Visual Intellectualism Gerald Graff expresses his concern in “Hidden Intellectualism” about how the education system does not accurately measure true intelligence. If the education system used each individual’s interests, Graff argues, the individual would be much more intrigued in the subject matter; therefore, increasing his or her knowledge. Throughout the article, Graff also draws on his love of sports to support his argument, saying that it includes elements of grammar, methodologies, and debate. He believes this proves that interests can replace traditional teaching. Graff contends one’s interest will create a community with others throughout the nation who share the same interests. While it is important to pursue your interests, there …show more content…
In order to understand a subject, one may have to see how it has developed over time. For example, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is known to be the first “horror” literature. It may have a lull when she describes the nature (a significant theme at the time) but without it writers like Stephen King may not be around today. The history of the subject allows a student to become more familiar with a certain topic. In the case of the “horror” literature, the student can have a conversation as to what elements make it “horror” literature. The same can be said for all subjects. In order to write, one must know proper grammar and paper …show more content…
It can be a tedious task for a person to find another who share the same interests. That is why it is important to understand and respect other’s interests. Even if a certain topic doesn’t intrigue you, it may be a large part of someone else’s life. Having a broad knowledge on many different topics allows you to expand your connections with others and have intelligent conversations, increase your knowledge and theirs. In liberal art colleges, this is the message they try to embed in their students. It’s perfectly acceptable to have you passion, but it’s also important to be well
In the essay “Hidden Intellectualism” Gerald Graff expressed his views on education. He feels that teachers or professors only see traditional subjects or text as intellectually valuable even though, although as a professor himself, he disagrees with it. He feels that the spectrum should be broadened to be able to interact with the kids more and get them more interested in the reading that are taught in schools. He is speaking to teachers in an effort to get them to change from the mindset of teaching traditionally and get reading that students to relate to. He is also speaking to students to get them to feel better about not being able to relate certain readings, and to also see that not being able to relate to the readings is not a bad thing. Although Pop Culture reading is not considered as intellectual reading it should be.
All in all, “Hidden Intellectualism” is a pleasant journey through the nuances of educating future intellectuals, especially with Gerald Graff at the helm navigating as only a venerable ship captain can.
He explains that though extraordinary opportunities reveal themselves in many ways, they all have the same effect: they allow the individual to get ahead. According to Gladwell, sometimes these opportunities build up until they are no longer single accidents. He illustrates the concept of gifted programs to support his claim. Teachers select promising students for the programs in hopes of maximizing their potential, and unsurprisingly, these students learn more and advance above their classmates—an advantage that continues to accumulate year after year (Gladwell 29). However, a study by Bedard and Dhuey reveals that these students are often perceived as more intelligent than their peers simply because they are more mature (28). The students that aren’t as mature are consequently denied an important, critical opportunity in their education. Gladwell presents the Canadian Hockey League system as another example: after young players are separated into teams according to their skill level, the most talented players receive better training and more practice time (25). Although it appears that this process is fairly based on ability, Gladwell emphasizes that hockey coaches make the same mistake that teachers do in the classroom—they unknowingly choose the most physically mature players (24-25).
If one were to analyze this essay, they one is to find out that it is written the way he advocates teachers to teach. Most of this essay is written in a story context, but it is meant to be analyzed. Once the reader analyzes the essay, the essay being a simple one, he or she will have involuntarily tested out Graff’s suggestion stated in the last paragraph. In writing this essay, Graff also assumes that the reader will now try to analyze everything they read in their everyday lives, not just what they read at school. This advocates the thought of real intellectualism because the reader is able apply this many things like the news, Facebook, homework, and any other reading. In doing so, the author actively promotes his thinking of finding real intelligence (400). Graff uses his audience in order to promote his thinking of real
Back in 8th grade, I was choosing my classes for high school. I was thrilled to see many fine arts classes, along with many different classes, because middle school only offers limited kinds of class. Since I already know I’m taking band in high school, I didn’t have to worry about fine arts credit but I chose to take art too, because I wanted learn more deeper about art. I saw many students like me taking both band and art, or enjoying art classes like I did. However, there were many students who did not enjoy it, or just taking it because they needed fine art credit in order to graduate. It remind me of myself taking language class just to get credit instead of interested in learning.
