1. Describe Rose's life in Voc. Ed. What were his teachers like? Have you ever had experience with teachers like these?
Rose's life was mundane. He was bored and unstimulated by his surroundings, so he sought attention and gratification in relationships and foolishness instead of his education. His teachers were complacent and didn't seem to care much about the individual development of the students. Their lackadaisical attitude was one of disconnected faith in the students' abilities and lack of concern for their success or future. I am lucky to have never had an experience with a teacher like these mentioned in Rose's writing.
2. What did Voc. Ed. do to Rose and his fellow students? How did it affect them intellectually, emotionally, and socially? Why was it subsequently so hard for Rose to catch up in math?
Voc. Ed. caused Rose and his fellow students to stop believing in themselves and what they could achieve if they (cliche warning!) put their minds to it. They were inhibited intellectually by not being pushed to integrate and process their education in a way that would allow them to develop maturity, self-awareness, and standards for learning, working, and living. Some of the students seemed emotionally distraught or sought more appealing activities to distract them from their circumstances because they were not getting the attention they needed/deserved or wanted. Rose struggled later in his studies because of an attitude he had adopted, while in Voc. Ed., that it just didn't matter much. He was unprepared for what lay ahead of him because he didn't have the proper resources available to him early on in his education.
3. Why is high school so disorientating to students like Ken Harvey? How does he cope with it? What other strategies do students use to come with the pressures and judgments they encounter in school?
Ken understood that the expectations placed on him were so low and degrading that, for him, it wasn't worth fighting to change the perceptions people already had regarding his potential as a student. He coped with it by accepting it. He concluded that it was easier for him to live "as expected" than try to break down those stereotypes placed over him. Some other students might face the pressures and judgments they encounter at school with sarcasm and jokes to avoid the emotional strain it might cause by accepting or contemplating the validity of such claims. Still, others I believe would persevere and invoke positive change in themselves to "beat the odds."
4. Rose explains in paragraph 16. that high school can be a "tremendously disorienting place." What, if anything, do you find disorienting about college? What steps can students take to lessen feelings of disorientation?
I don't, personally, really find anything disorienting about college. I think it's pretty straight forward and the expectations are laid out plain and simple for you to follow. I do think, however, that it takes more discipline and self-motivation to maintain a high rate of success throughout your college education in comparison to high school. Some steps students can take if they are feeling disorientated in college would be to utilize any tutoring services available, set aside a predetermined amount of time each day for studying, and have open communication with their instructors about any concerns, fears, problems, etc.
5. How does your experience of education compare (or contrast, or both) to Mike Rose's?
My educational experience differs quite drastically from Mike Rose's. I was home schooled for most of my education, so I had a lot of one on one time with my teacher to develop a high aptitude for the subjects being taught. I played sports at the local high school and took elective courses there that interested me as well. So, emotionally i never felt as though i had unreasonable or substandard expectations placed on me. I felt intellectually stimulated and didn't lack in social development as some might presume. Perhaps we all fight stereotypes in our own way.
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