Personal Dictionary

Gladys Carbajal
Aguilar
2017-2018
 Engrossing
Context : “ it always seemed to to catch me right in the middle of something engrossing.”
- Malcolm X ( Learning to Read, 163 )
1. Guess: Something that captures your attention deeply

2. Dictionary Definition: adjective, absorbing all one's attention or interests

3. Why it matters:
I was able to go back and analyze in a deeper way and understand how Malcolm X felt when
he was in prison learning to read, he was very intrigued, and curious and because of these
characteristics he was able to deepen his knowledge because he found literature to be
engrossing therefore it empowered him to continue reading more and more.
Engrossing is a word of empowerment in this reading because of the way Malcolm X phrased
it.
 Reprisal
Context : “ My own experience had revealed to me what many other teachers must learn along the way, too, yet keep to
themselves for fear of reprisal: if we wanted to we could easily and inexpensively jettison the old, stupid structures and help kids
take an education rather than merely receive schooling.” ( Against School, John Taylor Gatto ) (115)

1. Guess: Fear of not being accepted or oppressed by others

2. Dictionary Definition: Noun ; an act of retaliation

Synonyms : vengeance, revenge, a taste of one's own medicine

3. Why it matters: Reading this passage I didn't really know how to

understand the passage because of the words he used, but further
reading it I was able to uncover and figured out that Gatto is
basically saying that teachers should not fear retaliation but instead
help educated students by showing them the qualities they have. By
Gatto covering about what teachers should do to empower students
he is
 Endow
Context : “ A third purpose is to endow every individual with the intellectual and ethical power to pursue his or her own interest and to
develop the judgements and character to survive life's vicissitudes.

1. Guess: to encourage something or someone

2. Dictionary Definition: Verb

give or bequeath an income or property to (a person or institution)

3. Why it matters:
This word helps me better understand what it is that every individual should
acquire in order to survive events in life according to the author. This word you
can say is used as a form of empowerment because the author is encouraging
students to develop their intellectuality an ethics.
1.
Fictitious
Context : It came from a video we watched in class in regards to what the
education system is doing ( cartoon video ) which was Ken Robinson’s :
Changing Education Paradigms

2. Guess: Something fake

3. Dictionary Definition: adjective ;not real or true, being imaginary or having been
fabricated

4. Why it matters: This word is very catchy. On top of it being very catchy it
reminded me of the fictitious picture my parents and many other immigrants paint of
the education system here in the US, many praise it to be the best of the best when in
reality it's shaping many of us into how the government thinks we should be. Also I
figured I might be using it later in the future because I know the definition, and it
sounds like fake but in a more sophisticated manner, therefore if I ever get into an
argument with someone I can use some rich vocabulary to insult them. ( not saying I
will but hey man you never know ).
 Asset
Context : “They sometimes refer children in rather ugly
terms as “human assets” forgetting that they a unique
people and they are not fungible.” (Pg. 109)

Guess: An important trait or something they contribute that's

valuable
Dictionary Definition: noun; a useful or valuable thing,
person, or quality.:

Why it matters:
So until we learn to value the assets that people have our
education system will never be rich. Meaning I have
noticed that in our readings they mentioned a lot about
children having so many assets that aren't being used
because of the system trying to make us all the same.
Instead of endorsing our characteristics.
 1.
Dissent
Context : We talked about it in class when we revised stephanies thesis in
regards to the empowerment of education. It was also a word that Susie
told us to take note of because it was a strong vocab word.

2. Guess: to go or move down

3. Dictionary Definition: noun, the expression or holding of opinions at variance

with those previously, commonly, or officially held
Verb: hold or express opinions that are at variance with those previously, commonly,
or officially expressed.

4. Why it matters: This word is very disempowering in both the educational

system and in general because for years based on the readings and talking we
have done in class our education system has been teaching us to be dissent.
 Gargantuan
1. Context : “ Without Conant, we would probably not have the same style and degree
of standardized testing that we enjoy today, nor would we be blessed with
gargantuan high schools that warehouse 2,000-4,00 students at a time…” ( Gatto,
118 )

2. Guess: something that is big

3. Dictionary Definition: adjective, Enormous

4. Why it matters: I could use this in the future to explain something that is enormous or
whenever I want to use exaggeration in a paper I think this word fits the mold perfectly.
Plus it is a very cool word to pronounce. On top of that the context of the quote made me
questions the school that I have always wanted to go to ( UCLA) could it be that this
school is a warehouse ? and it is one ofthe many schools part of the system that doesn't
admire the intellectuality of every individual ?
 Alluded
1. Context : “ William James ( American psychologist and philosopher
( 1842-1910 ) alluded to it many times at the turn of the century.”

2. Guess: referred to, talked about

3. Dictionary Definition: verb, suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at

4. Why it matters: Referencing this back to the reading Against School by John
taylor Gatto. Him connecting our current american school system to Prussian
schools is hinting us that the oppression these systems have lived for as long as we
can remember. Many have just been to blinded by the system to even notice.
 Idyllic
1. Context : “ We now know that the 1950s family culture was not
only nontraditional; it was also not idyllic.” ( Coontz,37 )

2. Guess: Ideal, the right form

3. Dictionary Definition: Adjective, (especially of a time or place) like

an idyll; extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque.

