Helpful or Tedious Punishment?

In the excerpt from his autobiography “Learning to Read”, Malcolm X talks of how he learned to read by copying words from a dictionary. He started by copying a page, and then would study them until he knew every word. This action he took made him write in a more eligible way and also made him write faster. He also became a better reader because he would pick up a book and instead of just stumbling over words he did not know, and getting a mild understanding of what he had read, he could remember the words from the dictionary and understand exactly what the book was saying.

Copying words from a dictionary seems like very tedious work, and it is to some people. Malcolm X used it to better himself as a reader; however some schools are using this as a method to punish students. I remember a time back in middle school when I would have to spend time in detention, I would be made to copy entire pages from the dictionary and turn it in to the instructor before I could leave. This action made me not like reading and writing much, because it was boring, a punishment, and it made my hand cramp at times because it was so much to write. It could have also made me a better writer and possibly expanded my vocabulary, as it did to Malcolm X, yet I tried to do it as fast as I could and did not pay attention to what I was writing so I could just get the very boring task over and leave.

Why should schools take copying words from a dictionary, which could help people learn and better their education, and turn it into punishment for doing something wrong? Does anyone else know of any ways schools take something that could help students better their education and turn it into something students hate?

Just Ask A Question!

In 1960, William F. Buckley wrote an essay entitled “Why Don’t We Complain?” to say that Americans do not complain enough. I think that all you have to do is to ask questions, which is not complaining.

If people were not so afraid of what others thought, then there would be no problem for someone to ask a question when they are in need of something. For example, in the article he tells of the 85 degree train. If someone would have asked the conductor who walked right past them to turn down the heat, then the passengers would not have had to suffer.

People in this age are so accustomed to life and the way that it is run, so they do not ask questions because they are afraid of what others will say. They do not want to interrupt their daily routine and cause a scene.

I know that I am afraid to ask questions in some cases. When I do not understand something, I try to figure it out on my own before I ask a question because I am afraid of what people would think of me. Would they think less of me because I do not understand?

Does anyone else have trouble asking questions?