Throughout my blog posts, I have communicated what I believe to be the number one cause of the undermining of our educational system: the invisible student. The notion of invisible student is played out in educational settings when we reduce a student's identity to a number/letter grade; ignore a student's culture by not including aspects of it (culture) in the curriculum; assess a student with biased tools that will not ensure her success in education; and impose language requirements and curricula that does not take each individual student's identity and multiliteracies into account. These historically institutionalized banking-style methods of education undeniably continue to leave students behind.
Each week, while I gather information for my blog by scouring over numerous articles, video clips, research studies, etc, I am incessantly and overwhelmingly flooded with evidence of students being abandoned by their education. And, each week, I am still left to question: How can this be? How is it that the student- the primary root of the educational process- is in fact, the least thought of or considered in our current system? With the vast amounts of easily accessible information that provide solutions and arguments for an improved, all encompassing education, why is it that our students are still invisible in their own education?
In a time when our everyday lives have become oversaturated with discussions of our impending economical crisis, I am awesomely made aware of the significant role that politics plays in all arenas of society. One cannot begin to dissect any societal atmosphere without taking into account the corruption that has been caused by a neoliberal agenda. However, when there are resolutions to such issues that are so painstakingly obvious, I grapple with society’s tolerance of this corruption. Regardless of political affiliation, our end goal, must and should always be that of an open, accepting, honest, and successful society. Our road to this finish line is that through the proper and effective education of our future generations. And, until our students are made visible and secured at the helm of the educational process, we will never fully meet this target.
The best chance for a reform in of our pedagogical practices is through awareness. There are travesties in our educational system every day. However, society is not aware of them. As a means for my own self-education, and in an attempt to bring knowledge to others, I will continue to explore and investigate current events in education, and report my findings via this blog. It is my drive to create a spark in others. And, perhaps it is this spark that will inspire others to continue the flame.
As I end this week’s blog, I leave the reader with something to chew on. For the past few weeks, American society has been inundated with an overflowing amount of politically produced fear concerning our economy. As we sift through these excessive hysteria-creating discussions about taxes, revenue, and debt, we rarely hear an utterance of the state of our education. Yet, the failings of our educational system that preserves the concept of an invisible student are directly correlated with the demise of our economy. Below is a podcast and links to NPR's School's Out: America's Dropout Crisis, an extensive study that connects our economical crisis to our educational crisis- specifically, the high rate of push-out/drop-out in education. Please watch the actual videos that can be found on NPR's website. It is my contention that these high drop-out/push-out rates represent the invisible students that our educators and educational system have failed to recognize and reach. Ultimately, it is these students who are left behind.
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/24/138653393/school-dropout-rates-adds-to-fiscal-burden
http://www.npr.org/series/138542241/dropping-out-the-human-face-of-an-education-crisis
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
"We don't need no education. We don't need no thought control"- Roger Waters
Remember when MTV used to play music videos? Well, here is the MTV version of one of my all-time favorite bands, Pink Floyd. This is the musical video to “Another Brick in the Wall,” from Floyd’s 1979 album The Wall. Please watch the video in its entirety, and pay attention to the lyrics, but the visuals as well. Lyrics are written in the description part of YouTube.
This video epitomizes Paulo Freire’s concept of banking education (1997). The video is set in the educational atmosphere of London. We see emotionless, faceless children. They are carbon copies of one another and are treated that way. They are seated in perfect little rows. Eventually we witness them marching in lines in a factory setting, where a comparison of education is made to that of mass-production. Around 3:20 in the video, I can even make a distinct connection to the imagery of students as cattle. There is a close-up of the feet of the children as they march, that chillingly reminds me of the hooves of cattle. The students are placed on a conveyor built and eventually end up as processed meat. The students rebel against their dictator- teachers by shouting, “We don’t need no education. We don’t need no thought control.”
The title “Another Brick in the Wall,” alludes to lyricist Waters’ vision of the teachers in this particular society as -bricks in the wall. He presents the notion that through the banking education that these teachers are imposing on the children, they (students) are having walls built up around them that will eventually close them off from others. Freire would explain these educational practices as “alienating intellectualism” (1997, p. 67). Waters explains to the teachers, “All in all it's just another brick in the wall. All in all you're just another brick in the wall.” This banking education created wall, without intervention, ultimately will lead to a society of isolation. In a society of isolation, there is no reason for humans to work collaboratively or for the collective good. An isolated society is comprised of members, not participants. A society in isolation is not a united society. Nor can it be proactive. A society of isolated members leads to greed, selfishness, stagnation and corruption. Humanity cannot thrive in isolation.
