Monday, March 26, 2012

 

Essay Exam 2 and Cyber-Assignment

We completed Be-Verb and Possessives quizes. Those students who scored 9-10 out of ten on Possessives took the exam. All other students were told to study. I will offer students an opportunity to complete the exam perhaps on Wednesday.

The cyber-assignment is to write a three paragraph essay on a theme or topic from Always Running. I suggested students use the topic: "Criminalization of Youth." Within this topic on can look at poverty, immigration, liguistic access, violence, and cultural differences, empowerment, vulnerbility and abuse, education--formal and informal, family, using Luis Rodriguez as the poster boy.

In paragraph 1, use a free paraphrase. Paragraph 2, a shorter citation and in Paragraph 3, a block quote (a citation 4-plus lines long). Do not forget to use signal phrases.

I also handed out Initial Planning Sheets, post your answers to these questions as well. Comment on someone's (1-3 peers) short essay. Comment on the strenghs, ask questions and take the conversation further (3 comments).

Homework

Bring in an outline of an essay connected to themes in Always Running. The essay can expand on ideas rendered here.

Use this model for the outline:

Thesis Sentence

First major point

Evidence
Evidence
Evidence

Second major point

Evidence
Evidence
Evidence
Evidence

Third major point

Evidence
Evidence
Evidence
Evidence
Evidence

And so on. . . .

Concluding sentence

(The amount of evidence varies according to the major point. This is an example of an outline. Adapt it as needed.) The final essay will be due when we return after Spring Break, that first Wednesday.

Comments:
Myungshin Kim
Wanda Sabir
Eng201B
27 March 2012

Criminalization of Youth

Luis’s family moved from Mexico to U.S after father got out of jail; his father was educated man but he couldn’t find a regular income job in U.S. so Luis’s family moved a lot from having inconsistent income to afford a house. His mother and father went out to work and Luis’s brother and Luis had to work in early age. His family did not know how to speak English when they came to America. His brother was in the classroom with retarded children only for the reason he did not know how to speak English and Luis was sent to the back of the class room for the same reason. Finally they moved to poor neighborhood in L.A.

Luis was venerable to the violence from early his life because his big brother expressed his anger, which he had at the school for being treated as a dumb, to Luis by hitting him or treating him with dysfunctional attitude. Luis states, “I remember my brother as the most dangerous person alive” (p.20). Then, as he grew up, Luis felt powerless as an illegal immigrant child. His residence was filled with violence from poor neighbors around. At certain point, he admired and craved power to survive. Luis writes, “Miguel and the rest of us started Thee Impersonations because we needed protection” (p.42). Luis started to speak the street languages as he hung out with the homes.


Luis learned and involved in countless criminal activities while he was in the street with his peers, homes. Then he had to face discriminations from polices and teachers by being an immigrant-gang-teenager. Luis writes “If you came from the Hills, you were labeled from the start. I’d walk into the counselor’s office for whatever reason and looks of disdain greeted me- one meant for criminal, alien, to be feared. Already a thug. It was harder to defy this expectation than just accept it and fall into the trappings” (p.84). This shows how Luis had to fight with the bad-boy labeled life and had to confront the feelings of being treated unfairly.

Initial planning sheet

1.Gangs are born bad or get bad?

2.I will explore the researches and argue a point.

3.I will write my essay for broad audiences who have no interest in youth gangs’ background.

4.Is background of his or her life more affected one committing the crime than a natural instinct.

5.I plan to describe a background of family, friend, community, and school. And how they affected the gangs to commit crimes.
 
Jennifer Calderon
Professor Sabir
English 201B
29 March 2012

Luis Rodriguez came from a Mexican family. He talks about how his father moved the family to Los Angeles after he had been tried for corruption in Mexico. Luis had two sisters and a brother named Jose. This family did not have a stable home they were always moving from one place to the next. Luis grew up learning and seeing gang violence in Los Angeles ; he soon became a member of “ Las Lomas.”

