"I Just Wanna Be Average" Part 1 by Mike Ross

     The whole time I read Mike Rose's narrative on "I Just Wanna Be Average", I kept thinking about my Literacy Narative on "Importance Of Self Esteem".  Where is elementary school, my teachers had me labeled from third grade through fifth grade in one particular elementary school that I attended in the country where I grew up.  The teachers at Our Lady of Mercy for Mike Rose and the other students had them labeled for no potential and felt they were the reasons why the school system allowed them to fail.

     Labeling students like these teachers that seemed to be incompetent to see the students real potentials can be very damaging to students. For Rose he seemed not interested in school, very bored and his fellow students it seemed to make them not care about school and started acting out in school, causing sometime explosive situations. When you get behind on subjects, it is because you have lack of motivation and in Mike Rose's situation, he didn't know which direction to go with the subject. It doesn't really state in Part 1 where Mike Rose gets behind in Math, but I would by my opinion I would say he was bored do to the lack of structure within the school by the teachers and other students."

     High school can be disorienting to students, like Ken Harvey, because no matter how bad the school, you're going to encounter notions that don't fit with the assumptions and beliefs that you grew up with - including like the article states "dissonant notions from teachers, maybe other students. And you will also be thrown into a mixture a backgrounds, places of rich ethics and linguistic mix.

     For me what I find disorienting about college would be: making the decision to do so; finding class; getting over the overwhleming feeling of the first week / month; meeting all the new people of mixed ages and all the homework. To lessen the feelings of disorientation, my best advice is B R E A T H E  and know that it is all done in steps. College is all about taking steps to get to your degree and with this being said.... we can't take all the steps at once, yet one step at a time.

     The success of our education is up to us, don't ever allow anyone to "LABEL" you as a student. Set your goals high and reach for the stars.

Unit 1 Section 9. Exercises (The Writing Process)

Section 9. Exercises (The Writing Process)

A. Exercise 1

Student’s Self - Evaluation of Writing Skills and Practices


Strengths in grammar, punctuation, composition: I’m creative with words and ideas
Weakness in grammar, punctuation, composition: I get very wordy on one thing, may bounce around
Things I like about writing: How it makes me feel. It is like a blank piece of canvas to paint.
Things I dislike about writing: Writer block
Good habits in writing and study skills: Organization, determination
Bad habits in writing and study skills: Getting frustrated, disappointing myself, misunderstanding directions

B. Exercise 2

1.) I love being to express thoughts and using your imagination. Seeing ideas come to life. What frustrates me the most is writers block. Lately it seems I suffer a lot from this but hope this class will help.

2.) The longest assignment I ever had to write was my Jr. Thesis. In order to pass 11^th grade my History Teacher, Mr. Amato assigned topics. I was hopeful because other classmates were being assigned fun and interesting people, please, and what did I get assigned…. The Panama Canal. I thought to myself, great this is 80% of my Jr. grade to become a senior. I get to write on dirt, water and the makings of a ditch. I had to write a thesis in all stages. From planning to the final draft. My audience consisted of my History, Home Economics and English teacher. I passed my thesis, became a senior and while writing the thesis found that the Panama Canal was more than just dirt, water and the making of a ditch. It is history!

3.) Without writing, I think I’d be lost. Writing to me is like an unpainted canvas waiting to be painted. I love writing and have since I was a child. It is a way for me to get all my feelings out in the open. My biggest hinder is the road blocks from time to time.

C. Exercise 3

Planning & Prewriting will be the easiest for me because I love look back and thinking of happy times using my creativity and ideas - making them come to life.

What I find difficult is saying to much about one thing so drafting.

Finalizing everything into the final stages for me, afraid I am taking out what means the most.