Enter Critical Literacy: Critical literacy is a response to injustice and the production of illiteracy in which students and teachers work together to create a just world where we (society) are ensured undeniable equal access; equal opportunity; and equal means to actively participate in the maintaining and sustaining of humanity. Through critical literacy, students and teachers explore and examine practices that have historically and institutionally perpetuated the oppression of sectors of society. In the exploration and examination of these practices, critical literacy allows us to develop and implement new practices that allow all to participate in humanity. Critical literacy education begs humans to interact with the world, and its other members. Critical literacy offers us the freedom to act on and change our world. Ultimately, critical literacy allows everyone, EVERYONE, to have a vested interest in society by tearing down “the wall” of isolation that is created by banking education.
Critical literacy education, or what Freire refers to as problem-posing education (1997), is a direct response to the banking type of education we see in the above video. Problem-posing education invites participants to be “those truly committed to liberation” (Freire, 1997, p. 60). Active participants of problem-posing education must also “reject the banking concept in its entirety, adopting instead a concept of women and men as conscious beings, and consciousness as consciousness intent upon the world” (Freire, 1997, p. 60). In essence, critical literacy/problem-posing education demands that we are no longer invisible students/members, but active, conscious participants/beings.
It is critical literacy that offers “education as the practice of freedom” (Freire, 1997, p. 62). Through acts of cognition and critical reflection, students of problem-posing education are enabled to act on and revolutionize their world. The isolation or alienation that we see in the music video and in banking education does not allow for students’ liberation. Freire argues, “But one does liberate people by alienating them. Authentic liberation- the process of humanization-is not another deposit to be made in men. Liberation is a praxis: the action and reflection of men and women upon their world in order to transform it” (1997, p. 60).
The educational process must not be stagnant. The world is constantly changing; therefore, pedagogical practices must represent this constant motion. Banking education only perpetuates the notion of a dormant world. It does not provide students with the necessary tools to be active participants in an ever-changing society. However, critical literacy embraces the notion that “education [must] be an ongoing activity” (Freire, 1997, p. 65). Critical literacy insists that humans have a relationship WITH the world and WITH one another, not apart from. Critical literacy summons humans to recognize our individual roles in making a better society for the common good.
In understanding critical literacy, the most important tenet is that of connection. We all live on the same planet and are ultimately bound to one another. It is imperative that we remember that our actions not only affect ourselves, but others as well. Although, yes, we are all individual, diverse, unique beings, we still have a common link to each other. When we live in the confines of mental and physical isolation, we do not see the connections that our actions may have on others. It is only when we become liberated through critical literacy that our blindfolds can come off and we can come together to work collaboratively towards the common goal of maintaining a just world for all.
***On a side note*** For anyone who is a music buff, I was fortunate enough to see Roger Waters’ (an original member of the band) recreation performance of The Wall. As I have been told by those who were able to see the original Wall preformed over 30 years ago, Waters’ solo performance was better. It was not just music; it was a complete theatrical performance in which they constructed and tore down an actual wall on the stage. I was blown away. And, I consider it to be one of the top ten experiences of my life!
This video epitomizes Paulo Freire’s concept of banking education (1997). The video is set in the educational atmosphere of London. We see emotionless, faceless children. They are carbon copies of one another and are treated that way. They are seated in perfect little rows. Eventually we witness them marching in lines in a factory setting, where a comparison of education is made to that of mass-production. Around 3:20 in the video, I can even make a distinct connection to the imagery of students as cattle. There is a close-up of the feet of the children as they march, that chillingly reminds me of the hooves of cattle. The students are placed on a conveyor built and eventually end up as processed meat. The students rebel against their dictator- teachers by shouting, “We don’t need no education. We don’t need no thought control.”
The title “Another Brick in the Wall,” alludes to lyricist Waters’ vision of the teachers in this particular society as -bricks in the wall. He presents the notion that through the banking education that these teachers are imposing on the children, they (students) are having walls built up around them that will eventually close them off from others. Freire would explain these educational practices as “alienating intellectualism” (1997, p. 67). Waters explains to the teachers, “All in all it's just another brick in the wall. All in all you're just another brick in the wall.” This banking education created wall, without intervention, ultimately will lead to a society of isolation. In a society of isolation, there is no reason for humans to work collaboratively or for the collective good. An isolated society is comprised of members, not participants. A society in isolation is not a united society. Nor can it be proactive. A society of isolated members leads to greed, selfishness, stagnation and corruption. Humanity cannot thrive in isolation.
