Lois’ English Blog

Prompt Response: I remember the day my friend told me about her real relationship with her mom. She told me that her mom had been abusive when she was younger. She also told me that they still had a strained relationship. It was so crazy to hear about how someone I thought I knew was so horrible. While I'm glad she trusted me, I can't get over how much it opened my eyes to the real world. Summary: We read another scene from "Fences". Reflection:  I learned about the lengths people would go to make a living in life. I will think about how my parents also left home with a little bit of money to make a living. 

Prompt Response: When I was a child, I believed that no matter what happened, my parents would always be there for me. I know now that they will be there for me as long as they can. There's always that moment when you realize that your parents are going to die some day. Despite that, I know that they will be with me for as long as they live no matter what happens. I will always be thankful for that.  Summary: We read Fences  in class today. Reflection: I learned there was a difference between liking someone and loving them. I will think about this when I get upset at my parents. 

Prompt response: We see that Rose is almost always cooking. This reflects how society expects women to act. She even cooks for her husband's friends when she knows she doesn't have to. She also defends Lyons who is not her son which reflects how African-American women in the 1950's had a sort of "mammy" persona they were expected to follow. They were expected to be kind and nurturing to an extreme level.  Summary: We read more of "Fences" in class. Reflection: I learned more about the negative connotations of normally acceptable words. I will use this to make sure I watch what I say in the future. 

Prompt response: It makes me realize that no matter how hard you work, biases will always trump employers' minds. Even if you're the best of the best, they might pick someone just because of the way they look. If I was in Troy's place I would be very upset. I would probably give up in the end and accept my fate despite the conditions. I would understand that there's nothing someone can do to erase stereotypes. Summary: We read Fences and discussed it as a class. Reflection: I realized that even without laws, people will still get away with unfair treatment of others based on race. I will use this to tread carefully when I join the work force.

Prompt response: I was afraid of admitting that I was not as smart as the other kids. I've always prided myself on being smart. There's nothing wrong with not being the smartest, but it's been instilled in me from a young age. Overtime, I have learned that nobody is the "smartest" just no one is the best at anything. After all we'll never truly know everybody. Summary: We began reading Fences and discussed the title. Reflection: I learned that fences can be both mental and physical. I will use this to discover my own mental fences and learn more about myself. 

 Prompt Response: There was a time when an old friend thought I was mean and unapproachable. I'm quite cold and quiet when I'm not talking to anyone, so this is a pretty common occurrence. Most of the time, people will tell me that I'm a lot nicer than I seem. That's okay though because I don't mind as long as they know me later. We're much closer now, so I guess it didn't matter in the end. Summary: We did a commonlit about human nature.  Reflection: I learned that anyone can do bad things if they are in the right circumstances. I will remember this whenever I learn about horrific acts in history.   

Prompt Response: I would be interested in learning about how certain traditions came about. Learning the origins of traditions that have been passed down for generations would be very interesting. I would also like to know more about their food and when specific food is eaten. I would also like to learn about what instruments they use in their traditional music. I would like to learn why they celebrate holidays at the time they do. Summary: We watched a short film on an immigrant mother and her son. Reflection:  I realized that being upset at your parents is okay as long as you learn to forgive them. I will use this to make sure I don't hold grudges against my parents. 

Prompt Response: Grayson's storyboard stood out because although I already knew that he had struggled with talking to his parents about eagle scouts, I didn't realize how much it impacted him. I liked how he pointed out the yellow daisy festival as his performance. His performance wasn't as impacting or traumatizing as other people's experiences, but it demonstrated how not everyone has to experience the same event. It also exemplifies how some events can be stressful just because of the physical environment. Overall, everyone's storyboards were interesting.  Summary: We presented storyboards today. Reflection: I learned about how similar experiences affected my classmates. I will use this information to relate to my peers.

