Sunday, April 21, 2013

Shor, "Educating is Politics" - Quotes


 
“Students in empowering classes should be expected to develop skills and knowledge as well as high expectations for themselves, their education, and their futures” (16).

            I think that allowing students to have a voice in the classroom changes everything. Setting this class setting up early is important so that on day one, the students feel that they are a valued part of the classroom, which should improve their outlook on school.  I also think that in empowering classes, students help one another develop a sense of self-worth. If as an educator you have a chance to do this for your students, why wouldn’t you?


“They ask why the official textbook and syllabus are organized the way they are and how this knowledge relates to their community cultures and to conditions in society” (37).

 

            This quote popped out at me. The minute I read it I thought - “Dr. Bogad”. She is teaching our class as an example of what Shor is trying to say. As a student I am so used to doing what I am told by teachers, because they are my teacher. But as students, we deserve a say. Luckily, we are given one in FNED, but how many other classes give us this choice? I think that as we prepare to become teachers, we must keep this in mind. We have to care about our students’ opinion and we must allow them to question.

 


“I posed the problem but did not lecture on it. Instead, I asked-students to write their responses individually. They read them to each other in small groups of three or four to discuss their analyses before each group reported to the whole class for dialogue, reading statements from their groups one at a time for discussion” (40).

 

I liked this segment of the reading. I think that teachers always feel the need to jump in and help the students, which forms their views and opinions on certain subjects. However, when an educator is patient and lets the students work it out on their own, they get to form their own opinions and learn to debate it on their own. Also they will be more likely to ask questions if you do not present all the facts in one quick lecture. I really liked this method of teaching, and I think the ideas of use are great.

 

Class discussion: Do other people plan on teaching in this manner? Do you see different pros and cons? I feel I will try to teach in this way. I think it is beneficial for both my students and myself.

4 comments:

  1. Hey Marissa I loved reading your blog. To answer your discussion question, I plan on teaching in that manner. The entire purpose of being a teacher is to educate your students. I do not want to simply educate them in course subjects but in life as well. I agree that it would benefit them in the long run as well as benefiting me as a teacher.

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  2. Hi Marissa,

    Absolutely agree that students need to speak in the classroom and respond independently without outside influences. However, they need to understand that although they are permitted to voice their opinions, at the same time they need to be obedient and listen to the teacher's directions. The teacher creates structure and part of the plan is allowing oral communication between students and instructor. :]

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  3. Loved your blog post. My goal when I am a social studies teacher is to hopefully encourage students to lean to think for themselves and to speak up on what the feel is important. I want to challenge their thinking but in a way that will make them understand that it is important to gather facts and information and not just go along with what they are told or what they just hear.

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  4. I really enjoyed reading your blog. I liked the quotes that you picked and the picture that you posted.

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