Enter Critical Literacy: Critical literacy is a response to injustice and the production of illiteracy in which students and teachers work together to create a just world where we (society) are ensured undeniable equal access; equal opportunity; and equal means to actively participate in the maintaining and sustaining of humanity. Through critical literacy, students and teachers explore and examine practices that have historically and institutionally perpetuated the oppression of sectors of society. In the exploration and examination of these practices, critical literacy allows us to develop and implement new practices that allow all to participate in humanity. Critical literacy education begs humans to interact with the world, and its other members. Critical literacy offers us the freedom to act on and change our world. Ultimately, critical literacy allows everyone, EVERYONE, to have a vested interest in society by tearing down “the wall” of isolation that is created by banking education.
Critical literacy education, or what Freire refers to as problem-posing education (1997), is a direct response to the banking type of education we see in the above video. Problem-posing education invites participants to be “those truly committed to liberation” (Freire, 1997, p. 60). Active participants of problem-posing education must also “reject the banking concept in its entirety, adopting instead a concept of women and men as conscious beings, and consciousness as consciousness intent upon the world” (Freire, 1997, p. 60). In essence, critical literacy/problem-posing education demands that we are no longer invisible students/members, but active, conscious participants/beings.
It is critical literacy that offers “education as the practice of freedom” (Freire, 1997, p. 62). Through acts of cognition and critical reflection, students of problem-posing education are enabled to act on and revolutionize their world. The isolation or alienation that we see in the music video and in banking education does not allow for students’ liberation. Freire argues, “But one does liberate people by alienating them. Authentic liberation- the process of humanization-is not another deposit to be made in men. Liberation is a praxis: the action and reflection of men and women upon their world in order to transform it” (1997, p. 60).
The educational process must not be stagnant. The world is constantly changing; therefore, pedagogical practices must represent this constant motion. Banking education only perpetuates the notion of a dormant world. It does not provide students with the necessary tools to be active participants in an ever-changing society. However, critical literacy embraces the notion that “education [must] be an ongoing activity” (Freire, 1997, p. 65). Critical literacy insists that humans have a relationship WITH the world and WITH one another, not apart from. Critical literacy summons humans to recognize our individual roles in making a better society for the common good.
In understanding critical literacy, the most important tenet is that of connection. We all live on the same planet and are ultimately bound to one another. It is imperative that we remember that our actions not only affect ourselves, but others as well. Although, yes, we are all individual, diverse, unique beings, we still have a common link to each other. When we live in the confines of mental and physical isolation, we do not see the connections that our actions may have on others. It is only when we become liberated through critical literacy that our blindfolds can come off and we can come together to work collaboratively towards the common goal of maintaining a just world for all.
***On a side note*** For anyone who is a music buff, I was fortunate enough to see Roger Waters’ (an original member of the band) recreation performance of The Wall. As I have been told by those who were able to see the original Wall preformed over 30 years ago, Waters’ solo performance was better. It was not just music; it was a complete theatrical performance in which they constructed and tore down an actual wall on the stage. I was blown away. And, I consider it to be one of the top ten experiences of my life!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I am not a teacher, but an awakener. ~ Robert Frost
Think about it- Ask yourself: “Am I a teacher or an educator?” “Is there a difference between a teacher and an educator?” “Would I rather be a teacher or an educator?” “Do I foster an atmosphere of humanness in my classroom?” “Are my students engaged with their schooling?” “Are my students active in the process?” “Am I utilizing all of the skills each individual student brings to class?” “Am I preparing and providing my students with the proper tools that will an enable them to lead a full, active, productive, and successful life?” “What am I doing to make students want to participate in my classroom?” “Do I inspire, enlighten, empower, awaken my students?” Think about it some more.
This video provides us with many points to ponder and areas to analyze in our professional climate. Are we teachers? Or, are we educators? Can they be synonymous? My conclusion is that if our ultimate goal is to reach and fully engage with ALL students, we must commit ourselves to being educators. To move away from the role as “teacher,” and move to “educator,” much can be accomplished in the classroom. And ultimately, what Freire refers to as authentic thinking (1997) can take place. Engaging our students in critical literacy is essential to meaningful, authentic thinking. Through the use of critical literacy practices, students become active, critical learners who participate in the learning process. Students shift from invisible entities and become involved, committed, and invested participants. When students are offered the freedom to explore, examine, question, interact with, and be part of their own unique, individual learning process, they are better prepared to be successful in life.
