Talking Point 8: Teaching Standard English (pg 154-157)

"Cash money," that's what stuck out to me. It was something Jesse Jackson had said. If your English is good, then you'll also get a great career and life. If you used the English language that you normally use at home, like slang, you won't get anywhere with your life. Your essays won't be as good, resumes, petitions, etc. That is why they teach English in your school, to help you improve your English. They also teach you other English dialects, which could help you when you talk to someone with an accent and talks differently than you do. Sometimes what you call slang is how they truly talk. Though when trying to help someone with their English you must also keep their feelings in your mind. "Students must be taught to hold their own voices sacred, to ignore the teachers who have made them feel wrong or bad or stupid." Which means, despite the teacher making them feel like they sound wrong or dumb, they should still love the way they speak. Though a teacher should help their students with respect and not make them feel down. It is a teacher's job to teach, but it is also their job to consider and know how their students are feeling.