Summary:
Kwasi Enin and Martin Altenburg are two of the incredible students who got accepted into all the Ivy League schools (colleges of high academic and social prestige). Both are highly celebrated for their academic feats, however not many know of their upbringings.
Kwasi Enin grew up in New York with ‘tiger parents’. His parents valued education and set very high expectations for his academic career. They pushed him to use his resources and ‘would not tolerate grades lower than 95%’, since they believed those grades reflected his work ethic and dedication to his academic success. Martin Altenburg, who grew up in North Dakota, had more easy-going parents, who allowed him to be a ‘free-spirit’. Martin’s parents believe in giving their children
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One way isn’t always the right way. There is rarely one route to positivity and success and this is one of these cases. This is shown in the article when we learn of the different parenting styles of Martin Altenburg’s parents compared to Kwasi Enin’s parents. On one hand, Kwasi’s parents pushed him to academic accomplishment, and on the other hand, Martin’s parents preferred for their children to follow their interests. This story shows the previously mentioned main idea because even with a strict or carefree environment at home, Kwasi and Martin were able to accomplish the prestigious academic feat of acceptance to all Ivy League …show more content…
After making it through to Stage 2, I was unfortunately wait-listed, and then not accepted. This was an obstacle in my goal of going to University of Toronto Schools. I wasn’t too hopeful for acceptance in grade 9, where the competition would increase in difficulty. I spent most of my summer cooped up, studying and practicing, in a continuous cycle. I wanted to find where I went wrong and how I could improve. Months passed, I took the test, and I finally got accepted. I reached my goal and although I didn’t take the path that 80% of my future peers took, I still was able to accomplish what they had done 2 years ago. My path towards UTS allowed me to experience an entirely different school environment at Alexander Graham Public School and learn, make friends, and adapt to a new community, which I wouldn’t ever trade. I may not have taken the easier pathway, nevertheless, I ended up at the same school and achieved my original
In the speech, “America’s Schoolchildren”, President Barack Obama uses Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in an effective manner to support his claim that every student should have an active role in the responsibility of their education. First and foremost, President Obama begins his speech with an anecdote from his life, “I get it. I know what it’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us the things that other kids had” (Obama 72). In his statement, he give us a personal story from when he lived in Indonesia, that he too went through hardships of having his father leave his family when he was two, not always
Because of his cultural background my father found my brother's poor performance in school incomprehensible. I too was puzzled by my brother's attitude towards school. He and I grew up in the same house with the same parents and the same set of values. Yet, he seemed to not care about school at all. For a long time, my family and I attributed my brother's C's in school and obvious inability to concentrate to laziness and a lack of motivation.
For such families, “sustaining children’s natural growth is viewed as an accomplishment” (Lareau 34). Lareau also reported that many working class and poor parents feel that educators hold the expertise, and usually fear doing the “wrong thing” in school-related matters (Lareau 357). What this usually leads to is trying to maintain a separation between school and home (Lareau 358).
In a person’s life, one must overcome obstacles that have the potential to either negatively or positively impact their future. Whether it is a serious obstacle, such as being involved with drugs, or a minor obstacle, such as procrastinating an important essay for the night before it is due, the choices people make can influence the way they live their lives. In Wes Moore’s inspiring non-fiction book, The Other Wes Moore, two boys with the same name start off living a few blocks away from one another, but turn out to be completely different individuals. At first, they were both troublemakers, getting in trouble with the law. However, as time progressed, the author, Wes Moore, became a Rhodes scholar and quite successful, while the other Wes Moore was sentenced to life in prison. The difference between these two men was the surrounding influences that shaped their growth as people. In a person’s growth, the most important factors are a positive role model in a positive environment because a positive role model will provide the path to success and will aid that person in achieving prosperity.
As Moms, we are always hopeful that we will deliver perfect children, and most of the time we do. When Mother Nature steps in though, and that doesn’t happen, it’s those parents that step up to the plate to raise and love that child that deserve the accolades. One such family that I personally know is my daughter-in-law. Her younger brother is a special needs child and she grew up as a middle-child with the focus on the younger brother. She recently graduated with a degree in Special Needs Education, but instead chose to pursue another path with younger children. After a life-time of dedication to her younger brother, she decided to take a break. When I met her family, I was in awe of the love and care, the dedication to the brother and the sacrifices that the other family made in order to raise him at home. He just turned twenty-two and graduated from a special school, with honor and pride. Much of what I read in this amazing book remin...