In “Success Guaranteed Literacy Programs: I Don’t Buy It,” Lynn Astarita Gatto, shares her experience with implementing critical literacy practices in her own elementary classroom. Gatto’s account illustrates her fourth-grade class’ work on a twelve-week unit centered around the theme of butterflies. Children and adults worked collaboratively on the “planning, constructing, and exhibiting of a walk-in butterfly vivarium” (Gatto, 2007, p. 78). This complex and elaborate project allowed students to undeniably be involved with content areas such as math, science, social studies, literature, reading, writing, and public speaking. Lynn Astarita Gatto is an educator. She embodies the very characteristics of what every educator should strive to develop.
Initially, because Gatto does not see herself as the “giver of knowledge” (2007, p. 75), it was important for her to “construct[ing] an atmosphere where the children [could] see themselves as valuable to the process of learning within the classroom” (2007, p. 75). Gatto did this by keeping a chart of student-based questions on display for all to see. Throughout the unit, as questions surfaced, Gatto recorded them for the students on the chart. Since ultimately it was these questions that provided the focus for much of the unit’s activities, the students were able to exercise an important role in their educational process.
Further, by encouraging the students to voice their questions and concerns, what Gatto refers to as “authentic questioning” (2007, p. 75), students were able to partake in an ongoing dialogue in the classroom. Gatto’s cultivation of “dialogic instruction” (Gatto, 2007, p. 75) allowed children to “express their opinions with others, self-select turn-taking during conversation, initiate topics of conversation, offer ideas for activities, and discuss and question concepts” (2007, p. 75). This step away from the monologue of traditional education, or what Freire referred to as banking education (1997), created the opportunity for dialogue. It is the communication that comes from this dialogue that leads to authentic thinking. Freire asserted that, “authentic thinking, thinking that is concerned about reality, does not take place in ivory tower isolation, but only in communication” (1997, p. 58).
Now think about your own schooling experiences and ask yourself these very important questions: “What was my most meaningful experience in school?” “Who had the biggest impact on my life?” “How did I learn best?” “Did my schooling practices foster an idea of critical literacy?” “Did I connect with anybody in school?” “Was I engaged with my educational process?” “Were my skills utilized in the classroom?” “Did I learn the best from teachers or educators?” “Did my schooling process inspire, enlighten, empower, awaken me?”
Lynn Astarita Gatto’s critical literacy practices that were embedded throughout a thematical unit on butterflies inspired, enlightened, empowered, and awakened her students. From start to finish of the constructing of a replicated habitat for butterflies, Gatto’s students actively participated in the following activities: examined theories about/styles of specific authors; studied (in depth) the life cycle of a butterfly; watched in real time life cycle of a butterfly (harvest larva to butterfly in classroom); recorded and collected data of life cycle of butterfly; visited a local zoo to study design of habitat; interviewed educational director of zoo; conducted a survey; researched eating habits of butterflies; conducted experiments and researched durability of building materials; journaled daily; created posters, bulletins, essays, letters, and models; constructed a word wall; visited numerous museums; participated in bilingual instruction; studied migratory trends, learned difference between immigration and emigration; attended a photography exhibit; wrote letters to the Mexican government; participated in fundraising efforts; created a vivarium museum; interviewed by a local news reporter operated and provided tours of their classroom vivarium/museum to other students and adults. Although long, this list is not comprehensive. There were far more activities required for the successful completion of this unit. Through these activities, Gatto’s fourth-grade students were immersed in critical pedagogy. These practices provided students the opportunity to critically analyze bias, historical perspectives, factual correctness, and current world and local events (Gatto, 2007). In addition to this, students were able to develop an “understanding and awareness of a meaningful and important aspect of their own or their friends’ histories” (Gatto, p. 87).
Finally, ask yourself: “What can I learn from reflecting on and connecting my own experience as both a student and an educator?” “How can I be a better educator?” “How can I inspire, enlighten, empower, awaken my students?”
