Research Paper Thesis

Ariele Silva

English 1100

November 18, 2015

Prof. Young

Thesis 1

Because cheerleading is not taken seriously due to its stereotypes its not considered a sport, cheerleaders don't have access to athletic trainers, proper super vision, and coaches resulting in many injuries. Therefore in order to assure safety for the cheerleaders well being, it should be taken seriously and be considered a sport.

Thesis 2 rewrite

Furthermore due to safety circumstances for the cheerleaders well beings, cheerleading should be considered a sport. They should be able to have access to athletic trainers, proper super vision and qualified coaches. The cheerleading stereotype should not give them a disadvantage and put them in danger and at risk.

Research Paper Questions

Ariele Silva

English 1100

November 8, 2015

Prof. Young

1. what is cheerleading?
2. what makes it a sport?
3. what are the qualifications for anything to be a sport?
4. does it meet those qualifications?
5. why should cheerleading be named a sport?
6. is cheerleading a sport?
7. whats is sideline cheerleading?
8. whats competitive cheerleading?
9. what is the difference between sideline and competitive?
10. what is done at a cheerleading practice?

Still Separate Still Unequal Quotes 2

Ariele Silva

English 1100

October 29, 2015

Prof. Young

"If you do what I tell you to do, how I tell you to do it, when I tell you to do it, you'll get it right," said a determined South Bronx principal observed by a reporter for the New York Times. She was laying out a memorizing rule for math to an assembly of her students. "If you don't, you'll get it wrong."

"Silent lunches had been instituted in the cafeteria, and on days when children misbehaved, silent recess had been introduced as well. On those days the students were obliged to sit in rows and maintain perfect silence on the floor of a small indoor room instead of going out to play. The words SUCCESS FOR ALL, the brand name of a scripted curriculum—better known by its acronym, SPA—were prominently posted at the top of the main stairway and, as I would later find, in almost every room."

Another signal now was given by the teacher, this one not for silence but in order to achieve some other form of class behavior, which I could not quite identify. The students gave exactly the same signal in response. Whatever the function of this signal, it was done as I had seen it done in the South Bronx and would see it done in other schools in months to come. Suddenly, with a seeming surge of restlessness and irritation—with herself, as it appeared, and with her own effective use of all the tricks that she had learned—she turned to me and said, "I can do this with my dog.

Still Separate, Still Unequal Quotes

Ariele Silva

English 1100

October 25, 2015

Prof. Young

"It's as if you have been put in a garage where, if they don't have room for something but aren't sure if they should throw it out, they put it there where they don't need to think of it again."

"If people in New York woke up one day and learned that we were gone, that we had simply died or left for somewhere else, how would they feel?"

"How do you think they'd feel"

"I think they'r be relieved"

"It is not fair that other kids have a garden and new things. But we don't have that."

"Still Separate, Still Unequal: America's Educational Apartheid JONATHAN 

KOZOL / Harper's Magazine V.311, N.1864 1sep2005." Still Separate, 

Still Unequal: America's Educational Apartheid JONATHAN KOZOL / 

Harper's Magazine V.311, N.1864 1sep2005. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 

2015.

Jean Anyon Response

Ariele Silva

English 1100

September 23, 2015

Prof. Young

~ Consider your own educational experience against Jean Anyon’s essay. Do you think her position still hold merit today?

