrer to choose?
Question for all three posts:
How did you decide which carrrer to choose?
Third Grade Teacher Rose Hoffman
In this chapter, Rose talks about her daily life as a teacher. She gives two examples of some things that she does in her classroom. The examples are the class sings the Star Spangled Banner and she teaches English.
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