Luis was always running. Running from the police, junkies and from other gang bangers. He mentions how his friend Tino died while running from the police . He talks about how a innocent game of basketball turned into something tragic as was Tinos death. This first contact with the Police left Luis with a bad taste for law enforcement.

Luis or better known to the gang members as “Chin” due to a attack that he suffered at the hands of other gang bangers says when he didn’t go to school he spend his days sniffing cans of anything that would give him a buzz(pg.102) Luis gets into the Lomas gang one night while he was at a party. One of his friends Chicharron drove him to get initiated in this gang. After his gang initiation he was involved in countless crimes. He mentions how he attacked a man with a screwdriver following orders from a vato. Luis was imprisoned numerous times and soon was able to recognize the police officers by their names.

Luis suffered a lot of abuse from different sources. He had a tough childhood and was heartbroken numerous times. He recalls “ my head swarmed with torturous thoughts of Roberta in somebody else’s arms. But it was also my fault. I fell in love with a prostitute.”(pg.130) Luis became an advocate to stop violence and to unite Chicanos instead of fighting he tried to change the minds of his fellow gang members but sadly he was attacked. “The vatos tried to kill me, vatos whom I had known as brothers I would have died for them.”(pg.238)

Planning sheet

1.Luis was always running from a lot of obstacles and people he faced throughout his life.

2.I want to explore this subject because he had to struggle to overcome his bad experiences and to become someone in life.

3.I am writing to a broad audience but mainly kids and teens who are at risk of gang involvement and violence.

4.I want to write about how someone can change and overcome all his bad experiences.

5. I plan on writing about his background, the way he lived his life, the experiences good and bad that he had also about how he changed and how he became a advocate.
 
Rohan Maharjan
Wanda Sabir
English 201A
27 March 2012

Criminalization of Youth

Luis came from a Mexico family that does not speak English. His family had to move several time due to poverty. Luis father was a principal in high school. Due to some involvement in crime, he fought for his criminal charges and opted out from his profession as a principal. Luis and his brother were teased at high school due to the fact they did not know how to speak in English. After that Luis family moved to U.S and then end up in L.A neighborhood. Luis saw gang violence and became a gang member of Las Lomas.

In early years of age, Luis and his brother had to work due to their poverty. While Luis brother was in high school, he was placed classes with retarded students. Luis always wanted to kill him because he had some psychological problems. Luis developed more anger from his brother by the way his brother is treating him. One day when Luis and his brother were playing on the rooftop of their house, Luisx brother called him “Grillo come over here,” he said from the roofs edge. “Man, look at this on the ground.” I should have known better, but I leaned over to see. Rano then pushed me and I struck the ground on my back with a loud thump and lost and lost my breath, laying deathly still in suffocating agony, until I slowly gained it back.(p.21). This shows that his brother really wanted to kill Luis.

Later, Luis involed with countless crimes and was chased my police all the time. Luis had a really hard life and tragic because his family was poor and also the fact that they are illiterate. While running from the police, his friend Tino died. Luis and his brother were treated badly by other student in high school. Luis was a heartbroken because the way his brother behaves with him. Also, Luis was almost got killed by the man he calls him as brother and very close to him. Luis states, “The homeboys tried to kill me, vatos whom I had known as brothers, with whom I scurried down muddy streets and slept next to in jail. Luis also said that he could die for them.

Initial Planning Sheet

1. Research about how these gangs develop?

2. I am going to find out about who are to blame for these kind of crimes.

3. Who is reponsible for criminal act?

4. I am going to find out more detail about their family background.

5. Research about how crimes affect the upcoming generation?

6. How we can prevent these children of commiting crimes?
 
Great work. Let's talk more in class today.

WS
 
Sosorbaram Bayaraa
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201B
6 April 2012
Criminalization of youth
Luis Rodriguez came from Mexican family. After his father lost his job; they moved to the United States, just like the other immigrants seeking new life and freedom. But the new society treated them harsh and isolated, because of the linguistic access and cultural difference. Due the social issue and poverty, violence followed him everywhere. He felt vulnerable and weak every time he had been called stupid, and sat all the way back of the class, because of his bad English. The neighborhood that he lived wasn’t very safe, gangs and junkies were hanging around all the time; seeking some kind of trouble. One time he saw crew of bad looking guys were vandalizing his school, and even teachers were scared of them. From that day he thought they had so much power, and he decided to become “Las Loma” gang member.