When do stereotypes become real? They become real when we make them our own reality. In accordance to school systems and how well our public education is in term of class there is a significant gap between classes. From working class, to middle class and upper class each education system varies. If I were asked on my thoughts of how each education is for their respective classes, I would have answered as follows. For the working class/ lower class the first thing that comes to mind is a rough school environment with broken desks, torn and dated books and teachers who genuinely don’t care about teaching students. When thinking of middle class, my thoughts are on normal nice desks, up to date textbooks and schools supplies and a friendly learning environment. For upper class schools, I picture white walls with beautiful decor, fancy desks, expensive uniforms, the latest technology and textbooks and a bunch of ungrateful snobby kids. Those are all my thoughts because those were the stereotypes of the class education system that I grew up with. My own education system, I would have to say would be an upper middle class. I was in between a middle and upper class school system, not high enough for upper class but technically not in middle class either. My school had modern up to date textbooks, fairly good technology, we had a clean atmosphere and a positive learning environment. The teachers in my school genuinely cared about their students and would take their time teaching the material and offer extra help after school hours. In reference to Jean Anyon’s essay, her statistics fit the stereotype of what I learned about the classes educational system. Some teachers were narrow minded into textbook teaching and only having one way of doing things while others threw in their own notes and problems. Other teachers didn’t bother or care enough to thoroughly teach the students on how to do certain math problems like division. They would just say here it is and it’s this, while other teachers dissected the problem to the point of teaching the student not only the step by step procedure but even teaching them the mathematical vocabulary. I do believe that class plays a part in your education but the students themselves have the major role. As many people say “make it or break it”. If you were in the working class educational system, you have to make the most of it as a student and work hard to persevere and make your way out of that class. By progressing in any kind of education and finding a well paying job you can leave that class and work your way up. Not only is the power only to the students by it also depends on the teachers as well. If a teacher genuinely cares about their students it doesn’t matter what class they are in, as long as they give 110% in their teachings. There could be an amazing teacher in the working class and a teacher who simply doesn’t care in the upper class. It's all about opportunity and ambition. Although Jean Anyon’s essay does hold merit, I do believe that with the years that have gone by obviously the statistics have changed and that young people today can be more motivated to move up in the world and strive to be in a better class with hard work and perseverance.

Students right to their language in an academic setting response

Ariele Silva
English 1100
September 15, 2015
Prof. Young

          ~ Do you think students should have the right to use their own language in an academic setting? Why or why not? ~


    I think students can not only use their own language but slang as well in an academic setting. Slang can be used, when appropriate, while student’s own language can be used for the reason of being able to “preserve its heritage of dialects”. Not only in a cultural sense but in a modern sense language has changed and evolved. An example would be back the term “Gee willikers!” was used, nowadays no one uses that term but instead say “Oh my God!”. The change over time shows how language evolves and modernizes a simple term of slang. There are also certain modern slang terms like bomb or awk etc., which are more casually used. Those are good normal slang terms used with today’s language but there are also slang terms that are offensive and are mostly profanity. The other day in class, we all used appropriate slang, when learning how to write a "Bangin' Essay". and when we were discussing the explanation of how to pronounce thot. Given those circumstances, it was appropriate to use friendly slang. For example, saying your class is "the bomb" means good things. It means your class is awesome and fun. Another instance in which students should be able to use their own language in an academic setting is just like when we were learning about Gloria Anzaldua and what our identity is. A major point we all agreed as a class that identity was, was language. Gloria incorporating spanish and speaking/writing in Spanglish is part of her using her own language in an academic setting. Her incorporating that is completely appropriate. But if or when students want to take advantage of that, we must still only use it when appropriate. For example to use their own language and slang in an academic setting, it has to be appropriate and clean, it can't be the profanity slang because not only is it vulgar and unprofessional, but it can also be seen as disrespectful. That's why given the circumstances students can use their own language in an academic setting and use slang but only when appropriate.

Gloria Anzaldua Response Essay

Ariele Silva

English 1100

September 2, 2015

Prof. Young

Gloria Anzaldua Response Essay

What does identity mean to me? When I think of the word identity itself, I think of a person’s 

background, heritage, culture, religion, language and ethnicity. I think of all those things because 

those are all the things I use to identify myself. I’m very proud to be Ecuadorian, and I identify 

myself as such; just like how Anzaldua identifies herself as Chicana. I really related to “How to

Tame a Wild Tongue” because as a Spanish speaker, I knew exactly what Anzaldua was going

through. Coming into this country, I never knew how narrow minded people were when it came to

them having to face the unknown, when facing another ethnicity. A prime example of people’s 

narrow mindedness would when Anzaldua’s teacher rudely said “If you want to be American, speak 

‘American.’ If you don’t like it, go back to Mexico where you belong.” (Anzaldua 256). Firstly, no 

one can speak “American”, what they spoke was English, not American, and secondly America is 

supposed to be a “melting pot” where all different cultures come together in one country. Instead of 

scolding Anzaldua’s for her accent and shaming her for her language, they should have her embrace 

it, encourage it and be proud. Anzaldua is Chicana. That’s who she is, and her identity and nothing 

will change that. Just as Anzaldua had said “Stubborn, persevering, impenetrable as stone, yet 

possessing a malleability that renders us unbreakable, we, the mestizas and mestizos, will remain.” 

(Anzaldua 264) no matter how they might try to beat us down or break us, we won’t falter in our 

pride for who we are, our identity. This is what identity means to me. To be able to fight for who you 

are, what you believe in and to stay true to yourself.

