yep
Sara Tezel
Dr. Lori Robison
English 110
17 September 2007
Paulo Freire in Modern Education
Throughout my education, I have had the privilege of achieving a strong background in English. My love for English started at a young age because my mother, a reading teacher, always encouraged me to read, write, and think creatively. For the most part, all my teachers have done the same.
In our lives, there are teachers who make us love learning, and there are teachers who make us hate it. There are teachers who encourage and support, and those who, according to Paulo Freire, bottle and condemn. Some students are continually placed into classrooms where their educator "annul[s] the students' creative power (258)." I have been blessed with teachers who have challenged me to think creatively and critically. There was one teacher who made me decide I want a future in English and she managed to do it in just one afternoon.
Mrs. Wacker of Red River High School was the teacher students dreaded. She was often referred to as a “grammar Nazi” and her name, pronounced Walker, was purposely butchered to put her down. Students did this bravely behind her back.
I was a freshman when I was randomly placed in Mrs. Wacker’s classroom. Having very little grammar experience, I suffered and received my first B in English. As the year progressed, I would feel lucky to score a ‘C’ on a test because my score was usually lower. It was this woman, the one who challenged me and made me begin to despise English, who added fire to my love for the subject.
Papers in Mrs. Wacker’s class were expected to be perfect. She would write times on the board for when she was available to correct and critique and if you didn’t sign up for one, you could count yourself lucky to receive a ‘B.’
The topic of my paper was O. Henry and his short stories. Surprised with how interesting he was, I became drawn into my paper. When my time arrived to meet with Mrs. Wacker, my eyes widened with horror as her pencil corrected one grammatical mistake after another. I was near tears. The person after me didn’t show up for his time, so she kept on attacking my paper. I waited for the next person to walk in and Mrs. Wacker to excuse me and my beaten down essay, but that didn’t happen.
Paulo Freire would say that Mrs. Wacker was a teacher who was “the-one-who-teaches (262).” She did not interact with students in a dialogue that allowed the teacher to teach and to learn or the student to learn and to teach.
Mrs. Wacker had always been so busy keeping to her schedule that a person would often be dismissed without an explanation of his or her mistakes. Luckily for me, the last three people of the day didn’t show up for their appointment.
After she finished marking up my paper, we went over my mistakes and I learned from them. We discussed grammar, O. Henry, and English in everyday life, for the next half hour. Mrs. Wacker had suddenly become human, her rules made sense, and I left with my love of English returned and strengthened.
Mrs. Wacker did something that no other English teacher had ever done; she challenged me. She forced me to confront my fear of grammar and make mistakes. By being forced to make mistakes, I was forced to learn from them too.
The “banking” concept of education can take many forms. To an outsider it would have appeared that Mrs. Wacker was just trying to force me to conform to an idea and a set of principles. And in the beginning she was. Until a free moment arrived, "instead of communicating, the teacher [Mrs. Wacker] issues communiqués and makes deposits which the students [my classmates and I] patiently receive, memorize, and repeat (257)." Mrs. Wacker was a rare teacher though; she realized you have to know the rules to break them.
I believe that Freire realized that some things have to be memorized. Certain facts are just facts. Does one really need to know why the capital of North Dakota is Bismarck? My answer is no. The reason people memorize facts is so they can build on them later.
By knowing certain things, we are allowed to question them. George W. Bush is the President of the United States. If we know this fact, we can question why. We can learn new things because we know this solid, concrete fact. President Bush is in office because the Electoral College had more votes for him than for his opponent. What is the Electoral College? Only by knowing certain facts, having them memorized, are we allowed to continually learn, question, and grow.
Paulo Freire said “problem-posing education affirms men and women as beings in the process of becoming-as unfinished, uncompleted beings… (265).” What he meant is that one can never be done learning. There is always new information out there and in order to practice problem-posing education, you have to realize that you are incomplete and need assistance.
Anyone can become a teacher. Unless these future educators have a passion for teaching and for learning, they "do not realize that they are serving only to dehumanize (259)." Banking is easy. It does not take talent or passion to stand up in front of a room and "[talk] about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable (257)." True teachers, no, true educators, realize that "knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention (257)."
Mrs. Wacker came to realize that she needed to reinvent her teaching style. The first time I went in to have a paper corrected, I sat and listened and left. When I started asking questions and becoming active in my own learning, I taught my teacher that teaching is more than dictating information. I taught my teacher that it is okay to ask why because only when we ask why, do we understand.
Freire said "They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow (262)." What he means is that it is not only the job of the student to learn, but the job of the teacher as well. To open up is to teach, and to teach is to share. Only by sharing can one be expected to learn.
Paulo Freire is right when he says “Education is suffering from narration sickness (256).” He wants the reader to realize that while they may have been the quiet, unquestioning student, it is never too late to change. In fact, Freire wrote this essay in hopes that both teachers and students would see their shortcomings and address them. When a student realizes that he or she does not just have to sit and listen, they begin to question. Questioning brings up more questions, and the more we question, the more we learn.
