I Just Wanna Be Average

In "I Just Wanna Be Average", Mike Rose shares his personal experience of moving from the bottom of the education barrel to the top, and shows how he is given the opportunity for a real education. He discusses the labels that students in our educational system are given, and relates how they can set the stage for a lifetime of mediocrity.

Rose really sets the tone of his essay through his descriptions about his classmates, the teachers, and the programs he is in. Phrases like, "There was Christy Biggars, who, at sixteen, was dealing and was, according to rumor, a pimp as well." (162) And in referring to his PE teacher, "He routinely had us grabbing our ankles to receive his stinging paddle across our butts." (163) I thought it was interesting that his PE teacher was able to make such a racially slurred joke and get away with it. I guess by the time I entered the school system, those practices had largely ended, and would be considered a serious violation that would have brought about law suits and termination of the instructor. It is definitely indicative of the time period.

I also thought Rose did a good job at showing the differences between the "vocational track" as opposed to the "college prep" track. I got the feeling that the vocational track was a miserable place to be, and although Rose was actually a very bright student, he "developed further into a mediocre student and a somnambulant problem solver." (164) It shows how if people are constantly beaten down and labeled as less than adequate, it's only natural to start to believe it and incorporate that into your life. What are the messages we are sending each other, and our children, in particular? Children are easily shaped and molded, and they will believe the messages they are hearing from those around them. It is sad that so many are not given a real chance to excel, even now, because of the labels of economic standing, race, and so-called academic ability. They still have labels in education, such as the "gifted and talented" student, the "average" student, and the "remedial" student. I think that kids learn differently, and just because one child might "catch on" a little quicker than another, doesn't mean that the others are stupid or slow. As was mentioned in Gatto's "Against School", I think we need to reevaluate our educational system as a whole and question the current practices and labeling that are still so prevalent. Once he was on the college prep track and given a chance at a real education, Rose made significant improvements in his overall self image. Also, with the help of his English teacher, Jack MacFarland, he realized his potential as a writer and eventually was able to go to college and become successful.

While I found the principles of this essay valuable and worth exploring, I had a difficult time following what the author was trying to say. I found myself rereading sentences and passages to figure out their meaning. His wording didn't seem to flow very well, which is something that was surprising to me, especially coming from an award-winning writer. Maybe my vocabulary isn't sufficient enough to process some of the phrases he used, I don't know. I also thought some of the language used in this essay was inappropriate--you think a writer of this caliber would have other words in his "arsenal" that could have been just as effective. I know he was trying to set a certain tone and prove a point through this language, but I don't think dropping an "F-bomb" was necessary. He definitely lost credibility in my mind from using these terms, and I would be hesitant to want to read anything else he has written. Overall, I think the message was important and thought-provoking, and one that should be further examined by parents and those in the educational system.