Graff takes a logical approach to defending his opinion on the age old battle of “street smarts versus book smarts” in the article “Hidden Intellectualism”. Through several historical and personal examples, he strongly delivers an argument that schools have been discounting students who may not think academically. In reality the students who can relate articles from sources like Vouge and Sports Illustrated to life may be the ones who will truly be successful. Throughout his writing, he uses many devices to sway the audience’s opinions in the direction of his. Through Graff’s rhetorical writing strategies, he opens reader’s eyes to the fact that any subject can be intellectual when observed “through academic eyes”.
With the many types of learning styles, there are also many different areas of study. I believe it is imperative to be a well-rounded student by exploring different subjects. In the future we will interact with people with different backgrounds, different beliefs, and different ideals. With this in mind, being exposed to a variety of topics during college will help understand and relate with people that we may cross paths with in the future.
...h articles provide strong evidence in which students need to be immersed to a high degree in meaningful, purposeful, high quality literature for his or her writing to be influenced. Furthermore, students not only need to immersed in high quality literature, but this literature has to be discussed and incorporated into a writing community to nurture and foster the development of the readers and writers within the community. In summation, both of these articles address the necessary reading-writing connection in relation to students’ compositions and growth as a reader and language communicator.
For example, I am having trouble focusing on just one topic for the end of the year project. I want to learn how to find an objective and develop it well. Also, literature is influenced by the writing of many such as Shakespeare, Dickinson and even Stephen King. They all have a peculiar style, which is why they stand out. Being able to develop our own style requires something advanced and this is something I wish. Overall, this class will benefit me in many ways
In chapter 4, the author talks about interests. Interests are different than skills because you can be interested in something and not have the skills to do it or vice versa. If you do not have a skill, it can be developed in order for you to pursue an interest you have. There are six themes of interests. They are realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. Realistic themed people use their physical skills. They may enjoy outdoor and hands-on activities. They are practical, constructive, concrete thinkers, and observant. Investigative themed people are motivated by analyzing. They enjoy to conduct research and make observations. They are intellectual, theoretical, independent, and task-oriented. Artistic people
“The secret in education lies in respecting the student,” said Ralph Emerson. The quote above reflects upon the sheer importance of respecting a student’s capacities, characters, and qualities alike in the school environment. Whether it be a teacher’s failure to recognize a student’s athletic talents or a negro parent succumbing to a segregationist legal system, ignorant mindsets plague the current philosophy of education. Instead, teachers ought to recognize a student’s artistic skills and athletic capacities and possession of the so-called gift of the gab. Parents ought to respect their children’s desires to exercise their free will and natural talents. Academic instructors ought to encourage scholars to strive for success by rendering genuine assistance, rather than inundating their lives with onerous tasks. Needless to say, the prevailing institution of “education” offers an insightful, open-minded approach to readying pupils for the ensuing workplace environments.
Why read literature? To many of us, that question seems as strange as asking “why breathe?” Literature has been part of our life, family, school, and community for as long as we can remember. Literature offers windows to worlds outside students’ experience as well as mirrors onto the world they already know. Literature also prepares students for the personal challenges and moral dilemmas they are likely to face (Barnet). When in literature, an author can go many ways in their writing, for example: romance, comedy, horror and gothic literature. One of the best well-known gothic author’s is Edgar Allen Poe. Gothic literature is described as a genre that combines both elements of horror and romance. The effects of Gothic literature feeds on compelling the idea of terror, an extension of Romantic literary.
The forms of intelligence advanced by Gardner indicate a person’s ability and capability and the form in which they prefer to learn and develop strengths. Developing a person’s strengths ensures that they positively respond to the learning experience and their growth and development is also influenced. The theory suggests that people have a set of intelligences and that it is not the single drive for a person’s style and capability. The notion that a person’s intelligence can be measured and scaled is said to be ridiculous, (Chapman, 2016) and that a person possesses a mix of abilities, but is only good at a few and that people coexist and work well together when they are collectively good at different things, (Silver, Strong & Perini,
...y you have enthusiasm for and do well in,” is advice often given by employers. Lynn Cheney, former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, agrees: “Students who follow their hearts in choosing majors will most likely end up laboring at what they love. They’re the ones who will put in the long hours and intense effort that achievement requires. And they’re the ones who will find the sense of purpose that underlies most human happiness.”
And so in the late 19th century the teaching of writing was inherited by English professors. This had two drawbacks: (a) an expert on literature need not himself be a good writer, any more than an art historian has to be a good painter, and (b) the subject of writing now tends to be literature, since that 's what the professor is interested in.