Blogpost 9- We Make the Road by Walking, Chapter 3 Ideas

“We Make the Road by Walking”

By: Myles Horton and Paulo Freire

Chapter 3: Ideas

Factual Question:

What is the definition of an idea?

According to merriam-webster.com a medical definition of idea is an entity (as a thought, concept, sensation, or image) actually or potentially present to consciousness; as a formulated thought or opinion.

Evaluative Statement:

I feel like a first idea of reading should be, if it not already is, would be to sketch out, or think out, ideas of the titles of the books, or chapters, and interpret what it is about before you read it. Ideas as an entire concept are an incredibly important skill that educators instill in their students. As educators it is necessary to teach children that there are so many ideas that they can create and input in the world to make a difference. A practice that I am passionate about incorporating in my teaching style, creativity stimulation to produce great ideas and futures in my students. I have done a lot of research on the benefits of art in a child’s life, with so many positive benefits of a creative mind. Without the history of these creative people, we wouldn’t have all of the futuristic technology that we have today. I can bet that most of the inventors, artists, educators, successors had history of drawing/painting, reading/writing, music, with so many options of performing arts it combines a community of creative ideas that stem from an individual idea.

So using this skill of creating a hypothesis of the chapter, and my previous knowledge of the book, I interpreted that the two authors would discuss how their ideas were not always favored by others, and I ended up being correct. The chapter started off with such a powerful quote, “Without practice there’s no knowledge.” The whole concept of learning and of life is that it happens in time, with the creation of new knowledge. The idea of these two authors, is that they both started off with similar yet different backgrounds and grew to create similar ideas and became friends and educators with circumstances that got them to write a story about their successful experiences. A concept that everybody has knowledge, but the extent of the knowledge is expressed differently with different individuals.

Conflict can arise when one doesn’t believe in the idea or action of another person. The right thing when conflict arises, that the authors expressed, was to view ideas in hopes to get hem heard as well as listening to and acknowledging other ideas as being that individuals and their right to have them. Everybody has a right to their own individuality and the way it is expressed should not concern other people, the person should be concerned in their own ideas and opinions. Morality comes in when the beliefs have a good impact on others, and should be exposed to others. The concept of critical pedagogy and social foundations to me is to have these learning experiences, from different classes and viewpoints, to help mold our individual educational policy and practice.

Interpretive Question:

When the author Paulo says “Do the people have the right or not, in the process of taking their history into their hands, to develop another kind of language as a dimension of those who have the power?” The question is asked by asking if people have the right or not to know better then what they already know. I think this question is answered in the knowledge of other ideas with practice, so yes people should know better and know different concepts that can be formed individually or with the help of an outside source. 

Blogpost 8- We Make the Road by Walking, Chapter 2

FEI Blogpost 8

https://davidbacker.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/paulo-freire-we-make-the-road-by-walking-conversations-on-education-and-social-change.pdf

We Make the Road by Walking, Chapter 2

Factual Question:

What is the definition of aesthetic?

According to merriam-webster.com Aesthetic is of, relating to, or dealing with aesthetics or the beautiful; artistic; pleasing in appearance; appreciative of, responsive to, or zealous about the beautiful, responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to the senses.”

Evaluative Statement:

