Purposeful Punctuation

I think this is a very helpful chapter. Like Kelley said, the information is more applicable than a lot of the rest of the book. I doubt I will reference the section on sentence diagramming the next time I write an essay, but I know that I will have questions about punctuation. This chapter does a good job at organizing the different forms and uses of punctuation, providing useful examples at the same time. I am already comfortable using the comma in my writing. I have used the dash in my informal emails and facebook posts before, but never knew the true usage. I have not yet used semicolons or dashes in my formal writing. Any future questions I have about these forms of punctuation can be answered by referencing this chapter. 

Purposeful Punctuation

I think this chapter did a good job of laying out the different pieces of punctuation and identifying different structures that make up syntax and sentence structure. I appreciated the examples and detailed explanations and exceptions. I agree that students should know the standard punctuations and how to appeal to the reader to make it as smooth and easy for them to comprehend as possible. There are a lot of rules that I wasn't familiar with and I am now enlightened on matters dealing with comma splices, pronoun modifiers, and essential and non-essential structures. It's nice to have a list of important punctuation rules to refer to and act as a guide to express correct meaning in prose.

Purposeful Punctuation

I think Chapter 15 is an excellent summary of the more applicable material in this book. While diagramming sentences is interesting, the knowledge of where to put punctuation is more useful. Similar to Easy Writer, this chapter lays out the basic rules and lists pages where a more in-depth explanation is available. Personally, I prefer the layout of Easy Writer to this chapter; the Easy Writer makes it easier to find solutions to specific problems and covers more obscure issues.

Purposeful Punctuation

Chapter 15 definitely surprised me. I didn't realize how many different jobs commas, semicolons, and colons have. I use them quite frequently, but now I have a much better understanding of how to use them in my writing. What stands out to me most in this chapter is the idea that we need to keep the reader in mind when writing--grammar is essentially for their benefit. It is interesting how clarifying a simple comma or semicolon can be. If the person I'm speaking to doesn't understand, I can always sense this and try to make your point clearer; however, I don't usually have the opportunity to do this when I am writing.

Here are a couple of things that are new to me:
-the difference between dashes and parenthesis--dashes are used for emphasis (and parenthesis are used to downplay material).
-a semicolon can be used when two independent clauses tied together with a coordinating conjunction already have commas in them. Interesting! I have always had trouble with sentences that have too many commas.

I am a sophomore and have not yet declared a major. For the most part, I’ve taken only bac core classes, and have not had to read many scholarly articles or journals. I am, however, thinking about education and have taken a few TCE classes. Outside the regular class textbooks, I have only read short newspaper and magazine articles related to education. Before taking this class, I new nothing about grammar except what nouns, adjectives and adverbs were. Because of this, I never paid attention to any grammatical structures within the writing I read, especially nominalization.

Since enrolling in this course, I have learned a lot. I cannot tell yet if my writing style has been affected. I am more cautious when I compose sentences, careful to avoid the misuse of commas and other forms of punctuation. I know that understanding grammar should help me take more chances in using different sentence structures and punctuation, but I am still a little reluctant to change my writing style yet. I know that this class has had an influence on the way I read. I now constantly diagram sentences and find the form and function of words that I read in my books. I can’t read an entire paragraph without identifying at least one sentence pattern. I know that being constantly aware of grammar in my reading will help me improve my own writing in the future. 

Nominalization and Writing 330

As an English/Education major, I come across nominalization in writing frequently. I usually don't see it in the novels/poems I read for class, but I have seen it many times in essays and literary criticism. I am not taking any English classes at this time, so I can't think of a good example of it, but I did take a class two terms ago where we spent a lot of time examining paragraphs for nominalization and changing those sentences to make them clearer. I have also experienced nominalization when reading education textbooks, especially when the authors are writing about statistics/facts.

This class has had more of an impact on my editing style than it has on my actual writing style. At first I felt like this class was making my internal editor go into overdrive. I was over-editing everything. However, now that I am becoming accustomed to the different rules and exceptions, I am trying to be more adventurous because of my new found knowledge. I know that I am still making mistakes, but I can correct most of them. Instead of wording my sentences differently to avoid unfamiliar rules or punctuation, I am taking chances and trying out new ways of writing what I want to say. It's going well so far!

The Effect of WR 330

This class has changed my writing style very little. I am for the first time aware of the technical terms for the words, phrases, and clauses that I write, but I do not write them any differently. What has changed due to my participation in this class is the location of a certain punctuation mark (the comma) within my papers. Most of what I write for others to see now receives more careful attention in the editing stage because I better understand the rules of the English language and am more able to recognize when I have incorrect punctuation. I do not believe that this extra revision has an effect on my writing style.

Nominalization in Political Science Texts

Political Science is actually my minor, but I didn't think that examples of nominalization in French texts would help anyone.

Until I looked for this assignment, I had not noticed nominalization in my class readings. However, now I can see that there is a fair amount of it in political science texts.

An example of an appositive:
"What we now call globalization-the growth of an international economic system-is one of the most important historical development of the last five centuries."
-Walter Russell Mead, "Changing the Paradigms"

A gerund phrase as a subject of a sentence:
"Finally, attacking Iraq would undermine the war on terrorism, diverting manpower, money and attention from the fight against Al Qaeda."
-John J. Mearcheimer and Stephen M. Walt, "Keeping Saddam Hussein in a Box"

Revised Cinquain

Moving

Away
From Oregon
The third week in June
To live in the real world
When we have passed all the exams

Revised Cinquain

Wandering

Aimlessly

Throughout my life

A bewildered state

To exlpore my options

Because I have no major

Cinquain revised

Sleeping
Always
In my bed
Sunday morning
To forget the week
Because I need to catch up

Revised cinquain

Thinking
Always
Over worked
Mind transpiring
To digest info
It’s hard to be awake

Cinquain - Pressure

Pressure

Sharp

In me

Every day

Compelled to try

To avoid failure

Cinquain

Sleeping

Always
In bed
Sunday morning
To forget the week
Because I need to catch up

Cinquain

Wandering

Aimlessly 

Through life

A confused state

To explore my options 

Because I have no major

Cinquain

This was a little harder than I thought so here it goes. Please let me know what you think.

Walking
Slowly steadily
Down the aisle
Toward my true love
And true love's first kiss

Singing
Sweetly softly
Praises to Him
Who brings me Hope
For He is the Lord

4. If you are not planning to teach, how do issues of language and power apply in the field you plan to enter? Does Delpit offer relevant insight?

I am a Political Science major and, while I haven’t ruled out teaching, the career I am most interested in pursuing is in politics. As to the actual position I would like to have, there is a minimum of seven years until I can even try for the position (the U.S. Constitution requires U.S. Senators to be at least thirty years old). The intricacies of lingual and cultural norms take on a significant role for a diplomat and statesman: as I am not writing as a senator this would not directly impact my role. My first job in national politics will likely be as a congressional or senatorial staffer. I think, as a junior staffer (or intern), my contact with foreign dignitaries and heads of state will be minimal, but the other attribute of language discussed by Dr. Delpit, the “culture of power”, may play a large role in my interactions with both opposition party members and even members of the Democratic Party.

Not all public officials and political operatives at the various branches of government possess top-tier lingual skills. Those involved in state and local governments often vary greatly in terms of their level of education. In the interest of brevity I am skipping a few stepping-stones and will consider only the national government. At the national level, assuming anyone with a policymaking role possesses a fluency in the norms of “formal English” is not presumptuous. The implicit arguments Delpit addresses in “The Silenced Dialog” dominate political discussion when in the public eye. A conversation between political operatives may seem respectful at first glance, but an old, and unsurprisingly, unattributed description of politics explains, “statesmanship is the art of saying ‘go to hell’ in such a manner that the person actually packs for the trip.” Senators and their staff use respectful, polished language when speaking, lest an unseen camera catch an unprofessional comment: terse replies or snide remarks convey implied messages too crass for a direct delivery, despite the eloquent language of the statement.

If during a meeting a remark is missed or misinterpreted the parties might leave the negotiating table with distinctly different impressions of how the meeting went. The attribute of parliamentary procedure responsible for the deference between members of Congress is more distinct in the Senate than the House of Representatives – reflecting the difference between the House of Lords and House of Commons – so the higher the level of government one is involved in, greater significance the “culture of power” becomes. Failing to pick up on subtle messages, or an inability to express a nuanced message may only lead to a short, undistinguished career in politics, but the worst-case scenario creates a political backlash not only on you, but back on the party as well. A recent case was former Senator Trent Lott’s comment that the U.S. would have been better off if former Senator Strom Thurmond won the 1948 Presidential Election, in which he ran for the Segregationist party: the backlash painted every Republican standing too close to Senator Lott as racist and forced him to resign his post as Senate Majority Leader.

Delpit Question 2

I think there is a huge difference between the language of power and acceptance. For me, if a person knows the language of power they have an "upper-hand" in gaining or imputing into that power position. Someone who recongnizes the language of power will have an easier time suceeding in attaining power and/or be able to contribute their opinions to that position. On the other hand, teaching everyone acceptance (while important) won't help them in making their own voice heard. Even if everyone were taught acceptance, the language of power (as Delpit suggested) is not always recongnized by those who have that power. Often, it is not intolerance of others that drives a proverbial wedge between those who have the language of power and those who do not, but a simple misunderstanding or overlooking. So, to avoid being overlooked, children should be taught the language of power.

