Friday, October 22, 2010
Let Teenagers Try Adulthood
In Leon Botstein's essay, "Let Teen-Agers Try Adulthood" he is writing to the adults who have children or teenagers. He talks about how the classes need to be restructured in order for kids to graduate earlier, and then get jobs or go into the military. I teenagers do either of these things then they should go to some sort of technical school or job shadow someone in a field that interests them. Botstein also states that children are growing up faster and developing faster so he believes they would be able to handle graduating two years earlier. I don't believe that. I think teens are not as grown up as they think they are. I have seen a few over the years that could have graduated early and done just fine, but the majority are too immature. I think that Botstein stated his case well, but I myself do not agree with it. I do think teens should be allowed to get some sort of job earlier than 16 in order to get a feeling of responsibility, but they still need to be in school. I could just be one of the people that they talk about in the book that hates teenagers though. I have two teenage daughters that almost drive me nuts some days, and I wish they were more responsible than they are. I do see where the essay is coming from and in some aspects I think for some people it would be a good thing. However, there are other countries that are more advanced than us in their education and I think we need to catch up to them. I am on the fence about the essay, not sure which way to turn.
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Hi Cristina,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you have realized it, but you have successfully analyzed Botstein's essay! Use this as a model when you are writing sample analysis for Kozol and the one you will do for Friday. I like that you have included what Botstein has to say about graduating two years early. Because you have teenagers, it seems like you are very well spoken on this aspect. You write,
"I think teens are not as grown up as they think they are. I have seen a few over the years that could have graduated early and done just fine, but the majority are too immature. I think that Botstein stated his case well, but I myself do not agree with it. I do think teens should be allowed to get some sort of job earlier than 16 in order to get a feeling of responsibility, but they still need to be in school. I could just be one of the people that they talk about in the book that hates teenagers though."
I like how you move through the emotional response to a logical argument. To clarify, it would be easy for a first-time reader to suggest that their response may be, "This is bullshit" (e.g. about teens graduating at 16). However you tell us why they should not graduate at 16.
Ms. C