Remember, although Gatto has had over thirty years of experience in the classroom to fine tune the details of her critical pedagogy to get it to the success that it is today, she had to start somewhere. Gatto had to take an initial step to look outside of the box of store bought literacy programs and pre-packaged curricula. She was compelled to be the very best educator to her students. Just by being aware that there are alternatives to our traditional pedagogical practices that thrusts the teacher at the center of the educational process while propagating the notion of an invisible student, that is a preliminary step. However, it is not enough. You must now put this knowledge into practice.
Now I ask: “Are you willing to step outside of the box to inspire, enlighten, empower, and awaken your students?”
I have an included a link below to a video from The Freire Project’s website. This video provides additional information about critical pedagogy.
http://www.freireproject.org/content/critical-pedagogy-tv
Friday, July 15, 2011
"I've never let my school interfere with my education."- Mark Twain
First, I ask that you view a trailer about Roses in Concrete, a modern day version of Dr. Moses' Algebra Project. Here we see students becoming engaged in their education. Students working for their success in the future. Students becoming critical, active thinkers…
More about Roses in Concrete can be found at: http://rosesinconcrete.org/
In previous on-line discussion board assignments I assert that current pedagogical practices in our educational system create an “invisible student.” The notion of invisible student is played out in educational settings when we reduce a student's identity to a number/letter grade; ignore a student's culture by not including aspects of it (culture) in the curriculum; assess a student with biased tools that will not ensure her success in education; and impose language requirements and curricula that does not take each individual student's identity and multiliteracies into account. These one-dimensional approaches create and perpetuate a learning environment that discourages the student voice from being heard. Our educational system has become so entrenched by such methods, that the student’s success, and I mean LONG-TERM success, is no longer our number one priority. Thus, we lose sight of our purpose –our students- and their role in education becomes obsolete. Students become invisible entities in our pedagogical practices.
If we want to create reform in our educational system, we need to take a critical look at what is currently taking place in and outside of the four walls of a classroom. There are many essential questions that we must ask ourselves: What are we really doing to prepare students for the future? Or are we just preparing them to pass a test tomorrow? Are we providing students with the long lasting tools that permit them to successfully navigate their feature endeavors? Does our educational policy take each individual student’s concern and interest into account? As put forth by Dr. Moses, it is necessary to explore the answers to, “Are we going to have a society where only a small group of people are prepared for the future, where there’s a huge knowledge gap?” (2001, p. 12). Ultimately, we need to ask ourselves- what is more important: having our students be concerned with the immediacy of passing tests in their schooling, or preparing our students- all of our students- to have success at living a meaningful and sustainable life?
Not only must we as educators develop a more critical view of our pedagogical practices, but we must also insist that our students become aware of and use a critical lens. Essentially, students should be knowledgeable of the connections between their in-school life and their out-of-school life. It is imperative to remember that, “Communities and their processes of social change must also be centrally involved, and in some broad sense, national and local politics. Really working in all these arenas will require that many people adopt a more holistic outlook than they have ever done before” (Moses, 2001, p. 16). Furthermore, this integration of out-of-school knowledge and in-school knowledge helps to foster a higher competence of literacy (Allington, 2007). With the aim of ensuring success to all students by means of critical literacy, Dr. Moses argues that “the way we guarantee this necessary literacy is through education conceived of much more broadly than what goes on in classrooms” (2001, p.12).
In order to engage students as critical learners, they must become active learners. An educational system that encourages active, critical thinking fosters the acceptance of diversity and the individuality of students. This practice conquers the notion of “invisible student,” and places the student at the hub of the educational process. The acknowledgment of students as an important part of schooling requires educators to KNOW their students. This means knowing each and every student on an individual, personal level. Linda Rief suggests that in becoming an effective educator, it is a requirement to ask ourselves, “Do we know our students well enough each year to help them become the best readers and writers they can be?” (2007, p. 198).
By creating critical thinkers- visible students- educators must allow students to have voices, and allow those voices to be heard. Moses points out that, “Young people finding their voice instead of being spoken for is a crucial part of the process” (2001, p. 19). Again, this situates the student at the core of education. Wilhelm and Smith propose that when students have ever-increasing control and independence over what they do in school, motivation and competence increases (2007). When attaining success, students’ presence and role in the educational process must be affirmed. As students are allowed to be more active and evident in their schooling process, they emerge with a “new understanding of themselves as leaders, participants, and learners” (Moses, 2007, p.17). Pedagogical practices that facilitate the encouragement of active and critical learners will best prepare students for long term success in life.
