WRITE YA' OWN RULES

Lately in English Class there have been many different topics that have been opening my eyes. We’ve been talking about if students should be able to talk in their own dialect. My first thought was “MOST DEF”!. I like being able to talk however I want to talk. I feel like I’m myself and I’m not worried about being graded on how I say things. But then Caitlin had an in class assignment where we the students can write in our own dialect. I completely did the assignment wrong. It was as if I didn’t read the directions clear because it was simply natural for me to write the way I was taught. I did the same thing with my blog posts. I was writing like how I taught in my English classes. I just feel like I can’t talk how I normally talk once I step into a classroom. I don’t want to get a bad grade so I just have to bear with writing how I was taught. It can get frustrating because sometimes I think it can be stupid with all the “rules” and having to be restricted on a lot.

 

As we continued with this subject in class we all had to choose sides on what we thought of some statements. One statement was asking do we think its right to be taught to write a certain way and I wasn’t sure. I stood in the middle. One of my classmates began to talk about how it was important for job applications and for college. If there were not a certain way to write, then how would a teacher know how to teach or grade. I never thought about it that way but then it did make sense. In a way I think it can be a lot easier to write a certain way. Some people have their own dialect that others might not be able to understand and that’s where I can understand the importance of this created dialect that has been made for us. 

On the other hand, I do think certain people can express themselves better in their own dialect. Being taught to write a certain way can be difficult. You really can’t say what you really need to say sometimes. It can be very strict and if you cuss or anything its inappropriate or wrong. There is no freedom with being able to express yourself as well as writing the right way.

One big issue I have of only having one way to write is that a lot of students that have came here from other countries have issues with English because obviously it isn’t their first language. I don’t believe it’s fair for them because they have to learn a whole new language as well as being able to write in it the RIGHT WAY. To be honest that’s just fucked up. I have a friend who arrived to California and is studying to become a doctor. His dream to be successful for him and his family. But what’s making it difficult for him is the MCAT test he needs to pass gets difficult when it gets to the English portion for him. This pissed me off. This is one reason why I believe there shouldn’t be one way to write.

To be real…I don’t know if I think we should write our own way or not. There were things that made me feel like people should and there were also things that made me feel like “fuck following the way we been taught” because it can be difficult for other people that I actually know. This whole concept in class made me really think and I thought it was really interesting to actually learn stuff like this in class. This has honestly been one most interesting English classes that I have ever taken. And I can honestly say I’m learning some real shit.