Prompt Response: I had initially thought that my friend was really nice and kind to others. Then a few months later, I found out that he was a fake hypocrite that talks about people behind their backs. He had been speaking badly about me and my best friend to our friends. When I found out, I realized that just because he was nice to me in person, it didn't mean he actually liked me. Some people are just  Summary: We did a commonlit on "single stories" and learned about others' perspectives. Reflection: I learned that we should look at many perspectives. I will use this to make sure I don't assume things about people's lives.

Prompt Response: Once, I made a comment on how I hoped unripe avocado wouldn't give us a stomach ache, and a girl I knew said that it seemed as though I had really never suffered in my life. That statement blew me away because she made it seem like her life had been full of struggles when I knew it hadn't. It made me disrespected because she had always made comments on how I was "so rich" when she wasn't shy about spending money. I didn't say a single thing and just laughed it off. That response didn't really resolve it, but it made me realize that people will by hypocrites about the stupidest things. Summary: We discussed offensive words and their impact on people's lives. Reflection: I realized that certain words will affect you more depending on who says them. I will think about how my words will make people feel and make sure not to offend them. 

Prompt Response: I love being able to talk to many of my peers and teachers about many relatable subjects. My favorite way to show off my school spirit is by dressing up during homecoming week. I really enjoy being able to dress up, and being able to do that for school spirit is really fun. My favorite Homecoming tradition is hanging out with friends before the actual dance. It's really great to socialize with my peers.  Summary: We shared and presented our storyboards. Reflection: I learned that certain subjects are universal even if they are not the same experience. I will use this information to relate to others. 

Prompt Response: the pressure of gender roles excuse her affair because otherwise, she wouldn't be able to survive. She would have been cast to the streets with no way of providing for herself. Women of this era were not allowed to provide for themselves under any circumstances. Her affair was also very common for the time, as most people had a few affairs. It wasn't so bad considering her time. Summary: We did a commonlit assignments and answered questions on an article. Reflection:  I learned that some women are still expected to be perfect mothers even when they have jobs. I will use this information to make sure I don't judge mothers. 

Prompt Response: I like worksheets because it allows me to figure things out myself. I like being able to have guided lessons where I can do things on paper. The paper method allows me to see my past decisions and learn how I have changed and learn what I need to do differently.  Summary: We discussed gender roles and specifically the roles of husbands and wives. Reflection: I learned that despite the great changes women have made in the past, they still have not earned equality. I will use this information to notice how differently men and women are treated in the real world. 

Prompt Response: People always expect women to be soft spoken and docile, but I've always been very opinionated. It's often difficult for me to hold my tongue and it makes me upset when my mom tells me to be quieter and "calmer". Summary: We read "Who Wouldn't Want a Wife" and discussed it in class today.  Reflection: I learned that societal expectations on women can be constricting. I will use this to understand why certain genders act a certain way. 

Prompt response: The Atlanta metro has made me enjoy the feel of city life. I can’t even imagine life in a rural town. I want to stay in Atlanta for the rest of my life. It’s mainly because I don’t like change. I also want to stay close to my family so I can take care of them in the future. Summary: We worked on our story maps today. Reflection: I realized that my life is more complicated than I initially thought. I will use this to analyze my past and how it affects me and people close to me. 

Prompt Response: I really didn't want to play piano after a couple of years. By a couple I mean about 10 years of banging away at those cursed keys. My mom really loved music and she wanted me to play piano well like any other good Chinese kid. When I finally quit, I felt so free, and it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. After all these years of playing, I can finally appreciate being able to play several instruments, but when I look back on all of the hardships, I don't know if it was worth it.  Summary: We read "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan and discussed the story. Reflection: I learned that being forced to play piano is a very common experience for Chinese people. I will use this to make note of how others treat music. 

Prompt Response: I feel like I've been doing well in the class. It isn't too challenging, and it's nice that I'm able to be with so many of my friends. There's always something more to learn about others and their cultures and that's nice to know as well. Of course this class is nowhere near as challenging as my previous literature classes, but it is senior year, so I'm able to prioritize other things instead. Overall it's been a pleasant experience.  Summary: We worked on vocab to prepare for The Joy Luck Club. Reflection: I learned that reverie can mean like a daydream. I will use this to expand my vocabulary in the future.