Works Cited

Anzaldua, Gloria. "How to Tame a Wild Tongue". Teaching Developmental Writing. Ed. Susan Naomi Bernstein. Fourth ed. New York : Bedford/St. Martin's, 2013. 245 - 255. Print.

"How to Tame a Wild Tongue" Quotes

Ariele Silva
English 1100
August 30, 2015
Prof. Young

Quotes:

"If you want to be American, speak 'American.' If you don't like it, go back to Mexico where you belong."

"Hocicona, repelona, chismosa, having a big mouth, questioning, carrying tales are all signs of being mal criada. In my culture they were all words that are derogatory if applied to women - I've never heard them applied to men."

"We are robbed of our female being by the masculine plural. Language is a male discourage."

Works Cited

Anzaldua, Gloria. "How to Tame a Wild Tongue". Teaching Developmental Writing. Ed. Susan Naomi Bernstein. Fourth ed. New York: Bedford/ St. Martin's, 2013. 245-225. Print.

"How to Tame a Wild Tongue" Responses

Ariele Silva
English 1100
August 30, 2015
Prof. Young

1. Discuss how the opening scene of Anzaldua in the dentist's chair connects to the overall point/message of the essay and title.
~     The opening scene connects to the overall message of the essay and title because since the dentist is telling her that he "has never seen anything as strong or as stubborn," it relates to herself and the struggle she has with her language and how people don't accept it.

2. Discuss Anzaldua's use of Spanish throughout her writing. Did it make sense? What was her purpose?
~     I believe her purpose was to show how Spanglish could be used and to show people what its like when you can understand certain things. It all made sense to me because I am Latina so I read it perfectly fine.

3. Can Academic English be defined as Spanish (Standard) and can Chicano Spanish be described as nonstandard? Why? What inferences, conclusions, can be made from referring to one identity (language) as standard versus nonstandard?
~     Yes it can be. Standard Spanish is with all the formalities and such while Chicano Spanish is more like a slang or in this can nonstandard. Its an evolved version of Spanish with mixtures of other dialects, that being the reasons of why it is deemed nonstandard.

4. Discuss the necessity of speaking and/writing in Academic English as an identity. Is it necessary?
~     Speaking and writing in Academic English is necessary because initially those skills are what could land you a job or not. If you hand in a resume and it has proper grammar it looks professional, while if you were to hand in a resume with slang and not proper English then that gives you the identity and appearance as an unprofessional person.

5. Anzaldua describes different types of Spanish, identities. Discuss the various types of English, identities, you know and use.
~     There are many forms of English. There is the American English that we use or British English with more proper terminology, there is also the dialect of Southern style English with terms of "Y'all" and such; and then finally the more modern identity of English that almost everyone uses now a days. Slang. I know that I for one use slang all the time. My favorite term that I use and say a lot is "sounds gucci". It means sounds good or like sounds like a plan.

6. Pachuco. Do you use a secret language, secret identity, to communicate to your friends? If so, what?
~     I don't use a secret language. Although my friends have been trying to teach me one. It's called Gibberish and let me tell you, it is very very difficult.

7. Chicano Spanish can be compared to non-standard English. What form of English (standard or nonstandard) do you speak with your friends (audience)? What forms of English do you speak when you talk to your mother (audience), professor (audience)? Why?
~     I speak in slang and casually to my friends in English. When speaking to my relatives and mother and father I speak casual Spanish as well as formal also. For my professors on the other hand, I usually speak to them formally in English.

8. "I am my language." What does this mean? How does this statement connect to a person's identity?
~     What it mean's is that we are who we speak. Spanish is my language so in a way it's also my identity. English is also part of my language as well so I also use it to identify myself. We are who we present ourselves to be. In terms of a persons language, I think it says a lot about themselves.

9. Talk specifically about how the introduction and conclusion connect.
~     They connect because just as how the dentist said her tongue was stubborn thats how she is describing herself and her people that no matter what they will continue to be stubborn and be proud of their language.

10. Can the language you speak be a part of you identity? Why?
~     Yes. I do believe that it is a part of your identity because not only is that how we speak but it also says a lot about us; like where we are from and how our culture is.

