A.Walzer 1
Relevant Texts:
Mike Rose “The Discourse of Academics” (essay)
Gerald Graff “Disliking Books at an Early Age” (essay)
John Agard “Listen Mr. Oxford Don” (poem)
Erika Badu “Fans, Friends & Artists” (poem)
Richard Rodriguez “Going Home Again” (essay)
Fan Shen “Classroom and the Wider Culture” (essay)
Barbara Mellix “From Outside, In” (essay)
Directions: please choose one of the following student-generated prompts on which to write.
Or, alternatively, you may create your own prompt. No matter which prompt you choose, you should be writing in an attempt to respond to our current inquiry: what is the writer’s
relationship to the academy?
1.
How did culture and family influence the literacy experiences of Barbara Mellix and Fan
Shen? Compare/contrast Mellix’s “From Outside, In” and Shen’s “Classroom and the Wider
Culture.”
2.
How did culture and economic class influence the literacy experiences of Richard Rodriguez and Barbara Mellix? Compare/contrast Rodriguez’s “Going Home Again” and Mellix’s “From
Outside, In.”
3.
Consider Rodriguez’s “Going Home Again.” To what extent does Rodriguez show regret for the decisions he made to get far in his education? Support this argument with evidence from his text. Then express what you believe college students can learn from Rodriguez’s experience? In supporting your argument, make reference to at least one other text read for this unit.

A.Walzer 2
4.
Do people who go to public school in this country get “equal education?” Is the school system or the individual more responsible for the quality of education received? To what extent do we control the quality of our own education? Frame an argument in response to
one of these three questions and support it with your own experience (if applicable) and evidence from a minimum of two texts read for class in this unit.
5.
Richard Rodriguez sacrificed his culture for his education. Others have risked going to jail
(or worse) for persisting in their education. What sacrifices have you made for your education? To what extent do you believe those sacrifices have been worth it? Justify your answer with your own reasoning and references to any two writers read for this unit.
6.
What does Richard Rodriguez feel one needs to give up in order to grow academically? Do you think Barbara Mellix would agree, judging from “From Outside, In?” Do you think Fan
Shen would agree, judging from “Classroom and the Wider Culture?” Do you agree or disagree?
7.
To what extent is it important for college students to speak “the discourse of academics?”
First, explain the concept, as described by Mike Rose in his essay, “The Discourse of
Academics.” Then support your position with reference to any other two writers whose work you’ve read in this unit.