How do we make our lives balanced and aesthetic? A thought that this question is brought up in many parts of our lives, is change good? We are infinitely changing beings that go through changes on a daily basis. I started off with this thought perplexing realization quote that Myles expresses in the Formative Years in We Make the Road by Walking.  “And the other thing I would hope to do would be to make it clear that my ideas have changed and are constantly changing and should change and that I’m as proud of my inconsistencies as I am my consistencies.” We wouldn’t be here on earth without change, mistakes, and successes, so I believe that most definitely change is a great thing. An open mind is a receptive, intelligent, progressive mind that should be adopted in more people’s lifestyles. This is relevant in our educational and critical pedagogy to understand our teaching, learning, and changing school systems.  Myles later states that “I can remember very well that I never felt sorry for myself. I just accepted the fact that those were the conditions and that I was a victim of those conditions, but I never had any feelings of inferiority to other people. Because it was the system’s fault and not the people’s.” Another concept that we need to be more receptive and progressive about, how do we change the system? The two authors talk about their experiences that helped change and mold their lives for the better. A great educational learning process that led them to successful lives. Myles had a realistic approach not looking at the different classes for rankings of superiority and inferiority, but to the people for being the people and dividing the system to be the rankings and unaware of the people. It is relevant in the education and instruction in our society because it needs to be divided when it comes to our students and the treatment that people are receiving. We need equality in our world, and I think great ways to express that is being balanced in ourselves. As Myles and Paulo were discussing their early education and their common desire to read, Paulo expresses, “I think that it’s very interesting, because sometimes we can fall into some mistakes, for example, the mistake of denying the value of books, the value of reading or denying the value of practice. I think we have to understand how books as theory and practice as action must be constantly dialectically together, that is, as a unity between practice and theory.” I thought it was interesting how Paulo correlates imbalanced mistakes, to the value of practice and reading. As a practicing yogi, I love incorporating the yin yang into balancing my life. According to yin yang philosophy the universe, and everything in it, is both constant and cyclical. One force dominates and then it is replaced by the opposing force. This is exemplified in every part of life and death, night and day, dark and light, the activities are endless. With every action there is a reaction, which the authors exemplify in their actions of reading causes reactions of education and desire to keep learning as well as teach. The authors convey how unfortunately most students give reading negative connotations by being forced to read as students. If we teach reading as an act of individuality and beauty, instead of curriculum it can become more desired for students. An important concept regardless is to have an unconditional appreciation for all humans, students and teachers, in their endeavors of balance, independence, diversity, and happiness.

Interpretive Question:

When the author Paulo states that “for me the scientist who is not able to write beautifully minimizes his or her science and falls into an ideological lie, according to which the scientists have to escape from the beauty” I believe that he means that for it to be a true science it needs to be expressed in not only the action of the process, but the reaction of the response of the process. I’m not sure if that is what he means though because he originally states that the thought of people is that scientist are not obliged to grasp the aesthetical moment of language, but it is beautiful when they do, right? 

Blogpost 7- We Make the Road by Walking

“We Make the Road by Walking” by Myles Horton and Paulo Frieire

Chapter 1 & Introduction: Conversations on Education and Social Change

https://davidbacker.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/paulo-freire-we-make-the-road-by-walking-conversations-on-education-and-social-change.pdf

Factual Question:

What is the definition of enlightenment? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is the state of having knowledge or understanding: the act of giving someone knowledge or understanding.

The Enlightenment: a movement of the 18^th century that stressed the belief that science and logic give people more knowledge and understanding than tradition and religion.

Evaluative Statement:

How very important it is to talk about social influences that impact our educational reform and change. We as a whole need to make changes and I think that sharing personal influences and stories is inspiring to others so that others who have gone through the same things don’t feel alone.

“We make the road by walking” which comes from “se hace camino al andar”, Spanish for “you make the way as you go.” So much stress and anxiety comes from the idea that we need to have everything planned out, but the truth that educated individuals discover through experiences and different “roads” is that we can’t plan to far in the future. We can dream, we can set personal goals, but we can’t be worried about the future too much for the present time we have together is so precious. If more students stopped worrying about their future endeavors and focus on their current accomplishments and experiences, then I think we will have a more peaceful, clear, and conscious.

I love telling about my roller coaster of life, and all of the different hills and curves of my path, for a year ago I had not planned for the position I am in today, but I could never be happier with the way that it happened. I have learned so much, that education is more then just getting a degree, it is more about learning about yourself and about society. I have also learned that with the support from your friends and family that anything that you put your mind to you can accomplish. I have switched my major multiple times, have spent a lot of money on investing in my education, but the skills ,hobbies, and moments that I have gained over time are priceless.

As a young student who attended a catholic elementary school, I learned much more then education, but how to give back to the community, ways to spread optimism and random acts of kindness, and to always believe in your dreams and in your future. After having so many influential teachers in my younger years, I decided at a young age that I wanted to follow in their footsteps and become a teacher so I can inspire students like they inspired me.

After I transferred to a new school district, going to a public high school, and participating in different extracurricular activities and volunteer programs, I explored the idea of becoming a nurse. I have always loved the idea of giving back and helping people, and with the help from one of my favorite show Grey’s Anatomy, and my new found intelligence of acing science and chemistry in my high school course, I decided that I would be the perfect nurse! After two years of headaches and tears from giving the nursing program my all and working as a state tested nursing assistant, I realized that it wasn’t the best match for me and my happiness. It was hard switching majors with the pressure of pursuing a degree that will not only fulfill myself, but fulfill my desire to inspire and help other. I had lots of support from my family and friends with my different ideas and they always told me that no matter what I do, I will be great at it.