On the other hand, teachers have to realize that they do not know everything, and each student can teach them something new and valuable. When that teacher allows his or her students to teach, instead of just learn, the teacher is becoming a better educator and a better resource to his or her students.
Paulo Freire realized that the only way students can learn is to be conscious of consciousness. What I mean to say is that a student has to take an active role in their education. Sitting, listening, and taking notes is not actively engaging themselves or their teacher. Students need to ask questions so they can begin to understand the concept presented to them.
Dr. Lori Robison
English 110
17 September 2007
Paulo Freire in Modern Education
Throughout my education, I have had the privilege of achieving a strong background in English. My love for English started at a young age because my mother, a reading teacher, always encouraged me to read, write, and think creatively. For the most part, all my teachers have done the same.
In our lives, there are teachers who make us love learning, and there are teachers who make us hate it. There are teachers who encourage and support, and those who, according to Paulo Freire, bottle and condemn. Some students are continually placed into classrooms where their educator "annul[s] the students' creative power (258)." I have been blessed with teachers who have challenged me to think creatively and critically. There was one teacher who made me decide I want a future in English and she managed to do it in just one afternoon.
Mrs. Wacker of Red River High School was the teacher students dreaded. She was often referred to as a “grammar Nazi” and her name, pronounced Walker, was purposely butchered to put her down. Students did this bravely behind her back.
I was a freshman when I was randomly placed in Mrs. Wacker’s classroom. Having very little grammar experience, I suffered and received my first B in English. As the year progressed, I would feel lucky to score a ‘C’ on a test because my score was usually lower. It was this woman, the one who challenged me and made me begin to despise English, who added fire to my love for the subject.
Papers in Mrs. Wacker’s class were expected to be perfect. She would write times on the board for when she was available to correct and critique and if you didn’t sign up for one, you could count yourself lucky to receive a ‘B.’
The topic of my paper was O. Henry and his short stories. Surprised with how interesting he was, I became drawn into my paper. When my time arrived to meet with Mrs. Wacker, my eyes widened with horror as her pencil corrected one grammatical mistake after another. I was near tears. The person after me didn’t show up for his time, so she kept on attacking my paper. I waited for the next person to walk in and Mrs. Wacker to excuse me and my beaten down essay, but that didn’t happen.
Paulo Freire would say that Mrs. Wacker was a teacher who was “the-one-who-teaches (262).” She did not interact with students in a dialogue that allowed the teacher to teach and to learn or the student to learn and to teach.
Mrs. Wacker had always been so busy keeping to her schedule that a person would often be dismissed without an explanation of his or her mistakes. Luckily for me, the last three people of the day didn’t show up for their appointment.
After she finished marking up my paper, we went over my mistakes and I learned from them. We discussed grammar, O. Henry, and English in everyday life, for the next half hour. Mrs. Wacker had suddenly become human, her rules made sense, and I left with my love of English returned and strengthened.
Mrs. Wacker did something that no other English teacher had ever done; she challenged me. She forced me to confront my fear of grammar and make mistakes. By being forced to make mistakes, I was forced to learn from them too.
The “banking” concept of education can take many forms. To an outsider it would have appeared that Mrs. Wacker was just trying to force me to conform to an idea and a set of principles. And in the beginning she was. Until a free moment arrived, "instead of communicating, the teacher [Mrs. Wacker] issues communiqués and makes deposits which the students [my classmates and I] patiently receive, memorize, and repeat (257)." Mrs. Wacker was a rare teacher though; she realized you have to know the rules to break them.
I believe that Freire realized that some things have to be memorized. Certain facts are just facts. Does one really need to know why the capital of North Dakota is Bismarck? My answer is no. The reason people memorize facts is so they can build on them later.
By knowing certain things, we are allowed to question them. George W. Bush is the President of the United States. If we know this fact, we can question why. We can learn new things because we know this solid, concrete fact. President Bush is in office because the Electoral College had more votes for him than for his opponent. What is the Electoral College? Only by knowing certain facts, having them memorized, are we allowed to continually learn, question, and grow.
Paulo Freire said “problem-posing education affirms men and women as beings in the process of becoming-as unfinished, uncompleted beings… (265).” What he meant is that one can never be done learning. There is always new information out there and in order to practice problem-posing education, you have to realize that you are incomplete and need assistance.
Anyone can become a teacher. Unless these future educators have a passion for teaching and for learning, they "do not realize that they are serving only to dehumanize (259)." Banking is easy. It does not take talent or passion to stand up in front of a room and "[talk] about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable (257)." True teachers, no, true educators, realize that "knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention (257)."
Mrs. Wacker came to realize that she needed to reinvent her teaching style. The first time I went in to have a paper corrected, I sat and listened and left. When I started asking questions and becoming active in my own learning, I taught my teacher that teaching is more than dictating information. I taught my teacher that it is okay to ask why because only when we ask why, do we understand.
