Talking Points # 10

Ira Shor
Education is Politics

1. "In school and society, the lack of meaningful participation alienate'
workers, teachers, and students. This alienation lowers their productivity
in class and on the job. I think of this, lowered,productivity a, a performance
strike, an unorganized mass refusal to perform well, an informal and unacknowledged strike."
(pg 20).

I thought one of the most important sections of the article was Shor's take on participation. I feel that these are very true. This is where democracy and learning coincide. I think this is why are FNED class is so successful. Participation is not overlooked and it should not be. Participation encourages learning and makes everyone part of the community.

2. "Problem-posing education affirms men as beings in the process of becoming,as unfinished, uncompleted beings in and with a likewise unfinished reality. ... The banking method emphasizes permanence and becomes reactionary; problem-posing education-which accepts neither a "well-behaved" present nor a predetermined future-roots itself in the dynamic present and becomes revolutionary. ( Freire pg 35 )

I really connected with this. This is not to diss other classes or anything but there has to be a reason to it. Not just regurgitating facts. Question it and learn about it from different perspectives. The teacher is important in teaching in a challenging way that makes a more critical thinking society.

3. "Situated, multicultural pedagogy increases the chance that .students will feel ownership in their education and reduces the conditions that produce their alienation. In the case of women, minorities. and non-elite whites, who comprise the majority of students, democratic education should reflect their culture, conditions, needs, and history. Doing so will encourage their participation in intellectual study. But participation is a means, not an end, in this program for empowering education. There is a challenging goal to the participatory process I am suggesting: to discover the limits and resources for changing self and society." (51)

Kind of what we touched upon in class a couple of times. Schools are improving in learning more about minorities and women experience in America. This will increase everyone's interest and participation and make for a better society.

I really enjoyed this article. I thought it was a great way to end the course as the last reading. This article really made me realize how important the title of teacher is. I feel nervous but so excited to be a future teacher. There is so much pressure on teachers but it is such a rewarding career. I am going to take many things from this article and try to apply them in the classroom. Especially participation. This article made me realize how important this aspect of the classroom is .

What did you guys find the most interesting part of this article? Did you find it empowering?