Quotes
While reading this article, it made me think a lot about many pieces we have read and discussed in class, such as Oakes and Christense. Shor, talks about the three R’s concept of education and how we must teach children that there is more to be learn.
“If the student’s task is to memorize rules and existing knowledge, without questioning the subject matter or the learning process, their potential for critical thought and action will be restricted.”
I agree with Shor, we must question “the subject matter” in order for students to learn. We must encourage them to think about school because that will motive them to learn and develop their academic knowledge, which is what an empowering education consists.
“A curriculum that does not challenge the standard syllabus and conditions in society informs students that knowledge and the word are fixed and fine the way they are, with no role for students to play in transforming them, and no need for change.”
If students feel that change, it’s not necessary they willnot learn as much as they are supposed to. However, some of them don’t even learn at all. Some students don’t agree or feel comfortable
with their classroom environment and the way the curriculum is set up. On the other hand, a curriculum that does not challenge them, discourage students from learning which sometimes leads them to not participate or misbehave in class.
“Participation is the most important place to begin because student’s involvement is low in traditional classroom and because action is essential to gain knowledge and develop intelligence.”
Many people believe that participation is class is essential but in my opinion, I believe a person can learn in a lot of different ways, such as listening, taking notes etc. Not everyone has the same learning ability, a quantity of people have different ways of learning than others do, but not
participating doesn’t mean that the student it’s not acquiring any knowledge, like I mentioned before it means that most of us have a different way of learning.
I found an interesting video that shows some ways we could use to maintain students engage in the classroom. In class, I would like to talk more about empowering education and see if we can come out with different ideas to keep the students involve in the classroom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhKKsvG1n6Q&feature=related