Post four: Reflection about chapter eight (“Helping”) of “Down on the Island” by Jim Cooper.

Jim Cooper in chapter eight “Helping” of “Down on the Island”, describes the difference between two concepts copying and cheating. Cooper exposes the fine line between helping and doing the work of another person. He contrasts the American culture with Puerto Rican culture with precision and excellent examples using the educational model of competition versus cooperation. The author also exposes how the problem of cheating has personal basis in Puerto Rico that begins in school, family and friends since childhood. For example, the author exposes that starting in first grade teachers encourages their students to receive help from their classmates.

As I mentioned in the previous post, the readings of “The Roots of Caribbean Identity: Language, Race and Ecology” by Peter Roberts and “Down on the Island” by Jim Cooper are directly linked, however, this time both authors agree about how the culture can represent the identity of a country or an individual. For example, Cooper contrasts the cooperative and non-competitive culture of Puerto Rican families and schools with the competitive attitude of American families and schools. Base on my own experience, I am midway between cooperative and the competitive models, because I think you can help your friends but you cannot do their work. I have never copied on a test because I think that a behavior of that magnitude could be very stressful and it goes against my ethical values as a student. Cooper describes how the hospitable culture of Puerto Ricans is related to the concept of earning a grade versus giving a grade. I agree with Cooper in that sometimes students think that because they establish a friendly relationship with the professor, the professor is obligated to give him a good grade. Most people always resolve everything with Cooper phrase: "Don’t like him or her?", but the point is that giving a grade is not related with personal relationships. People should learn that grades and most things in the life are not personal. You should be “buena gente”, i.e. good people, but you always should do your own work or accept your responsibilities.

I think that the traditional communication model would be a good connection with this Cooper’s chapter, because I perceived that Cooper had problems when he was trying to give the message about the difference of helping and cheating to his students. He discovered that the real problem was in trying to explain to his students that helping their friends is a good thing but they should not help them on a test. I also perceived in Cooper’s reading that the people he intended to explain why he gave the grade of D or F to the student don’t understand him or not perceived his meaning.