Aria- Rodriguez

This is a different side of the story being told by a minority when it comes to assimilation. Rodriguez believes that its important for immigrants to join into the mainstream if they want to have a life here espeically when it comes to education. However, many the arguments today is that the minorites will lose some sense of their idenity because they will have lost some of their culture. Do you agree with Rodriguez that there shouldn't be bilingual education? He is also against affirmative action. He writes this essay in 1982 and this is still very much a huge issue within education and the work field....whats are your general thoughts?

"After Welfare" by Katherine Boo

In this essay, Elizabeth, a struggling mother of three, realizes that the "reformed" welfare system put in place to assist them may not be as helpful as it is supposed to be. Many of the middle class people in America think that welfare is providing too much, while the poor class, who are on welfare, believe that welfare is not doing enough. From Boo's essay, and from other experiences, do you think welfare is doing too much or not nearly enough? Are there flaws in the system that prevent it from providing any relief?
Also, do you think that children put in the situations that Elizabeth's kids find themselves are at a disadvantage as compared to kids growing up in middle class neighborhoods?

A Raisin in the Sun

Who do you think is the main character in the play? Why?

The Rich Brother

Do you think that Donald is right when he said that Pete doesn't have any purpose in life? Does this statement have any connection with Pete's attempts to kill his brother?

"And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered: I know not: am I my brother's keeper?"-Genesis 4:9

"The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara

The way in which Bambara chooses to end her story leaves the reader wondering if the author learned anything from Miss Moore. Do you think Miss Moores teaching technique was effective in teaching the author? Why or why not?

E.M. Forster's "My Wood"

"If you own things, what's their effect on you?"

That's the question E.M. Forster poses in his essay "My Wood." He comes up with several answers based on his own experiences with owning property and material goods. Considering of your own experiences in this regard, how would you answer the question? Do your experiences exemplify some (or all) of the consequences Forster lists in his essay? Are there other consequences of ownership not mentioned by Forster that you can identify?

By the way, here's a web page where someone has annotated Forster's essay, explaining many of his allusions.