Empowering Education
By: Ira Shor
Quote #1:
"The contents included and excluded in curriculum are political choices while the unequal outcomes of education are not neutral either. But even though the subject matter and the learning process are political choices and experiences, Apple also observed that there was no simple socialization of students into the existing order and no automatic reproduction of society through the classroom, Education is complex and contradictory."
Comment #1:
I think it is a bad idea to make the curriculum based on political choices that means that people aren't learning what they want to learn but what people are making them learn. Each student has different interests and shouldn't have to follow the complex choices of the curriculum. This causes unequal outcomes of students because they don't learn what they should which puts them behind even though they are ahead in most areas.
Quote #2:
"School funding is another political dimension of education, because more money has always been invested in the education of upper-class children and elite collegians than has been spent on students from lower-income homes and in community colleges. Moreover, testing policies are political choices, whether to use student-centered, multi-cultural, and portfolio assessments, or to use teacher-centered tests or standardized exams in which women and minorities have traditionally scored lower than men and whites."
Comment #2:
Unequal distributions of money to different schools based on classes isn't fair. They should give the same amount of money to schools in the same district. The schools that need it the most should have more money invested in their schools especially community colleges so those children have things to look forward to when they enter school. If no money is invested then those children have nothing good to look forward to when they go to school.
Quote #3:
" By starting from the students situation, problem-posing increases their ability to participate, because they can bring critical reflection in their own context and their own words."
Comment #3:
I think this is a good idea because students situations are really important in their learning and once they get over those problems they allow themselves the ability to participate. They can use their past situations to actively participate and relate their problems and situations to things they are learning about.
I agree that school and politics should be separate, that we should serve each student's individual needs. There's a difference between politics and government. The sticky, nasty topics of politics need to leave the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing about politics and schools being seperate is that schools are government funded so they will always be political and at least one of any candidates main points or plans when they run for office.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I agree because not everyone can learn what interests them say in middle or high school because there is certain knowledge that all students should know. It would be nice to have all kids learn what they want and what interests them but there is not enough time, not enough teachers, and it desn't seem logical to me. I mean there are times when say students should have a choice of what book to read for summer reading, but there are other things like, World War 1 or Algebra, which all students, whether it interests them or not, should know.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that it is not fair for unequal funding of schools. All students should recieve the same funds and be on an equal playing field. The upper-class should not be favored more.
ReplyDeleteI agree..Schooling definatley should not be based on politics they should be based on the best interest of the student otherwise what is the point of education?
ReplyDeleteI agree with your second comment. I never really considered before how we are setting students up for failure. With unequal funding, students are given unequal opprotunities when it comes to college/careers
ReplyDeleteSchooling should not be politically based. Does education even have a point if we are more worried about the politics? I thought education was for the interest of the student and for learning new things.
ReplyDeleteI like agree with third quote... thats what i do in class, I try to connect what we are learning to my everyday life
ReplyDeleteI agree to the fact that education should not be political. Lower and Higher classes should all have the same education. I feel like the lower class should have more, especially when people want them to be at the same level as the higher class students.
ReplyDelete