I was raised in an encouraging household where both of my parents greatly valued education. Although they were high school graduates, neither could afford to attend college; a combination of family and financial woes ultimately halted their path. As a result, my parents frequently reminded me that getting a good education meant better opportunities for my future. To my parents, that seemed to be the overarching goal: a better life for me than the one they had. My parents wanted me to excel and supported me financially and emotionally of which the former was something their parents were not able to provide. Their desire to facilitate a change in my destiny is one of many essential events that contributed to my world view.
Parents’ educations have an influence on children in many different ways, although the parents’ expectation can affect children as well. Kean illustrated if parents expect high achievement, then it predicts better chance for achievement for their children (Kean, 2005). Moreover, sometimes parents’ expectation showed how
Telling a child they have to be number one in every subject, leads them to believe anything less is unsatisfactory. These children who are disciplined too harshly will become insecure adolescents and anxious adults (Extreme Parenting). Kwan Lee is the father of a student who attends OCT. He says, “The children of ‘Tiger Moms’ are too programmed. They get into a good college, but they don’t know what to do next,” (Yi). Such children lack initiative because their decisions have been made for them by their parents (Extreme Parenting). This leads to feelings of unsureness during the college
When I was born, my family had just migrated to California from Mexico. In a new country, my father worked in landscaping earning less than $4 dollars an hour, while my mother relied on public transportation to take her newborn child to and from doctor visits. In the land of opportunity, my family struggled to put a roof over our heads. But never discouraged, my parents sought to achieve their goals and worked tirelessly to raise my younger brother and I. From a young age, I was taught the importance of education; this became a major catalyst in my life. My desire to excel academically was not for self-gain, but my way of contributing to my family’s goals and aspirations.
Successful parenting may be judged by many different standards. Raising a child to be a respectful, mature, and independent adult requires a great deal of effort. There are several parenting styles, and not all lead a child to reaching their full potential. Overpowering sternness leads may lead to a rebellious child, while passive parenting may lead children to inept for the challenges of adulthood. Parenting requires more than teaching children submissiveness, or building of self-importance. Children learn best from a role model who is admirable. Parenting is a great opportunity to set the course of one’s entire life in the right direction.
Parents wish they could give their children everything they had, while they can hand over family business’ and trust funds, they can’t give their kids' success or college degrees, so evidently they
Unfortunately in his early teens Ahn’s father became a dangerous alcoholic and left the family. His mother was left to raise the three young children alone. She wanted the best for them. A more recent refugee mother from Thailand shares this hope: "My dream is to be able to speak good English and have a good job in Australia” (Tar Eh Paw Gay, 2013). Ahn’s mother made many sacrifices and worked hard in order to give her children opportunities. One of the most important aspects of life to her was the belief that a good education leads to a better future. Ahn found himself attending a private school that really was more than what they could comfortably afford. Ahn was very self conscious about their financial situation, and was also aware about the enormous pressure that his mother was under. He tried to reduce the pressure his mother was under by not asking her for the money needed to buy all necessary education resources, however this did not help him fit in with his peers. This could have impacted negatively on his results, but instead these difficulties seemed to make him work harder and achieve success.
Pressures on children in today’s society are a problem that is becoming more evident in academics as parents and teachers put more and more emphasis on these children to outperform their classmates, stress in the child’s life becomes an interfering problem (Anxiety.org, 2011 Weissbourd, 2011,). From preschool children to college adults, pressure to execute academic perfection extends across all areas of curriculum. In our highly competitive, American society, emphasis placed on academic achievement has never been so intense (Anxiety.org, 2011, Beilock, 2011). This need to be the best, fueled by our culture in America, has created a social force affecting education, a force to be reckoned with at that. Too often, parents and teachers sacrifice their chil...
Successful adults can come from successful homes. Barack Obama, president of the United States, was raised in a single parent home and became the president. (Tierney) In order to hold that position, he must be intelligent and filled with good faith - a quality that had to be developed in childhood. Paloma Faith, a singer, says “Being raised in a single parent home kept her grounded.” Ben Carson was also raised in a home with a troubled childhood ...