So after talking to previous teachers and spending more time with children, I decided to go back to my original dream of becoming a teacher. I love everything about education, and how it not only furthers us as we are constantly learning new things, but as we can have an impact in the most important part of children’s lives. Myles and I share something in common in the text, he stated how he enjoys learning, just for his own enlightenment. I have always been one interested in more than just what the teachers are teaching us. I think that it is important to discover other intellectual curiosities as we pursue degrees, so we are well rounded, balanced, enlightened, open-minded educators as we walk this path together to help educate our future students of the world.

Interpretive Question:

When the author says that in order to start, it should be necessary to start. He makes it seem that you just start by trying and just start walking on the road of life. But then on the other hand he mentions that in the process of making the road, you need to be clear and to clarify your own making of the road. I think that he means by that, that your goals should always be clear but that it's okay if you don't know where the road is always leading you. 

Blogpost 6-Beyond the Educational Frontier

Beyond the Educational Frontier: The Great American Dream Freeze

Chapter 1

Factual Question: 

What does reform mean? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, reform means to improve (someone or something) by removing or correcting faults, problems, etc. To improve your own behavior or habits.

Evaluative Statement:

I thought that this chapter started off very interesting. The first statement of the chapter really sunk in, as I read it multiple times as I thought about it. “Those who take the meat from the table preach contentment…Those who eat their fill speak to the hungry of wonderful times to come…Those who lead the country into the abyss call ruling too difficult for the ordinary.” -Bertolt Brecht, 1937.

Comparing our twentieth- century with the nineteenth-century of opportunity young adults had a variety of ways they could create their lives. In the nineteenth-century young adults could venture west and make a living in the frontiers, they could attend to the ever booming factory system, or they could join the new and booming higher education system. Today high school graduates decide if they want to go to college, to a tech school, work full time, or a very select few that do nothing and live off of their parents.

No matter what time period it is, students are going to school for reform. Highlights of successful educational reform included great teacher quality, as well as educational resources and atmosphere. I agree with the notion that reform and intelligence does not necessarily come from genes, but in the attitudes, time perspectives, family patterns and values of the poor. Interestingly enough both of my parents did not graduate from college. Excitingly, I have one sister that already graduated from Kent State University, one sister in college at the University of Toledo, two little sisters eager to follow in their big sisters footprints and attend college, as I am working on my Education degree at Cleveland State University. It goes to show that everybody is different and makes decisions based off of their own attitudes and beliefs rather then what they know or feel that they have to do. Even though honestly, I feel a little more pressure perusing my college degree since I already have two sisters that are doing or have done the same thing, I am still perusing my own dreams and doing my own thing.

College is so much more to me than being intelligent and well off financially. It is a lot of determination and belief in not only my future, but in the world’s future. I am furthering my education daily, not only for the good of myself but for the good of the world, for the belief in the reformation of our society to make decisions based off of morally right instincts and beliefs. The awful things that are happening in this society is not just stupidity, but humans that were not given the right opportunity or chances to thrive morally and intellectually. I swear some people, even adults should take a course on how to believe in a more optimistic future, for optimism creates happiness, and happiness creates success and a more peaceful society.

The article touches on the fact that the economic mobility is independent of family backgrounds of individuals and it is not changing measurably. Even though the number of students enrolling in college has been increasing, it is still dependent on parental socioeconomic status as it was thirty years ago. I think as educators it is important for us to change this number. We should be encouraging students no matter what their backgrounds are to reach for the highest education, and make them confidant in their dreams and success in their future.

Interpretive Question: 

When I read the poor are poor because they are intellectually incompetent; their incompetence is particularly intractable because it is inherited from their poor, and also intellectually deficient, parents.” I think it means that they are talking about the poor class, considering you receive your class form your parents but I’m not sure because I don’t believe that all poor people are intellectually incompetent. 

Blogpost 4- Critical Pedagogy

Critical Pedagogy: A look at the Major Concepts

Peter McLaren

Factual Question: What does dialectical mean?

