Activist Education

Using resources and materials that positively promote all aspects of the community, equality and diversity can help to develop the conditions for a learning environment based on respect and trust. This, together with the use of a different methods of teaching, learning and assessment approaches based on learner needs will generate an environment where learning will safely and effectively take place.

One may think of education as a bridge to a successful life. But it is more than just that; it is a special gift. Many people in first world countries undermine education. They take it for granted without realizing the good it can do for them. It is up to the government to provide equal and quality education available to everyone, regardless of color and class. However, that is not the case in Detroit Public Schools. The Detroit schools are in terrible conditions. The buildings are deteriorating, there is a lack of sanitization, a lack of school supplies, such as books and many other health concerns. Not only that but the school’s educational quality is decreasing as many teachers leave and school officials are caught in scandals. The Movement,

I believe that each child is unique individual who needs a secure, caring, and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. It is my desire as an educator to help students meet their fullest potential in these areas by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking, and invite a sharing of ideas. There are three elements that I believe are conducive to establishing such an environment namely, the teacher acting guide, allowing the child’s natural curiosity to direct his/her learning, promoting respect for all the things and all the people.

A supportive learning environment should be purposeful and task orientated, where the tutor emphasises the need to progress steadily. This can be done by starting lessons promptly, creating a smooth flow to the lesson, involving pupils and monitoring their progression and organisation. A positive effort should be made to ensure pupils have or build on self-respect and esteem by setting realistic opportunities for success and helpful support and encouragement whenever difficulties arise.

It is important to foster a learning environment in which students feel safe, relaxed, secure, confident and valued (Gravells A 2012 pg25) especially for learners who may have had negative experiences in traditional classroom environments. Students often describe supportive learning environments as expanding their sense of family and enhancing their self-esteem, which, when combined with increased literacy skills, help students take more chances in pursuing their goals.

Ever wonder what kind of education we obtained or what kind of education children are receiving? According to Jean Anyon, “...the ‘hidden curriculum’ of schoolwork is tacit preparation for relating to the process of production in a particular way. Differing curricular, pedagogical, and pupil evaluation practices emphasize different cognitive and behavioral skill in each social setting and thus contribute to the development in the children of certain potential relationships to physical and symbolic capital, to authority, and to the process of work” (151). Therefore, Anyon believes that schools are not focusing on giving children the proper education and instead they provide the education based on the community’s social-class. Based on “‘I Just Wanna Be Average’” by Mike Rose and my academic experience both stories give interesting points of views regarding the type of education that was given. In Rose’s story, Rose is a young man who lived in a working class community but attended a middle class high school. Rose received a working class education but soon a new teacher arrived and changed his academic experience. In my personal experience, I grew up in a middle class neighborhood and received a middle class and a few affluent professional schooling, but moved to a working class community and started to receive a working class education. Anyon’s claim would complicate based on Rose’s story and on the education I have received based on the areas where I have lived. Every

I also agreed with the article, “Pedagogy of the Oppressed.” I think that education should not be a one-way street, where the teacher speaks and the students memorize. In this setting, students do not become fully human. They are only talked at, not with. I think education works better as a conversation. This not only teaches the students to think critically about what they are learning, but causes the teacher to reflect on and defend what they are teaching. This problem solving teaching method is similar to what is proposed in the article about liberal education. They both urge students to think for themselves instead of blindly ingesting what the teacher feeds them. This will cause students to be ready to live in the real world and make connections themselves.

One of the main responsibilities that education must achieve in a democratic society argues that it is the proper preparation of students for the roles of successful citizens and responsibilities they must be ready to take on when they are ready to take on the world. We do not add together individuals and call it a society. We as teachers, teach children so they can be a part of today’s society. People’s lives are woven together and we share a common life and goals.

Your story about standing up for education was inspiring and changed the way I thought about education. Even in the face of danger, you spoke up for what you believed and continued to fight for the education of both boys and girls, no matter what race, orientation or social class. I absolutely love your stories, and after reading your book, I feel like I could listen to you talk all day! I feel that your message should be spread around the world, and I can assure you that one small step to get to that goal is already taking place in our own Kilmer Middle School! Everyone in my English class is talking about your story and what you stood for. I am sure that your book not only influenced me, but also my classmates and many others all around the

This assignment will critically review the key issues for the preparation of an effective learning environment and appraise the opportunities and challenges experienced when facilitating learning in practice.

John Keating, a student at Welton Academy inspired his fellow classmates, to meet in caves and read challenging poetry of the past, not with flashcards, but with these words, “Now, my class, you will learn to think for yourselves again. You will learn to savor words and language. No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” Typically, students do not hear enough of this type of passion in a traditional classroom. However, a progressive classroom, be it a cave or college can inspire students to memorize facts, not because they have to, but rather because they want to for the betterment of humanity. Society desperately needs students educated in a progressive style because America needs students who realize

I believe the essence of education includes growth. The purpose of education is not to just fill our head with lots of information, but to discover your uniqueness and to teach us how to develop it, and to show us how to, in return, give it away. Once you learn something in life, you should be able to absorb it in a way to use it in your life and then in turn pass it on to someone else in order to contribute to their growth as well. I also believe that the essence of education includes knowledge and skills. Once you are educated on a matter you obtain knowledge and/or skill. Education is understood as the artificial extension of human ability to learn, as the product of learner’s own efforts (Sidorkin, 2011).

Maxine Greene and Michael Apple are Americans who were extremely interested in developing a new education system that would satisfy the needs for all and not just a certain class. Maxine Green is a professor of philosophy and education, and taught courses at Columbia University about educational philosophy and social theory, along with a few more (Greene, 1995 p, 9). Greene has not only taught at the Columbian University, she also taught at New York,

There are many things needed to create an environment more conducive to learning for each student, some of which include: