After various years of teaching, John Holt comes to the conclusion that schools are a place filled with danger and silence. Schools are initially known to be a place of refuge but are not always that kind of a place. Throughout the essay, “How Teachers Make Students Hate Reading”, educator and writer John Holt uses several examples from his prior teaching experiences and gives his readers insight based on what experiments he has put the students at trial with, that later exemplify the meaning of his claim. In the personal narrative essay “Aria”, written by Richard Rodriguez, I was able to find similarities that provide insight about the pressures children are bound to feel in school which Holt points out as well. Holt’s ideas concerning students
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In this scenario, Richard was a young Hispanic boy attending an American school. Spanish being his first and only language learned, it was quite difficult for him to adapt and feel comfortable in the school setting. Throughout Richard’s school experience, he was always being pressured to stand up and speak loud and clear in front of the entire class. Due to Richard’s inability to hardly understand the language, let alone speak it precisely; he was silent all throughout school and showed a sense of fear. “Richard, stand up. Don’t look at the floor. Speak up. Speak to the entire class, not just me!”, were just a few of the things he heard from his teachers at …show more content…
Whether the teacher has been directly been at fault or it is purely the students’ fault for not making his situation clear; school is a place that can result in non-physical danger and silence. In the essay “Tongue-Tied”, written by another American writer Maxine Hong Kingston, she shows relevant similarities with Rodriguez’ experience at school. Maxine also felt the need to stay silent throughout school. Based on what I understand from reading all three essays, I would encourage that all teachers wanting to avoid this type of schooling should; understand where the students are coming from and help them so they can then help
In this scenario, Richard was a young Hispanic boy attending an American school. Spanish being his first and only language learned, it was quite difficult for him to adapt and feel comfortable in the school setting. Throughout Richard’s school experience, he was always being pressured to stand up and speak loud and clear in front of the entire class. Due to Richard’s inability to hardly understand the language, let alone speak it precisely; he was silent all throughout school and showed a sense of fear. “Richard, stand up. Don’t look at the floor. Speak up. Speak to the entire class, not just me!”, were just a few of the things he heard from his teachers at …show more content…
Whether the teacher has been directly been at fault or it is purely the students’ fault for not making his situation clear; school is a place that can result in non-physical danger and silence. In the essay “Tongue-Tied”, written by another American writer Maxine Hong Kingston, she shows relevant similarities with Rodriguez’ experience at school. Maxine also felt the need to stay silent throughout school. Based on what I understand from reading all three essays, I would encourage that all teachers wanting to avoid this type of schooling should; understand where the students are coming from and help them so they can then help