11. How important is identity to you? Does Anzaldua believe it's important to have identity? Use some examples from "How to Tame a Wild Tongue," to support your answer.
~     Identity is important to me because it really tells a lot about a person and who they are and about their background. Its important to me especially because I like to stay true to my roots and never forget or ever be embarrassed of my home and country. I also believe that Anzaldua is like that too because like she said "Humildes yet proud, quietos yet wild, nosotros los mexicanos-Chicanos will walk by the crumbling ashes as we go about our business." What she was trying to say was that no matter what or who tries to forces the English language on them, they will carry on their "business", as in keep what's true to them, their own languages.

"B" ?

Ariele Silva
English 1100
August 25, 2015
Prof. Young

      ~ Rate yourself as a writer: A, B, C, or D. Explain why. ~


 I think of myself as an okay writer. I'm not going to be the next Fitzgerald or Rowling or anything but I think I'm alright. I only really write if it's for myself or for class. I don't think I could rate myself an "A" but I'm not so sure I would rate myself as a "C" either. I'll just say I think I'm a mediocre "A" or in this case a "B". I could always improve myself because there is always room for improvement right? So I rate myself as a "B". Neither amazing or awful just okay and good.

Writing Skills and Life

Ariele Silva
English 1100
August 25, 2015
Prof. Young
     
      ~ What is most important for you to learn this semester? ~



 I could answer this in many ways. If asked about what I want to learn in class, then I could answer it like this: I want to better myself in my writing skills. I want to find a way to captivate a reader and have a better understanding of the subject while also improving my writing to a profound and deeper level. The question, in terms of myself as a college student; then I could answer it simply. I want to learn to be independent. I want to explore and experience new things and open up my horizons. I want to learn what I can do for myself and what the future will have in store for me. I want to learn all these things this semester.

I'd survive without it

Ariele Silva
English 1100
August 25, 2015
Prof. Young

       ~ Do you use social media and if so how often do you use social media: Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram? ~


 I believe with the way our generation is right now that we do use social media a lot. I think I check it an average amount. I only really use Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. I'm not a big fan of Facebook; I have one, but I haven't used it in years. Facebook used to be the thing when I was in middle school so I was very active with it then, but now I don't use it at all. My new favorite social media though is vine. It's great ! I find so many funny videos on vine and I love it. (cause I mean you know, who doesn't like a good laugh?) But anyway I don't think I'm one of those people who is addicted to social media. I just check it every once in a while; but if I'm in class or at an event of some sort I can defiantly survive with out checking it.

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

Ariele Silva

English 1100

August 24, 2015

Prof. Young

   ~ What type of music do you listen to and who is your favorite artist? ~

I listen to literally all kinds of music. It varies from Rock to Rap to Pop to Reggeton. But recently I've been listening to one song a a lot that is currently my favorite. Its called Nightmare by Miley Cyrus. I guess I could say she's my favorite artist. I have so many favorites that I couldn't possibly pick, but I'll say it's Miley since her song is currently my favorite one.

I think its really good. It's supposed to be about when her and Liam Hemsworth broke up and ended things. 

Young times two.

Ariele Silva

English 1100

August 24, 2015

Prof. Young

   ~ How would you describe your writing experience in high school? For example did your teachers allow you multiple times for you to revise your essays to earn a higher grade? Did you learn grammar rules and structure ? Did you learn about the five paragraph structure? ~

Coincidentally Prof. Young, my high school AP Literature and Composition teacher's name was also Young. Mrs. Young to be precise. Mrs. Young made my writing experiences very fun and allowed me to learn and improve from my mistakes. We were always allowed to write our paper and if we handed it in before the due date she would correct it and hand it back to us with her feedback on how to improve it. We could do this as many times as we liked until the actual day the essay was due. Not only that but near the end of the marking period, she would give us the opportunity to rewrite one essay of our choice. (Most typically the essay we did worse on or got a lower grade on) We would rewrite that one essay and she would re-grade it and if the grade was lower there would be no change, but if you improved she would erase the grade it was previously and replace it with the new grade. Mrs. Young also taught us about the five paragraph structure but wasn't a very big fan of it. She would always say "just write as much as it takes to get the job done." meaning it was fine if our essays were less than five paragraphs as long as we got our point across and have enough evidence to support it. (although we never went under five paragraph the minimum would be four if we ever went under five) As far as grammar rules and structure goes.. well.. the whole "just write as much as it takes to get the job done." sort of covers the whole structure thing; and for grammar we didn't really go over it that much. We would just expand our vocabulary and that was about it. Everyone  basically knew about there, their, and they're and you're and your. (at least I hope)

F r e e s t y l e

Ariele Silva

English 1100

August 24, 2015

Prof. Young

   ~ When you write, do you just sit at the computer and allow the words to flow or do you have an outline? ~

When I write.. It kind of just happens.. I suppose? I don't use or make an outline of any sort. I sort of just write and type exactly when I'm thinking. There's not process in between or thinking about it. I guess I could best explain it as freestyle writing? but in a difference sense. A sense in which there's no though about it what so ever.