Delpit- Question #1

As a second year student, I have still not decided on a major. I am exploring my options and have been enrolled in two TCE courses to see if education is the right choice for me. Before taking these courses, I was so naïve, just thinking about the chance to interact with and teach fun little kids. After reading Delpit’s article and others like it in my TCE classes, I have come to realize that there is so much more than just that. If I continue down the path toward education, my future students will not all come from the same economic or cultural backgrounds. I will have to learn how to address different issues, including those of language and power as discussed in Delpit’s article. I will have to decide how and what to teach children of different backgrounds. Learning from other people’s experiences, especially Delpit’s and the ones she includes in her article, will be helpful in my preparation for a position as an educator. 

Delpit Question #1

I am preparing to become a middle school language arts teacher, and I definitely feel that Delpit’s article gives me tools to take into the classroom. I have always been interested in the “process” of writing (as Delpit titles it) instead of the “skills” because I feel it is important for students to enjoy writing and to understand how it applies to their own lives instead of memorizing words and drills.That said, I understand it is important for students to understand rules and form in order to communicate their ideas effectively. Delpit’s article demonstrates how important it is for minority students to gain access to these codes of the language of power. I never thought that the push for “process” writing would actually limit students’ opportunities in the future. If anything, I was under the impression that it would help open their minds and enrich their ability to think critically. Delpit urges teachers to recognize that their students already know how to tap into their inner voice because of what their parents or culture has taught them, but they aren’t always being taught the “skills” at home that they need to function in American society. Minority parents “want to ensure that the school provides their children with discourse patterns, interactional styles and spoken and written language codes that will allow them success in the larger society” (Delpit 29). I understand that this is a concern for minority parents and students, and I am glad I am aware of this situation before I step into my future role as a teacher. Whether we like it or not, our system is set up so that they cannot succeed without this knowledge.

Cinquain and Delpit Posting

Thinking
Always
Over worked
Mind transpiring
To digest info
It’s hard to be awake

All Students Should be Educated on Different Situations of Power

It’s important to teach all students about figures of authority, how the law works and who should be respected, and how to behave in different real-life situations. The reason for not merely teaching acceptance to minority children is that every student deserves a chance to be enlightened on the different aspects of the world’s cultures. It doesn’t make sense to cater their education to a pre-assumed idea of what they’re going to amount to be. Just because they come from minority families doesn’t mean they don’t have a chance to potentially work in an environment with majority citizens or possibly even work up to owning a big time company. Teaching to stereotypes reflecting behaviors they are already familiar with doesn’t broaden their horizons and doesn’t give them a sense for what it takes to work in a different environment than what they know. It’s important that all students be prepared to respond to different situations of power and respect since their future is not set in stone. Minority students shouldn’t have to accept that they will never be able to succeed in a realm where they might have more control over people or hold more power. They need to know how to act in those situations so they can succeed in areas outside of the classroom.

Response to Question #3

One of Delpit’s specific proposals is that “appropriate education for poor children and children of color can only be devised in consultation with adults who share their culture.” (500). Usually, parents want a better life for their children than they experienced, including education; there is no reason to suppose that Black and working class parents are any different. They may feel that they do not know what their children need to be taught in order to improve their situation in life. To address this problem, the parents could explain to the administrators what they want their children to be able to do at the end of their public education, and then the administrators could suggest methods of achieving those goals. The end result would be a cooperative effort of the parents and the administrators.

Cinquain

Moving

Away
From Oregon
The third week in June
To live in the real world
When we have passed all the exams

Welcome to your class blog!

For the rest of the term, you will be posting, commenting upon, and reading the blogs of this class, Writing Commons One through Writing Commons Seven. When you compose a post, you may want to write it in Word first and save it. Then paste it into the blog post block. By composing in Word, you won’t get frustrated if the posting doesn’t work the first time.

You may respond to other people’s posts through the comment feature. You may read and respond to the blogs of the other groups by going to:
http://writingcommonsone.blogspot.com
http://writingcommonstwo.blogspot.com
etc. through http://writingcommonsseven.blogspot.com

You can add a comment to other blogs by using the comment feature. You can only post to your own blog.

Your first assignment is to post your cinquain, a poetic form described on p. 134 of Kolln. Then you will give each other responses and suggestions for revising.

Your second assignment is to respond to one of the following questions related to Lisa Delpit’s “The Silenced Dialogue.” Aim for about 100-150 words, and post it to your team blog. Please follow the following guidelines:
1. Identify your entry with a title that suggests the content.
2. Single space.


Questions (choose one):
1. If you are preparing to teach, what are you taking away from Delpit’s article regarding language and power that might help you as a teacher, and how could you apply these ideas to your proposed level of teaching?

2. One student asked, “Why do we have to discuss teaching minority children the language of power? Why not just teach everyone acceptance?” Respond.

3. For one of Delpit’s specific proposals (refer to the article), discuss the challenges of implementation. How could these challenges be addressed?

4. If you are not planning to teach, how do issues of language and power apply in the field you plan to enter? Does Delpit offer relevant insight?