Poverty and racism were the two great reasons to be gangster for him. He writes, “It was a jacket I could try to take off, but they kept putting it back on” (84). He got tired of his troublesome life, but society kept him that way. Even he went to new school, the school was divided in two educational levels “upper class” and “lower class.” Teachers liked Asian and White students more than Black and Mexicans. The “Thug” titled jacked he was wearing, it was his protection and meanwhile it was his pain.

Finally he realized there is no need to be bad boy to try to fit-in. The only one thing was keeping him in hell, it was his wrong idea of being “Chicano.” There is some things to fight for, some things to die for – but not this. . . . Don’t waste the rest of your days with this hate. What is revenge? . . . .Let it go. . .” (245). He felt, he saw, he knew the reason of harsh life. After all he decided to change young gang members’ lives. He tried to make them notice what is peaceful life is. He wrote this book for his son, and all children around their world who is living like his young age.
 
Sosorbaram Bayaraa
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201B
6 April 2012

Criminalization of youth

Luis Rodriguez came from Mexican family. After his father lost his job; they moved to the United States, just like the other immigrants seeking new life and freedom. But the new society treated them harsh and isolated, because of the linguistic access and cultural difference. Due the social issue and poverty, violence followed him everywhere. He felt vulnerable and weak every time he had been called stupid, and sat all the way back of the class, because of his bad English. The neighborhood that he lived wasn’t very safe, gangs and junkies were hanging around all the time; seeking some kind of trouble. One time he saw crew of bad looking guys were vandalizing his school, and even teachers were scared of them. From that day he thought they had so much power, and he decided to become “Las Loma” gang member.

Poverty and racism were the two great reasons to be gangster for him. He writes, “It was a jacket I could try to take off, but they kept putting it back on” (84). He got tired of his troublesome life, but society kept him that way. Even he went to new school, the school was divided in two educational levels “upper class” and “lower class.” Teachers liked Asian and White students more than Black and Mexicans. The “Thug” titled jacked he was wearing, it was his protection and meanwhile it was his pain.

Finally he realized there is no need to be bad boy to try to fit-in. The only one thing was keeping him in hell, it was his wrong idea of being “Chicano.” There is some things to fight for, some things to die for – but not this. . . . Don’t waste the rest of your days with this hate. What is revenge? . . . .Let it go. . .” (245). He felt, he saw, he knew the reason of harsh life. After all he decided to change young gang members’ lives. He tried to make them notice what is peaceful life is. He wrote this book for his son, and all children around their world who is living like his young age.


Initial planning sheet

1. Cursed Immigrants

2. I will explore their experience of life and evaluate it.

3. I am writing for audience more specifically young immigrants who is trying to find the way to live in U.S.

4. What is the best way to fight agains poverty, racism, violence and linguistic access, without involving in gang bang.

5. I plan to write about problems of being immigrants, And solve the solution by research. And also I will use Luis Rodiguez's book for reference and evidence.
 
Keno Mapp II
Professor Sabir
English 201B 1:00-3:00
2, April 2012

How and Were
In the book Always Running by Luis J. Rodriguez, he (the other) gives us a glimpse in to his travels to becoming a fixture of the streets to a world renowned author. The topic that will be illuminated in this paper is the question, dose the how and the where we grow up determine were you will end up on this planet. Luis is going to be our model for the answer to this question. Looking at key points like where he is from, where he moved to, social standings and the company he kept.

Luis and his family were immigrants from México, raised in parental turbulence as much of the world children are today. He also had a fairly large family and not a lot of money to provide for them, some would say it forced him into the life he stumbled through, always running. Which is best illustrated in a line from his book “My life on the streets involved stealing, shooting, stabbings arrest, homelessness, drug use and overdoses. . . I didn’t have plans for the future, for the dreams to take me there.” (XV) This cold truth is to true for many family’s trying to make a way in “the land of the free” America.

