Power of Education

Education is a contested field of study because its purpose relates to associated political implications of either providing curriculum that critiques and analyzes history of the Americas, or, that which emphasizes and promotes a support of the American meritocracy and the righteousness of a representative democracy. Paulo Freire (2000) made the distinction that education is a combative arena, and that there are many different arguments jockeying for power. As a result of the contention, student-centered decisions are not always made and oftentimes the decisions are ones that benefit the political arena far more than the religious or social one.

In Fareed Zakaria’s book in Defense of a Liberal Education, he debates that liberal education is more underestimated than it should be in today’s society. Zakaria presents an argument explaining the liberal strategies used to benefit an individual not only in a classroom but developing skills to help deliver intelligence for the real world. Zakaria counters the argument that liberal education is a frivolous decision made by today’s youth with little concern, for futuristic opportunities. Zakaria defends liberal education through explanations to excel by gaining knowledge, learning to think, and building leadership.

In the 1997 article, “On The Uses of a Liberal Education: As a Weapon In the Hands of the Restless Poor,” published by Harper’s Magazine, the social critic Earl Shorris described how political power could be achieved by a rather non-vocational educational discipline, the humanities. He emphasizes on how the knowledge of a liberal Education can be used as a form of weapon within the lives for the poor.

Second issue: The second issue that would be challenging for me is counseling individuals who abuse power. This can be very similar to the first issue as adults have mental and physical strength over children; however, the differences include professors over vulnerable students, supervisors over employees, for example. Power, which is exerted inappropriately, has the ability to manipulate and harm another by not allowing them to self-actualize. Abuse of power can come in the form of harassment, oppression, or any other imbalance in a relationship.

These conditions lead to several roles in the classroom that can cause trouble like leaders, clowns, fall guys, and instigators. Redl and Wattenberg's contributions helped teachers work more effectively with students by pointing out humans behave differently in groups than individually. They also provided the first well-organized, systematic approach to improving behavior in the classroom. Redl and Wattenberg (1959) suggested that educators support students' self-control from the position that individuals can be responsible for controlling their own conduct. Much misbehavior results from a temporary lapse of an individual's control system, rather than from a desire to be disagreeable. To mold students' behavior, teachers can use the pleasure-pain principle, in which they deliberately provide experiences to produce a range of pleasant to unpleasant feelings. Redl and Wattenberg emphasize, however, that the pleasure-- pain principle does not mean that a teacher, in the heat of anger, should lash out at a student. Likewise, pain or punishment should not take the form of revenge (Redl & Wattenberg, 1959). Another theory is B.F. Skinner (1904-1990), where

While the term liberal education is heard from the most prestigious university to an inner city community college, the phrase itself has a hazy definition at best. While educators across America struggle with the definition of the phrase, William Cronon uses purpose, structure, and appeals in his essay "Only Connect: The Goals of Liberal education," to define a liberally educated being and the characteristics that such an education should impart. Cronon capitalizes on inductive structuring to lead the reader along, gently building each new statement upon a foundation of previous ideas. This effectively leads the reader to a strange

Often time power can be understood as control of material resources and wealth, control of politics and the institutions that make up society (Hutchison,2015). It is important to recognize and identify the core concepts of power or lack of power with individuals in society. The conflict theory allows examination within the text of those who hold power and lack power. The end result of power to hold dominance over another person, group, or society. As a result of the control and power is causes those who lack power to be devalued or alienated from a setting or even society (Hutchinson, 2015).

We hold these truths to be axiomatic: that all students, no matter their background, ethnicity, or rank, are created equal in status and in identity; no student is higher than the other. Each student is equipped with secure and unalienable Rights; that among these rights are Respect, Rightful Identity, and Freedom of Speech. We also believe that rules are formed to protect these certain rights and that the power of these rules comes from the power of the students; whenever any part of the rule fails to protect these rights, it is the right of the students to change it and to form a new rule that follows such principles which organizes its powers to end in Security and Happiness. Fair judgment, as a matter of fact, will ordain to say that long prevailing consequences should not be changed because of trivial, temporary, or fleeting reasons; and, in fact, history proves that students are more likely to suffer the bullying,

Ronald Morrish notes that, “we have to teach students how to behave properly because many of them do not learn how to do so at home” (Charles, 2014, p. 72). This means as educators, it then becomes our duty to not only foster a supportive environment, but also teach students about self-control as well; which goes hand-in-hand with Morrish’s phase theory of “Managing Student Choice” (p. 81). Establishing authority is extremely important in this case, meaning that the teacher must be consistent with their disciplinary actions and use this opportunity to produce desirable results. For example, Chris and his teacher can review homework assignments together and go over questions that Chris might struggle

Institutional structures have the power to configure adolescent growth through repression and liberation. The capability that adolescents have to create their own destiny and choose their own social institution can be limited, but not impossible. In Trites article, “Do I dare disturb the universe?” the author argues that kids have personal power, whether they acknowledge it and use it to their own advantage or not. Michel Foucault declares that “Power is everywhere; not because it embraces everything, but because it comes from everywhere” (Trites). Power is inevitable, there will never be no such thing as power in this world; it will never diminish or fade. Trites also conveyed that, “power not only acts on a subject but, in a transitive

Power refers to the ownership of power and impact over others. Contingent upon how power is utilized, it can prompt positive or negative conclusions in an association. Control in individuals is similar to power in batteries; the higher the voltage of battery, the more electromotive energy it can convey; subsequently, it can have more noteworthy effect. Likewise, individuals with more prominent wellsprings of force are better ready to lead and impact others than individuals with less and lesser wellsprings of force. The all the more influential you are, the more impact you ought to have. Persons can have master force; referent force; prize force; coercive power or true blue force.

In addition to power established because of organizational hierarchy or role, power is also established based on the level of influence or status one holds in an organization (Anichich, Fast, Halevy, Galinsky, 2016). “Status is the outcome of an evaluation of attributes that produce differences in respect and prominence” (Ketner et al, 2003 p. 266) They co-exists but are not co-dependent on each other. It’s possible to have status without power and power without status (Ketner et al, 2003). Whether one’s control comes through status or positional power, lauding control or significant influence over another inevitably leads to conflict.

Finally, Noddings poses the question, “Does the study of traditional liberal arts best prepare students for full and satisfying lives?” (Noddings, Aims, Goals and Objectives, 2007). She concludes by reiterating the need for aims-talk and stating “The fundamental premise of democratic life is the belief that all competent citizens can participate in political decision-making” (Noddings, Aims, Goals and Objectives, 2007).

power struggles between those that feel very powerful and those that feel that they have

Bowles and Gintis felt it was important to write this article, because they believe that the politics of education are better understood in terms of the need for social control in an unequal and rapidly changing economic order. This point is illustrated on page 396 when the authors say, “The unequal