Here is a link to a website that offers the benefits of dismantling the notion of the “invisible student” in our current educational system and creating an actively engaged, critical thinker: http://www.eckerdacademy.org/family-resources/article-archive/top-ten-benefits-of-learner-centered-education/
I ask, what are you doing in your classroom to make your students visible?
More about Roses in Concrete can be found at: http://rosesinconcrete.org/
In previous on-line discussion board assignments I assert that current pedagogical practices in our educational system create an “invisible student.” The notion of invisible student is played out in educational settings when we reduce a student's identity to a number/letter grade; ignore a student's culture by not including aspects of it (culture) in the curriculum; assess a student with biased tools that will not ensure her success in education; and impose language requirements and curricula that does not take each individual student's identity and multiliteracies into account. These one-dimensional approaches create and perpetuate a learning environment that discourages the student voice from being heard. Our educational system has become so entrenched by such methods, that the student’s success, and I mean LONG-TERM success, is no longer our number one priority. Thus, we lose sight of our purpose –our students- and their role in education becomes obsolete. Students become invisible entities in our pedagogical practices.
If we want to create reform in our educational system, we need to take a critical look at what is currently taking place in and outside of the four walls of a classroom. There are many essential questions that we must ask ourselves: What are we really doing to prepare students for the future? Or are we just preparing them to pass a test tomorrow? Are we providing students with the long lasting tools that permit them to successfully navigate their feature endeavors? Does our educational policy take each individual student’s concern and interest into account? As put forth by Dr. Moses, it is necessary to explore the answers to, “Are we going to have a society where only a small group of people are prepared for the future, where there’s a huge knowledge gap?” (2001, p. 12). Ultimately, we need to ask ourselves- what is more important: having our students be concerned with the immediacy of passing tests in their schooling, or preparing our students- all of our students- to have success at living a meaningful and sustainable life?
Not only must we as educators develop a more critical view of our pedagogical practices, but we must also insist that our students become aware of and use a critical lens. Essentially, students should be knowledgeable of the connections between their in-school life and their out-of-school life. It is imperative to remember that, “Communities and their processes of social change must also be centrally involved, and in some broad sense, national and local politics. Really working in all these arenas will require that many people adopt a more holistic outlook than they have ever done before” (Moses, 2001, p. 16). Furthermore, this integration of out-of-school knowledge and in-school knowledge helps to foster a higher competence of literacy (Allington, 2007). With the aim of ensuring success to all students by means of critical literacy, Dr. Moses argues that “the way we guarantee this necessary literacy is through education conceived of much more broadly than what goes on in classrooms” (2001, p.12).
In order to engage students as critical learners, they must become active learners. An educational system that encourages active, critical thinking fosters the acceptance of diversity and the individuality of students. This practice conquers the notion of “invisible student,” and places the student at the hub of the educational process. The acknowledgment of students as an important part of schooling requires educators to KNOW their students. This means knowing each and every student on an individual, personal level. Linda Rief suggests that in becoming an effective educator, it is a requirement to ask ourselves, “Do we know our students well enough each year to help them become the best readers and writers they can be?” (2007, p. 198).
By creating critical thinkers- visible students- educators must allow students to have voices, and allow those voices to be heard. Moses points out that, “Young people finding their voice instead of being spoken for is a crucial part of the process” (2001, p. 19). Again, this situates the student at the core of education. Wilhelm and Smith propose that when students have ever-increasing control and independence over what they do in school, motivation and competence increases (2007). When attaining success, students’ presence and role in the educational process must be affirmed. As students are allowed to be more active and evident in their schooling process, they emerge with a “new understanding of themselves as leaders, participants, and learners” (Moses, 2007, p.17). Pedagogical practices that facilitate the encouragement of active and critical learners will best prepare students for long term success in life.
Here is a link to a website that offers the benefits of dismantling the notion of the “invisible student” in our current educational system and creating an actively engaged, critical thinker: http://www.eckerdacademy.org/family-resources/article-archive/top-ten-benefits-of-learner-centered-education/
I ask, what are you doing in your classroom to make your students visible?
