DB 9.3 Openings and Closings: Submission Preview

The submissions for this assignment are posts in the assignment's discussion. Below are the discussion posts for Augustus Johnson, or you can view the full discussion.

Augustus Johnson

Week 7 / October 4 2015

English 1A – Section 73017

Professor Karen Ogden

Tracing my Identity

Opening

I hated losing. The stage of competition didn’t matter. It could be a little league ball field or a fourth grade classroom. I hated losing. Second place and Bs were unacceptable. I couldn’t understand why people gladly accepted participation trophies or Cs on their spelling test. I’ve never really thought about why I am the way I am until now. I grew up in the turbulent Sixties when there were battles that as a society, we couldn’t afford to lose. The fight for civil rights, against poverty, for peace, for winning the space race and for superiority in the 68 Olympics. I identified with America’s sense of competition and realized, education was my best chance to win my own war.

Closing

My identity through education is fluid. I am still learning how new ways of critical thinking, reading and writing and I hope that never changes. My next step is learning how to connect with others by expressing my thoughts and opinions with clarity. It’s kind of like what Mary Pipher says in What You Alone Can Say, “All individuality that is you properly understood and clearly presented, is a tremendous gift to the world.” (46) It is my job to leave this gift behind.

Augustus Johnson
Week 7 / October 4 2015
English 1A – Section 73017
Professor Karen Ogden
Tracing my Identity
Opening 
     I hated losing. The stage of competition didn’t matter. It could be a little league ball field or a fourth grade classroom. I hated losing. Second place and Bs were unacceptable. I couldn’t understand why people gladly accepted participation trophies or Cs on their spelling test. I’ve never really thought about why I am the way I am until now. I grew up in the turbulent Sixties when there were battles that as a society, we couldn’t afford to lose. The fight for civil rights, against poverty, for peace, for winning the space race and for superiority in the 68 Olympics. I identified with America’s sense of competition and realized, education was my best chance to win my own war.
 
Closing 
    My identity through education is fluid. I am still learning how new ways of critical thinking, reading and writing and I hope that never changes. My next step is learning how to connect with others by expressing my thoughts and opinions with clarity. It’s kind of like what Mary Pipher says in What You Alone Can Say, “All individuality that is you properly understood and clearly presented, is a tremendous gift to the world.” (46) It is my job to leave this gift behind.

Augustus Johnson

Karen, your opening was very compelling. I wanted to find out more about your life story. Your life experiences are part of your education process. It made me wonder, what were your experiences like in school? What type of student were you and are you now? How did those life experiences effect your educational process? Your story is very interesting, but I think you should include a little bit about your experiences in school in your opening. If you decide to make changes to your opening, make sure your closing ties in with your opening.