Matt's and Mike's starting a trend..

Ariele Silva

English 1100

August 24, 2015

Prof. Young

   ~ What is your nickname and how did you get this name? ~

Well.. When I first started middle school, I and the entire student body realized that there was an absurd amount of kids named Matt and Mike. At every corner of the hallway you would see a Mike and or Matt and if you were to call out to them and say hi, for example "Hey Mike" you would have seven kids stop. turn around. and respond then they would all look at each other confused and wonder to who it was directed to. So in order to avoid all the Matt and Mike chaos; we gave them nicknames. (keep in mind we were all in fifth grade so the nicknames were that elaborate) ... (okay lets be honest they weren't even clever either but we though it was ground breaking and revolutionary) The nicknames we gave them was by just calling them by their last name; or abbreviating their last name. For example for my friend Matt his last name was Riccitelli. So we all called him that or we just abbreviated the last name Riccitelli and called him Ric. Since all of the boys were getting these nicknames the girls wanted in on it too. (cause I mean why not? girls wanted to have some kind of nickname too right?) Anyway that same friend, Matt, is who gave me my nickname. Since my last name is Silva he took away the "a" and replaced it with an "s" creating "Silvs". (Don't ask me how he did it. All I knew at the time was that it was like I was given the most amazing nickname ever) So since he made up Silvs it sort of stuck around with me. My friends and other people would call me that in the hallway. I would end up using Silvs in almost if not all of my usernames for everything. I thought it was pretty cool and I still do. Personally its my favorite. I don't know what is it but I believe it gives my name that little PA - ZAZZ if you know what I mean. It gave it that little something to make it special.

* Fun fact. I also gave him a nickname. Mafru.

Singing Mosaics?

Ariele Silva

English 1100

August 24, 2015

Prof. Young

   ~ What are you most passionate about? For example, in your free time, what do you enjoy doing most? ~

I guess I've always been passionate about singing and art. I sing almost (if not) everyday. I've been apart of choir for eight years and a acoustics (a more select group) for four years. My favorite person to sing with would be my friend Joey. Although he may not believe it, he is actually very good and could be the next Harry Styles (his words). Whenever we hangout we somehow always end up singing at least maybe four or five songs minimum if not more. But other than singing, I'm also very passionate about art. Especially mosaics. I've been working on one mosaic particularly for about two years now. It's still a work in progress but I'm determined to complete it. My mosaic was actually featured in my high school's Creative Arts Festival as a work in progress. It's a 17 x 15 mosaic of the common "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil." but with a twist. Instead of it being the typical monkeys.. I decided to make them skeletons instead. Its taken over hundreds of tiny glass pieces but I managed to get the outline done. I'm currently working on filling it in, but as of right now.. it's still a work in progress and I haven't given up on it yet.... even though it does get frustrating..

Cheerleading

Ariele Silva

English 1100

August 24, 2015

Prof. Young

   ~ If you play a sport, what type of sport do you play? How long have you been playing this sport? Give details. ~

                

I've always been involved in sports, ever since I was little. I played soccer in second grade.. that is until I got a soccer ball to the face and my mom pulled me out of the sport. But ever since I stopped playing soccer, I started a new sport and found my passion and love for it. Cheerleading. I started cheerleading in fifth grade and let me tell you I love it. Especially since I'm tiny, because then I would be the flyer or front spot. I've been cheerleading for eight years along side my friends. Some cheerleading teams don't get along but not my team. We didn't just get along.. we were family. We were always there for each other whether it was sticking it out at our first game of the season when it started pouring and we had to wear ponchos to taking home that win at Met Life and getting our undefeated season. My team was like no other, they were the best girls to cheer with and I wouldn't change that for anything in the world. They especially gave me the best four years cheering with them in high school. The memories we made we truly unforgettable. The sparkles, the bows, nike pros and the insane amount of hairspray we would use, I would do it all over again with my team. Just to step on the mat with them was the best and I will never forget that. Pce, Luv, Cheer and Hoi Yah to my Cheer Fam♡