 Of, relating to, or in accordance with dialect. A method of examining and discussing opposing ideas in order to find the truth

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dialectical

Evaluation Statement:

Critical thinking is a very important part in education that I believe develops and grows over time. It is a skill that gets develops as one grows and is more educated in different studies. Dialectical thinking involves looking at the contradictions. If we weren’t trained to think critically we would be robots believing everything a superior told us. I believe we are born with curiosity and natural instincts to explore. I think that the dynamics between contradictory states of affair are interesting. The complements of the elements of contradictions are dynamic in the sense that there is tension between the two different poles. New contradictions are equivalent to the new ideas that can be developed and achieved.

Macro objectives are designed so students make connections between the methods, content, and structure of a course and its significance with the bigger picture of the larger social reality. Oppositely the micro objectives represents students course contents being characterized by their narrowness of purpose to the content bound inquiry. It is said that when one develops macro objectives they foster a dialectal model of inquiry. The learning process consists of the development of social and political applications of knowledge, which is what Giroux calls directive knowledge. It is important for critical theorists to educate students on the social function of particular forms of knowledge. “The purpose of dialectical educational theory is to provide students with a model that permits them to examine the underlying political, social, and economical foundations of the larger society.”

It is important to recognize in the critical pedagogy that school knowledge has historically and socially be rooted as interest. The knowledge we gain in school is ordered and structured in different ways. Knowledge can be seen as socially constructed by the products of agreement or consent between individuals who live out particular social relations and who live in particular junctions at that point in time. Since the social world is such a generation constructed part of our society that we are living in and apart of, it is important to be knowledgeable of the influence we have upon it. Critical pedagogy asks how our everyday commonsense constructs our social subjectivities that get produced and lived out. A key point in this understanding is that the social functions of knowledge have different forms of power and legitimacy between each other.

Knowledge is so important and diverse that there are different forms of knowledge. There is technical knowledge, practical knowledge, and emancipatory knowledge, according to the article. Technical knowledge is knowledge that can be measured and quantified. Practical knowledge is generally acquired through describing and analyzing social situations historically or developmentally, and is geared toward helping individuals understand social events that are ongoing and situational. Emancipatory knowledge is the attempt to reconcile and transcend the opposition between technical and practical knowledge.

Lastly, it is important to understand culture when understanding the critical pedagogy. Culture signifies the particular ways in which a social group lives out and makes sense of its circumstances and conditions of life.

Interpretive Question:

When the author says that a dialectical understanding of school permits us to see schools as sites of both domination and liberation, does he mean we go under this control of education so we can be set free after we receive our education? This is very plausible but some believe that we never stop learning and being educated. Maybe after we are free from institutional educated domination is when we are liberated. The author of the article also elaborates on how this dialectical understanding of schooling also brushes against the grain of mainstream educational theory, which conceives of school as mainly providing students with the skills and attitudes necessary for becoming patriotic, industrious, and responsible citizens.

Blogpost 3- The Critical Pedagogy

Factual Question:

What does critical pedagogy mean? Critical pedagogy is a philosophy of education and social movement that combines education with critical theory. Critical pedagogy considers how education can provide individuals with the tools to better themselves and strengthen democracy, to create a more egalitarian and just society, and thus to deploy education in a process of progressive social change.

http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/critical_pedagogy.htm

Evaluative Statement:

The Critical Pedagogy Reader: Confronting Class in the Classroom

https://davidbacker.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/hooks-class.pdf

Ever since we were younger we were taught to overlook class while we were taking classes and treat everyone equal. Those are great morals to live by because everyone should be treated equally. What we weren’t taught at a younger age are the different classes that we are apart of and how they will treat us differently as we age.

Personally coming from a catholic elementary school, I was taught about the classes and how to act and behave in different situations. I was prepared from an early age to act professionally as well as courteous. I was also taught to strive for greatness by always working beyond my full potential and settling for nothing less than greatness and personal satisfaction.

We are all equally committed to success and thriving as we move up the ladder of success to the top. For example, teachers and students are most likely in different statuses but that doesn’t change anything about how the way we interact. Students are working toward their goals just as well as teachers, so it is great seeing the connections of one another helping each other reach their dreams.

It is interesting to think about that no one ever really taught us rules of class. It was mainly learned and taught by examples and reinforced by rewards or punishments. We are taught in classes that being citizens of the United States of America we have freedom of speech. We are trained through punishments in the schools that this freedom of speech is not so free when we get punished for talking when it is not the most “appropriate” language or time. Since students might be labeled outcasts or rebels it is unfortunate that most students won’t say their honest opinions in fear of getting ridiculed. It is an awful feeling of powerlessness when a student is being hushed for their beliefs or ideas. A teacher is much more then an educator, they are a classroom censor as well as inspirer. Discussions in the classroom setting are initiated by the teacher, so it is important for the teacher to make thought provoking discussions that allow students to express their opinion either verbally or through pen and paper.

