Exploring The Power Of Interest And Motivation On Learning

In his essay, Malcolm X writes about how learning to read and write opened his eyes to the oppression that surrounded him and the world. Malcolm is a black man that was put in prison when he noticed that he felt uncomfortable when he did not understand anything that he read and that he could not write correctly. His incapacity to read and write was what inspired him to request a dictionary, something to write on and a pencil. That initiative changed his life forever. He copied down the whole dictionary, which helped him to learn words and their meanings. “ With

Malcom X once said, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” This quotation means that education is an important thing, and we should prepare for our future. Fredrick Douglass and Malcom X are two different men who write similar aspects. Fredrick Douglass is a slave, and Malcom X is a criminal, both were deprived of obtaining a higher sense of education. They are two activists who grew up to realize the importance of an education, in reading and writing. In Frederick Douglas’s essay “Learning to Read and Write” and Malcolm’s “Learning to Read” one can compare and contrast the analysis both essays.

While smart men, both Douglass and Malcolm X did not have opportunities to become educated when they were younger. As they became educated, however, they showed similarities in their eagerness. Douglass stayed persistent, despite his mistress ending her lessons to him. He stated, “Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell.” On the other hand, while Malcolm was not in danger by educating himself, he was still very eager to learn. Perhaps it occurred because of his boredom, but regardless, Malcolm picked up book after book, reading through them one after another. In every free moment, “if [he] was not reading in the library, [he] was reading on [his] bunk.” His effort to copy the dictionary just solidifies how invested he was in learning to read, write, and speak. Therefore, Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass both have a very sincere commitment to education.

“Learning to Read” by Malcolm X is a narrative that focuses on him trying to learn how to read in prison and how gaining that ability open up new doors for him. While Malcolm X was in prison, he realized how frustrating it was being unable to read and write what he wanted to read or write which his constant frustration eventually triggers his ambition to try learning those skills. Learning to read in prison helped Malcolm X more than if he went to college because he can concentrate better in the isolation of prison than the many social distractions of college. With only books as his resource, Malcolm X went through a tedious journey of steadily practicing how to read, write, and understand every word he saw, eventually, he accomplished his ambition. Malcolm X focused more on reading and became obsessed with it; he reads almost every day and as much as

In Learning to Read when Malcolm X read his books from the Norfolk Prison Colony school, not only did he learn how to read since he was reading off a dictionary, he also knew what the words meant since he was reading a dictionary. Furthermore him copying the dictionary word for word also taught himself the ability to write in a straight line (Malcolm 241). With his newfound knowledge he also discovered new words “but I’d written words that I never knew were in the world” (241). Malcolm also learned events from history, people, and places. Therefore with all this practice it also helped him “It went a lot faster after so much practice helped me to pick up my handwriting speed”(242).

Learning to Read shows a part of Malcolm X life where the environment he was in, forced him to change. Growing up in a society that encourages a need for education , Malcolm

In “Learning to Read” Malcolm X a man who used his time in prison to educate himself so that he can better his life. Malcolm points out his motivation for wanting to read and what steps he took to learn. Through Malcolm motivations and steps, it can become an impact to people that can relate. To be able to Self-educate himself Malcolm used all the resources that were around him. In books, found what impacted him the most.

Some may find studying alone difficult, but for some, having others to study with can help someone understand more of what they are learning. Different learning skills can enhance one’s brain function for them to become successful at whatever they want. Learning can be a struggle for those who have a difficult time understanding the lesson. Some students just give up if they can’t figure it out. In Richard Wright's passage, “A Hunger for Books,” he explains what it felt like when a black man, a fictional character, first discovered the power of writing (4).

The United States of America is known for being a country filled with people of many different ethnic backgrounds. Likewise, the student population in schools is just as diverse as it continues to grow. Lynch (2015) notes that schools are expected to teach their students “how to synthesize cultural differences into their knowledge base” as this will help “facilitate students’ personal and professional success in a diverse world” (para. 8). Educators must be able to provide for the diverse needs of students and are expected to equip students with skills that can lead to healthy development as it can affect higher levels of student achievement and students have more opportunities of success in their future. Providing students with tools and skills requires an awareness and acceptance of their ethnic identity. Once students have developed self-acceptance about their ethnic identity, they can begin to feel empowered and motivated to do well. Through cultural empowerment, students of color can develop intrinsic motivation and achieve academic success.

It has to do with a certain spark, using the words of an authority named Dewey: Interest, he notes, means “being engaged, engrossed, or entirely taken up with” a particular subject. John Dewey wrote those words in his essay “Interest and Effort in Education” exactly 100 years ago.

Beginning at an early age, I started realizing a small difference between some of my peers and me. There were differences in the level of motivation shown doing daily activities like school work, but as time went on the difference became greater, demonstrated by more people. Here’s the rundown of students throughout my classes: there are the ones who listen and pay attention, the ones who have their minds are elsewhere, the ones who work hard but cannot get above a B, and the ones who simply do not care. But this sense of intrinsic learning isn’t only portrayed at school, it can also be demonstrated through athletics, goals, and clubs.

At the start of Malcolm X’s journey toward his education, he realizes that education is more essential than getting trained to get a job or getting a college degree. In the essay “How I Discovered Words: A Homemade Education”, he talks about what he went through to become the person he is now. With that said, he was a civil right activist, speaker, and he encouraged African American to fight racism. When he was sent to Charlestown Prison he took the time to teach himself and become more knowledgeable. He envies the guy he meets in prison because he is more knowledgeable and understands things better. Malcolm X begins to read dictionaries and more books to gain expertise and comprehend what others have to say. Additionally, you don't necessarily need to attend a good school to have a positive outcome in your education. According to Malcolm X, reading books helps you develop more information, gives you a bigger idea, and you can understand things differently. I do believe in Malcolm’s understanding of why it is important to get an education. No matter what you do you'll work for what you want, you'll manage to teach yourself new things, and you'll accomplish to understand ideas better.

A subject that does not seem interesting in it may be very interesting in relation to other subjects. Third, interest is upon understanding. If we do not understand the rules of basketball game, we may not have much fun to watch it, but if we take time to learn the rules, we may find it is an exciting sport.

Another impact of achieving an education is that it brings knowledge to one’s life. Knowledge is a powerful benefit for people in their understandings. Both Douglass and Malcolm also recognized the power of knowledge that impacted them into following education. With great effort, Malcolm was fascinated with the knowledge he gained “I could for the first time pick up a book and read and now begin to understand what the book was saying”(81). He made a progress in reading to understand the contents of a book even if it is the first time he picked it up. Knowledge also assisted Douglass in finding the injustice of slavery and motivating him to gain his freedom. In the essay “Learning to Read and Write”, he states that “the more I read, the more I was lead to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their home, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes and in a stargerland reduced us to slavery.”(64). He became cognizant of what fate was in hold for the enslavers. That idea impacted him to gain more knowledge and escape slavery to share his knowledge and what must be done. Today, people who want to gain knowledge have to go to school for their education. People that attend are taught the essential lessons that they need in order to move forward in life. Out of everyone in my family, I am the only one given the chance to go to college.

What is motivation? What influences it? The term motivation can be defined in different ways. Motivation can simply defined as “ a need that, if high, is evident in a strong desire to achieve, to excel, to reach a high level of excellence” (Lefrancois 430). To become motivated, one must have a positive attitude to a variety of learning skills. Some factors that influence motivation include our peers, friends, parents, and environmental settings. Division four being high school division, attention is focused towards learning and what methods can be used. Students at this stage are more eager and develop a sense of what he or she wants to do and accomplish in upcoming adulthood. With a division comes a group of intelligent theorists. All