Freire said "They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow (262)." What he means is that it is not only the job of the student to learn, but the job of the teacher as well. To open up is to teach, and to teach is to share. Only by sharing can one be expected to learn.
Paulo Freire is right when he says “Education is suffering from narration sickness (256).” He wants the reader to realize that while they may have been the quiet, unquestioning student, it is never too late to change. In fact, Freire wrote this essay in hopes that both teachers and students would see their shortcomings and address them. When a student realizes that he or she does not just have to sit and listen, they begin to question. Questioning brings up more questions, and the more we question, the more we learn.
On the other hand, teachers have to realize that they do not know everything, and each student can teach them something new and valuable. When that teacher allows his or her students to teach, instead of just learn, the teacher is becoming a better educator and a better resource to his or her students.
Paulo Freire realized that the only way students can learn is to be conscious of consciousness. What I mean to say is that a student has to take an active role in their education. Sitting, listening, and taking notes is not actively engaging themselves or their teacher. Students need to ask questions so they can begin to understand the concept presented to them.
posted by Stezie @ 9:46 AM
2 thoughts:
At 9:52 AM,
Anonymous said…
Sara Tezel
Dr. Lori Robison
English 110
19 September 2007
Questions for a Second Reading
First of all, I’d like to start off saying I wasn’t entirely sure what I was supposed to do. I read the essay, then read the question, and then read the questions again. In Paulo Freire’s “Questions for a Second Reading” it was obvious what was wanted. When I read these questions, I thought they sounded as if all I needed to do was think about them and be prepared to discuss them for class. So if I missed the boat, my apologizes.
Mary Louise Pratt, the author of the essay “Arts of the Contact Zone”, mentions the phrase “contact zones”. What are these contact zones? Pratt tells the reader that these are zones that are places where differences between people are felt, and sometimes even noticed. More specifically, she states
“I used this term to refer to social spaces where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other, often in contexts or highly asymmetrical relations of power, such as colonialism, slavery, or their aftermaths as they are lived out in many parts of the world today (519).”
What Pratt is trying to do is explain that even though America’s culture, language, and literature is different from someone as similar as the British, it does not mean there is a right way and a wrong way. There are numerous ways to look at things and take them in. I believe that Pratt is trying to stress acceptance in the Art World.
The word transculturation is also repeatedly used by the author. This word ties in very nicely with the phrase “contact zone.” Again, I feel it would be best if Pratt’s language was used first to explain her own choice of words. She says that the word transcultural is used to “describe the processes whereby members of subordinated or marginal groups select and invent from materials transmitted by a dominant or metropolitan culture (523).”
I believe that Pratt is trying to say that people in a culture are responsible for the way the culture develops. It’s like the theory of survival of the fittest, only the strongest survive. As people grow and the world around them changes, they need to learn to adapt. Values also change from generation to generation, so what a type of dance that represented something special to the older generation may become lost when they eventually pass away.
I tried to imagine that I was hearing someone speak the essay as I read it. I enjoyed the beginning part, where she talks about her son and his baseball cards, the most because I love stories. I would rather hear a story without numbers, history, or other things I think would be hard to recall later. The beginning was the one part I honestly understood. I think this is because the emotion when telling a personal story is very strong and memorable.
I wouldn’t interrupt Mary Louise Pratt when she was giving her speech, because I would find that rude and disrespectful. If I were to pull her aside after the speech, I would ask her the following questions:
• How old were you when you wrote this?
• What is your highest level of education?
• Have you worked personally to “discover” or piece together the ideas and theories in your essay?
• What do you do for a living?
Now these may not be the type of questions you were hoping I would ask, but allow me to explain myself.
I would want to know her age and education level when she wrote this because some of the language and ideas escape me. I think in understanding her personal history in education, I would maybe get a better idea of why she used to words she did and worded her phrases certain ways.
I would want to know if some of these were her theories and ideas, or if they were just borrowed from others and put together in a new way because then I’d know how much passion she had for the subject. I thought there was passion in the essay even though I didn’t always understand what it was directed at.
I would want to know where she worked because it’d be interesting if essays were her job or if this is just something she wrote on the side out of love.
Overall, I believe that the essay was interesting and informative. If I received the point correctly, I’m happy that Pratt decided to try and educate the reader on learning to accept differences as if they are just old friends.
I also think that people often forget that each community is different from another. Just because I live in Lengby, Minnesota and you live in Fosston, Minnesota (two towns roughly fifteen minutes apart) does not mean our towns do the same things, practice the same ideas, or have the same traditions. The gap is even larger when you compare these two towns to a city such as New York. People live in numerous communities: their neighborhood, section of town, town, county, region, country. Only when we realize that we are different, but all very similar, can we even think of beginning to try to understand others and their lifestyles.
At 9:30 PM,
Anonymous said…
hello... hapi blogging... have a nice day! just visiting here....
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