College discussions are some of the most interesting yet intellectually thriving conversations around. It is so fascinating all of the different backgrounds that people come into college from yet all share the same goals of learning as much as they can while working like we are training for the Olympics and potentially taking out loans that could solve world hunger. In growing up in small classroom sizes I felt so empowered in somewhat large college lectures speaking my opinion and knowing that I will most likely not get hushed by the professor. Interesting to think about that if different opinions and ideas that are vocalized in college lectures don’t get hushed in college settings because the professors are more open for debate like situations, or if most of the adults in the college settings are trained professionally and academically so they can speak without offending? Not saying that I haven’t been in situations where I have felt offended in lectures, because that has happened unfortunately multiple times that some people don’t know how to express their ideas in a sensitive to different cultures and beliefs way. Overall, I think it is important to acknowledge different classes in different settings, which allows us to easily code switch with different people while staying on track for success.

Interpretive Question:

When the author says that students who receive financial aid “diminished” on in some way and that the college was for materially privileged class, does he mean that the university is diminishing them? Most students receive financial aid since it is very expensive to attend university, so I don’t think that peers diminish each other for financial aid, considering most need it to get through college.

Blogpost 2- The student and society

Goldfarb, J. “The Student and Society: An Annotated Manifesto” (sections 4-8)

 Factual Question:

              What is a democracy? A democracy is a system government in which power is                   vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected                                   representatives.

Evaluative Statement:

I disagree with the “they make democracy unlikely” part of the text because I love the ideas that are discussed and have hope that one day schools will run somewhat like that. It is enlightening to hear that a teacher’s authority rests in his or her special knowledge or ability, not in his power over students. It is most definitely a negative aspect of occupations when one feel superior or more powerful then others, because eventually that other person with the proper education can potentially be more powerful then the current person in power. As a leader and educator I will personally commit to always giving my students the power to make their own decisions and have them be involved in-group decisions. It is so rewarding seeing other people who have leadership and feel important, especially when current leaders give the patience and support to them.

For Authority addicts, it is true that for the majority of our school life they shape our time just as much as we shape their time by being apart of it. The majority of people have been through classes where they stay up for all night for a project or exam, even though nervous for what is to come after it is over, it is still a feeling of accomplishment and pride. “As we free ourselves from work in the traditional sense, we have the opportunity to lift our heads up and to look around; we become more free to create our lives rather than undergo them.”

The compulsory schooling most definitely makes it seem like school is imprisonment. Being locked up all day and not being able to make any huge decisions besides the occasional picking of topics or colors to color with is depressing. Personally I always said that it was like jail, and I don’t think children should live thinking they are in jail. We teach children to go to school to get an education so they can live freely and happily, but if we start off with the sense of no freedom then how can they think independently and curious of what the future is capable of. One essential characteristic of a good school is the freedom to establish its own direction. It is important to have students be involved in what they are learning and give some feedback about it. Not only do we need autonomy and democracy in schools, we also need individuals in a school to create their own learning structures without being pushed around and standardized through testing and administrations.

School is looked at as some kind of favor that society is granting us. The condition for continuing to receive this favor is if we accept the terms of the rightful education. If we don’t behave in these privileged schools then the privilege can be withdrawn for us. What we get in return of behaving and giving up an enormous amount of our precious time is an access to a certain income bracket and all the material possessions that go with it. The power that we have as humans, as students, as individuals is the power to say no. Society is in dire need of great students to make this an well-rounded functioning society, so they are going to do everything within their power to keep us in school, and we need to do everything within our power to reform the schools. 

Interpretive Question:

                  When the author says if schools were autonomous, I would expect our rigid                         system of educational levels to weaken does he mean that because the schools                   would have individual control of the curriculum that it would weaken? I see                           where he is coming from with that, but on the other hand charter schools are                       ran independently and through personal experiences through shadows they                         seem to be running better then some public schools. I think that less strict rules                   about curriculums give teachers a better chance of teaching the most important                   content that children need to learn. It also gives flexibility to teach more then                         just subjects.