Personally being a product of a third generation immigrant family, seeing the choose of that dark doorway to evil and quick money. That the cold streets so warmly puts in front of us every moment of every day, is a choose we have to make according to our on standers and resolve. Some take that easy way out, but the great ones either make it through to the other side, skip that dark doorway altogether or get swallowed up by it. In the case of Luis Rodrigues he was nudged into that door by his surroundings and tock of running, eventually making it through to the other side as one of the great ones that made it. The life of an immigrant is what you make it! Some choose to make it harder on themselves as another quote from Luis portrays “Our first exposure in America stays with me like a foul odor. It seemed a strange world, most of it spiteful to us, spitting and stepping on us, coughing us up, us immigrants, as if we were phlegm stuck In the collective throat of this country.” It is hard to think with that mind set it would be easy to make a way for yourself in that country.

Initial planning sheet

1. The topic I well be writing about is dose the how and where you grow up determines were you will end up in this world?

2. I well be using Always Running to get the answer.

3. My paper will be written for a broad group of readers.

4. I plan to describe how the were and how has nothing to do with were you end up.
 
Tesfaye Kekeba
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201B
10 April 2012

Criminalization of Youths
Luis Rodriguez is from Mexican family. He is one of the children those who are exposed for criminal activities during their childhood period. As the title of the book “Always running” mentions, he spent most of his time moving from place to place to escape from the police officers and to seek for better life. His first movement was started when he immigrated from Mexico to United States of America with his family, and then, when he was pushed from house to house with his family. His mother was trying to get settle her children somewhere including Luis, but their movement still continued. There was a time when they slept in their car. Life was becoming worse and worse for Luis. Finally, he left everything and became a gang member.
Different people abused Luis at different time in his life. This in turn pushed him to be illegal activities participant in his society. His brother, for example, mistreated Luis different times for different reasons. The school principal put his brother, Rano, with retarded children because of his poor English skills, and Rano took his rage on Luis. “For all this, Rano took all his rage on me (pg. 21). Rano also used to abuse Luis at home. Luis says. “Rano then pushed me and I struck the ground on my break with a loud thump and lost my breath . . . (pg. 21). One day, their mother sent Luis and his brother to grocery store for shopping. After they finished shopping, five bike riders jumped off their bikes and hurt both Luis and his brother. When he explains about this, Luis says, “He pushed me to the ground, the groceries splattered onto the asphalt (pg. 24). Luis never expected his friends to kill him. But, once up on a time, his friends also tried to kill him. “The homeboys tried to kill me . . . (pg. 238), is the best evidence for this case. Luis problem continued stepping with him. His school teacher also discouraged him in his school. She told him to sit at the back of the class for his English language problem. “Why don’t you sit here at the back of the class . . . (pg. 26).
His brother and friends’ abuse pushed Luis to be a gangster and criminal boy. His family never wants Luis to be a criminal boy, but his environmental factors motivated him to be a bad boy in his family. As a result, he started to do criminal activities during his early adulthood period. He says, “I was 13 years old. I already tattooed. Already sexuality involved. Already into drugs” (pg. 48). First, he loved a chola girl called Elena when he was 12 years old (pg. 44), and this opened the door for him to fall in love with prostitute girls. He writes, “. . ., but it was my fault. I felt in love with prostitute girls” (pg. 130). On the other hand, the school principal punished Luis for the crime he committed in the school. But, he continued to do criminal activities in his society. He violated human rights with his friends without any reason. Luis spent his life time doing unethical and criminal activities. He was also used to rob money, jewelry, and guns. He said, “We were told to take only things we could walk out with, such as money, jewelry and guns . . . (pg. 76).

Initial Planning sheet
1.Criminalization of Youths.
2.I want to explore what factors push youths to commit criminal activities.
3.I want to my audience the whole society while I am doing this research.
4.Why do youths involve in criminal activities?
5.I plan to use descriptive and causal analysis method of writing.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?