Education is Politics by Shor

QUOTES

I chose some quotes that I liked because of either personal reasons or because of its relation to class.

"On the one hand education is a socializing activity organized. funded, and regulated by authorities who set a curriculum managed (or changed) in the classroom by teachers. On the other hand. education is a social experience, for tens of millions of students who come to class with their own dreams and agendas. sometimes cooperating with and sometimes resisting the intentions of the school and the teacher."

This quote really made me think. I never thought of school as just an activity. I've always thought of it as a duty. It seemed like I had to go and that was that. I never also thought of school as a social experience. Yes, you get to be with your peers and make friends, but once again it always just seemed like a duty. I feel that now in college it is becoming more of a social experience. Not with peers, but with the world. We get to go work in our field and learn with hands on experience.


"The teacher is the person who mediates the relationship between outside authorities, formal knowledge, and individual students in the classroom."

I knew the teacher mediates formal knowlege, but I had never thought about the relationship of outside authoritites. I knew that there would be a relationship, but never thought of it is that big of a thing. This made me think more about my thoughts on being a teacher. It made me think about how there would always be someone at the school that would be there for me in case I needed help. There would be other teachers, secretaries, and principals. I've had it in my head that I would be all on my own once I get my own classroom, but his quote made me realize there is a support system in place at every school. I would be able to bounce off ideas on other teachers and if there was a big problem, I wouldn't have to handle it on my own. There would be others that would be there to help.


"A curriculum designed to empower students must be transformative in nature and help students to develop the knowledge, skills, and values needed to become social critics who can make reflective decisions and implement their decisions in effective personal, social, political, and economic action"

This is a pedagogy will help students be prepared in life. It will help them have all the skils they would need. It will make them book smart and common sence smart and help guide them through life. This article acknowleges what students need at a younger age in order to be successful later in life. I believe that this is a good teaching technique because it will make the students feel confident about continuing in school and going on to things bigger than schooling.

In class I think it would be interesting to discuss different teaching techniques that everyone thinks work. I know I haven't yet figured out the teacher I want to be yet and ideas for everyone I'm sure would be good.

I found this webiste that gives you the traits of different kind of teachers, it seemed very interesting.
http://www.tefl.net/esl-jobs/teacher-personality.htm