The concept of literacy is perpetually changing. For example, hundreds of years ago, literacy was significantly different than what it is today. Even during the same time periods literacy is different around the world. Depending on the culture, people consider certain levels of literacy to be socially acceptable. In some cultures, children only need to attend school until the eighth grade. At which point parents expect their children to help more at home or assist in providing for the family. This is the case with the Old Order Amish Andrea Fishman describes in her piece “Becoming Literate: A Lesson from the Amish.” Despite the strong evidence Fishman uses to prove her thesis, it remains unclear and wavering throughout her piece as a result
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She agrees that making certain everyone can participate on their own level is important. In Fishmans opinion, the accommodations for younger children at school are appropriate because it allows the kids “to further affiliate and identify himself with and within his social group” (Fishman 244). The Old Order Amish do not critically read literature like the mainstream educators emphasizes. Fishman writes, “Critical reading… is not valued by the Amish because of its potentially divisive, counterproductive power” (Fishman 246). Fishman shows that she supports this view of the Amish. Another staple in mainstream education, Fishman dislikes the third-person formal essay describing it as “the ominous five-paragraph theme” (Fishman 246). One of Fishman's main concern is the situation that could potentially arise when the home view of literacy does not match the view in the school setting. She writes about the issues of a child conforming to the schools view of literacy. She describes conforming to the schools view as “a demand that seems unfair, uncalled for, and unnecessary, not to mention counterproductive and destructive” (Fishman 247). The passionate and harsh tone itself is potentially distracting; however, it is not nearly as distracting as when she contradicts the statement four paragraphs …show more content…
This one error detracts so much from her essay because it is incredibly misleading to the reader. Directly after describing how the mainstream approach has flaws and the Old Order Amish method is superior, she describes the Amish method in a way that makes it seem very greatly flawed. After describing the “ominous five-paragraph” essay, she says how “concepts like coherence, unity, and emphasis” are also absent in the Amish schools and writings (Fishman 246). Saying that someone's writing is incoherent is somewhat insulting. More noticeably, Fishman describes the differences between mainstream education and Eli, Jr.’s education in a negative manner. She writes that the differences are “terrifying” (Fishman 245). This section of her piece is very confusing and misleading to the reader. It is unclear if Fishman means that the differences themselves are alarming or simply the fact that there are differences present is unacceptable. Either way, it seems as if she blames the Amish way when just before this she was in favor of
She agrees that making certain everyone can participate on their own level is important. In Fishmans opinion, the accommodations for younger children at school are appropriate because it allows the kids “to further affiliate and identify himself with and within his social group” (Fishman 244). The Old Order Amish do not critically read literature like the mainstream educators emphasizes. Fishman writes, “Critical reading… is not valued by the Amish because of its potentially divisive, counterproductive power” (Fishman 246). Fishman shows that she supports this view of the Amish. Another staple in mainstream education, Fishman dislikes the third-person formal essay describing it as “the ominous five-paragraph theme” (Fishman 246). One of Fishman's main concern is the situation that could potentially arise when the home view of literacy does not match the view in the school setting. She writes about the issues of a child conforming to the schools view of literacy. She describes conforming to the schools view as “a demand that seems unfair, uncalled for, and unnecessary, not to mention counterproductive and destructive” (Fishman 247). The passionate and harsh tone itself is potentially distracting; however, it is not nearly as distracting as when she contradicts the statement four paragraphs …show more content…
This one error detracts so much from her essay because it is incredibly misleading to the reader. Directly after describing how the mainstream approach has flaws and the Old Order Amish method is superior, she describes the Amish method in a way that makes it seem very greatly flawed. After describing the “ominous five-paragraph” essay, she says how “concepts like coherence, unity, and emphasis” are also absent in the Amish schools and writings (Fishman 246). Saying that someone's writing is incoherent is somewhat insulting. More noticeably, Fishman describes the differences between mainstream education and Eli, Jr.’s education in a negative manner. She writes that the differences are “terrifying” (Fishman 245). This section of her piece is very confusing and misleading to the reader. It is unclear if Fishman means that the differences themselves are alarming or simply the fact that there are differences present is unacceptable. Either way, it seems as if she blames the Amish way when just before this she was in favor of