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be. - John Wooden
We do not live in a stagnant world. Society is forever evolving. When our educational system does not recognize these changes by holding onto traditional values represented by an archaic curriculum, our students are left behind. How can we expect students to successfully participate in today’s world when our educational system is preparing them for yesterday’s world? Our educational system must not only recognize our progressing world, but also must implement strategies and pedagogical practices that connects with and echoes this constant evolution. Here is a video that eloquently presents this powerful message:
What we learn from this video is quite simple: our evolving world dictates new literacies. And, these new literacies do not look like the required literacies of yesteryear. There is in fact what Gee (2003) calls a multiplicity of literacies that are now necessary for students to become successful participants in society. The essential key to staying in touch with these ever-emerging literacies is through constant communication with our students. Maher suggests that “schools and teachers must begin to “center” children in all curriculum, pedagogies, and schools cultures” (2008, p. 272). After all, students are the core of our educational systems. So, it is essential that we actually include them as ACTIVE participants.
In Adolescent Literacy, Sara B. Kajder explains that “as the literacies that kids bring into our classrooms change (alongside the literacies that they need to be productive and competitive in the world outside of school), there is a very real pressure to make sure that what we teach is relevant and helps to push them to develop the skills needed to be self-directed, ubiquitous learners” (2007, p. 229). As times have changed, so too has technology, and our increasing usage and dependency of it. Because students spend countless hours both inside of school and outside of school gaming, texting, blogging, surfing the internet, instant messaging, etc., there is much to learn from them. By taking into account students’ knowledge of technology and their out-of-school literacy practices, Gee proposes that “students [become] aware of how integral, important, and pleasurable literacy already is in their lives” (2004, p. 514). This act of recognizing and treating students as individuals with a vested interest in our educational system empowers them to become active participants.
However, as pointed out by Kajder there is reluctance by educators to reach out to their students, “In all of our attempts to move forward, we haven’t looked to our kids to see what the possibilities are for merging what they know about technology with what we know about what it means to read and write well” (2007, p. 215). As implied by the included video, “I teach, therefore you learn,…or do you?,” if educators continue this dynamic of one dimensional education, our students’ expectations will not be met.
As Gee asserts, “We are living in new times” (2000, p. 413). It is our job as educators to recognize these new times and learn from our students. We must end the dated notion of a monologue-type education and begin ongoing dialogues with our students. It is essential that we draw on each individual student and what she can offer to the educational process. If we are unwilling to tap into our students’ knowledge and utilize the information and insights they have, they will be left behind. Ultimately, as stated in the video, “If we want them [students] to learn from us [educators], then we may need to start learning from them” (2009).
What we learn from this video is quite simple: our evolving world dictates new literacies. And, these new literacies do not look like the required literacies of yesteryear. There is in fact what Gee (2003) calls a multiplicity of literacies that are now necessary for students to become successful participants in society. The essential key to staying in touch with these ever-emerging literacies is through constant communication with our students. Maher suggests that “schools and teachers must begin to “center” children in all curriculum, pedagogies, and schools cultures” (2008, p. 272). After all, students are the core of our educational systems. So, it is essential that we actually include them as ACTIVE participants.
In Adolescent Literacy, Sara B. Kajder explains that “as the literacies that kids bring into our classrooms change (alongside the literacies that they need to be productive and competitive in the world outside of school), there is a very real pressure to make sure that what we teach is relevant and helps to push them to develop the skills needed to be self-directed, ubiquitous learners” (2007, p. 229). As times have changed, so too has technology, and our increasing usage and dependency of it. Because students spend countless hours both inside of school and outside of school gaming, texting, blogging, surfing the internet, instant messaging, etc., there is much to learn from them. By taking into account students’ knowledge of technology and their out-of-school literacy practices, Gee proposes that “students [become] aware of how integral, important, and pleasurable literacy already is in their lives” (2004, p. 514). This act of recognizing and treating students as individuals with a vested interest in our educational system empowers them to become active participants.
However, as pointed out by Kajder there is reluctance by educators to reach out to their students, “In all of our attempts to move forward, we haven’t looked to our kids to see what the possibilities are for merging what they know about technology with what we know about what it means to read and write well” (2007, p. 215). As implied by the included video, “I teach, therefore you learn,…or do you?,” if educators continue this dynamic of one dimensional education, our students’ expectations will not be met.
As Gee asserts, “We are living in new times” (2000, p. 413). It is our job as educators to recognize these new times and learn from our students. We must end the dated notion of a monologue-type education and begin ongoing dialogues with our students. It is essential that we draw on each individual student and what she can offer to the educational process. If we are unwilling to tap into our students’ knowledge and utilize the information and insights they have, they will be left behind. Ultimately, as stated in the video, “If we want them [students] to learn from us [educators], then we may need to start learning from them” (2009).
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