In Praise of the "F" Word

In Praise of the “F” Word

By: Mary Sherry

                The story “In Praise of the “F” Word” is about a woman who son was a senior in high school who did not take it seriously. He was failing his writing class so his teacher pulls this technique she calls the “trump” card of failure.  The teacher told the author that they were going to fail their son. After the meeting she went home to tell her son that he was going to flunk him. At the end of the semester he finished with an A. The author goes on and talks about how we excuse dishonest behavior by saying kids can’t learn if they come from a terrible environment. She says “In spite of their difficulties they still decide to make an education a priority.” She goes on to talk about how flunking is used as a merit today but is a positive teaching tool.  Sherry concludes that this flunking policy has worked in the past and can work today with the support of parents, and how gave her son the opportunity to succeed or fail.

                I agree with this author coming from my experience, my teachers have pulled the “I am going to flunk you card” with me in high school because they knew it will get me to work harder to bring my grade up in their class.  It did motivate me, but I feel like they should have found some other way to motivate. I am pretty sure there are other alternatives to get students to want to pass their classes. I do agree with the author about it doesn't matter what type of environment you come from you can learn and become successful because you put education first and always will. It motivates you want to become something better.

Citations

Sherry, Mary. "In Praise of the "F" Word." Trans. Array The Longman Reader. Judith Nadell, John Langan and . 9th Edition. New York, NY: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2009 - 2010. 515-517. Print.