4. Why it matters: Many immigrants idyllic an American education

system that they think empowers students, when in reality it has been a
system keeping many from thinking at deeper levels, and holding many
from being who they truly are.
 Autonomy
1. Context : This word has been a vocab/concept that we spent a lot of time in class
talking about. “ We could encourage the best quality of youthfulness-curiosity,
adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight-simply by being more
flexible about time, texts, and test, by introducing kids to truly competent adults, and
by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every
now and then. (Pg. 115)”

2. Guess: something that makes something else up

3. Dictionary Definition: noun; The right or condition of self-government, especially in a

particular sphere.

4. Why it matters: When we teach our youngs to self govern themselves we are teaching
them to take ownership of themselves without the dependency of others. If we were to do
that in a an educational sphere many students would be able to not be afraid of asking
questions and have great critical thinking skills acquired to be successful in this society.
GRowth Mindset
1. Context : We discussed this term when we had a class discussion in
regards to how many see the concept of the American Dream.

2. Guess: Being able to grow mentally. Take in new ideas.

3. Dictionary Definition: noun - an attitude, disposition or mood.

4. Why it matters: Especially during Between the world and me

reading having a growth mindset helped you understand the text
more, and what it is the author's point was.
Fixed Mindset
1. Context : Our class discussion about Coates view of the American Dream and about
how having a fixed mindset would drive people into disagreeing with Coates
completing and not taking in any ideas meaning they would say the American
Dream is achievable for all when that wasn't the case.

2. Guess: Something that is fixed means it stays the same and there is no process or work
going into it.

3. Dictionary Definition: fastened securely in position

4. Why it matters: This will affect the outcome on how you view things because, if you
have a fixed mindset it will most likely affect your outcomes negatively because you
won't be willing to take in new ideas because of the way your mindset is set up.
Mecca
1. Context : In Between the World and Me Coates refers Howard as his
mecca, which is where he did a lot of his learning.

2. Guess: A glorified place. A place where you receive a lot of knowledge.

3. Dictionary Definition: Mecca, in a desert valley in western Saudi Arabia,

is Islam’s holiest city, as it’s the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and
the faith itself.

4. Why it matters: This word is important, since COates considered

Howard University his mecca, we can see where his biggest influences
came from, and how he was able to develop as a thinker, writer.
MIddle Passage
1. Context : When we briefly discussed about the history of
African Americans and how they were forcibly brought to the
United States, or many were sold a false reality of a dream.

2. Guess: An area in the world where you are transporting from one
place to the other.

3. Dictionary Definition: Noun - the sea journey undertaken by

slave ships from West Africa to the West Indies.

4. Why it matters: This was the biggest trade in history to go

down, it transported the largest amounts of Africans from it
continent to the US, changing the course of history and many
peoples lives.
Amoral (25)
1. Context : “There was nothing santificied about the laws of the strets --
the laws were amoral and practical” (25).

2. Guess: Something that is not moral, or different.

3. Dictionary Definition: Adjective - lacking a moral sense; unconcerned

with the rightness or wrongness of something.

4. Why it matters: It matters because Coates emphasize in this specific

qute how the schools and the streets were glorified and how he got to
resent the schools the most leading him to create his own view of this
educational system, and started to criticize everything being taught to
him.
Transfigured
1. Context : “ You cannot forget how much they took from us
and how they transfigured our very bodies into sugar,
tobacco, cotton, and gold ” (71).

2. Guess: Molded / transformed into something

3. Dictionary Definition: Verb - transform into something more

beautiful or elevated

4. Why it matters: Coates is reminding his son to not forget how

it is that their people have been shaped and molded to fit
someone else's -- white people dream instead of helping them
with their own.
Subpoenaed 83
1. Context : “ The Earthquake cannot be subpoenaed.”

2. Guess: Something that can't be stopped.

3. Dictionary Definition: Verb - summon (someone) with a

subpoena.

4. Why it matters: He was giving an example about Prince

Jones and showing his readers that he evet hoguth Prince
had made it far as a African American, he should never
forget about his body.
Premonition
1. Context : “I felt in that moment that his death had just
been an awful dream. No a premonition ” ( 87 ).

2. Guess: Something that never happened.

3. Dictionary Definition: Noun - a strong feeling that

something is about to happen, especially something
unpleasant

4. Why it matters: This is important because Coates

looked up to Prince a lot and for Prince to be dead he
was shocked because he thought Prince would be able
to take care of his body before “endangering” it or
exposing it like he did.
Howl's moving castle
1. Context : “ Perhaps you remember that time we went to
see Howl's Moving Castle on the upper west side ” (93).

2. Guess: A Movie

3. Dictionary Definition: An animation movie by director

Hayao Miyazaki

4. Why it matters: I felt a personal connection because I

had already seen this movie in Film analysis class and it
brought back some nostalgia.
MS 13
1. Context : We talked about this in class how this gang
has impacted Northern Triangle countries.

2. Guess: A gang

3. Dictionary Definition: MS-13 is an international criminal

gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, US in the
1980s

4. Why it matters: This gang has impacted the lives of

many people, and is one of the factors on why many
choose to migrate to the US leading these people to fight
immigration battles against those who don't want them
here.
18th Street Gang
1. Context : Rivals with ms13 in Tell me how it ends an essay
in 40 questions, luiselli emphasizes how these two gang
groups have affected many immigrant especially children.

2. Guess: A violent street gang

3. Dictionary Definition: 18th Street, also known as Calle 18,

Barrio 18, Mara 18, or simply La 18 in Central America, is a
multi-ethnic transnational criminal organization that started as
a street gang in Los Angeles.

4. Why it matters: Because of the violence this gang projects,

it has created factors in which children are obligated to
leave their countries because many can't keep up with the
demands from these gang groups.