The Importance Of Informal Education

He soon could pick up any book and understand what the book was saying. Malcolm X would read most of the hours in a day. He also mentions that he’d often forget he was imprisoned. “I never had been so truly free in my life.” “I knew right there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of my life.”

Both Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass educated themselves. Malcolm X was educated till the 8th grade. As for Frederick he wasn’t educated at all. Once Malcolm was in prison he came across an inmate called by the name of Bimbi. Bimbi was a great speaker and a well-educated man which made Malcolm motivated to start how to read and get educated. Malcolm read books in prison but did not understand what the book was about. Malcolm got ahold

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

Literacy is power. Being taught to read and write is important to function in society. You learn to read and write to express your feelings and communicate with others. Frederick Douglass and Malcom X both succeeded in learning how to read and write, but in different ways. The education of Malcolm X was learned more formally. Frederick Douglass learned from his surroundings and the people around him. Malcom and Frederick battled in reading and writing, but learned in similar and different ways.

Fredrick Douglass was a slave, who secretly learned how to read and write in many different forms such as his mistress and pieced together the elements of literacy through outside sources such as old books, and writing tools from young children. Unlike Malcom X, he received an education although it was limited, and went to prison where he accessed books from the library. Malcom X stated in his essay Learning to Read, “An inmate was smiled upon if he demonstrated an unusually intense interest in books.” Meaning reading was not allowed for slaves. Unlike Douglass situation, if he would have shown interest in a book he would have been punished for it. Being a slave Douglass had to keep his development in reading and writing hidden while Malcolm insisted on writing letters to Elijah Muhammad with his new acquired vocabulary. This proved that Malcolm’s education was easier to gain unlike Fredrick Douglass, through slavery reading and writing was much

Not at all like Douglas with no educational basis at all, Malcolm then again had gotten a training that of an eighth grader however time passed and soon did he overlook his lessons. He could figure out how to read yet couldn't pass on his words onto paper. In jail, he had time, time to restore his training and strengthen it. He started to compose, beginning with the dictionary he started adapting word for word, page for page, area by segment beginning with the An's and completing with the Z's. In his entry, Malcolm gives an announcement to set up a thought of what sort of training he persisted, "Between what I wrote in my tablet, and composing letters, amid whatever is left of my time in jail I would figure I composed a million words."

Once both became literate, it had an immediate impact on their lives. Both discuss the importance it had on every aspect of their being. In Fredrick Douglass’ “Learning to Read,” Douglass states, “The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved. The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers” (128) which proves the reality Douglass faced when he learned of the oppression his people were facing. Learning to read and write helped him understand slavery, abolition, and oppression therefore pushing him to want to gain knowledge, become educated, and fight for his civil rights. Literacy is ultimately is what helped Douglass escape slavery. Once he escaped, Douglass was able to communicate with the world, through his writing, to spread the truth in order to affect public opinion about the oppression at hand. In Malcolm X’s “A Homemade Education,” he also makes it clear that reading and writing made a significant impact on his life. He states “My homemade education gave me, with every additional book that I read, a little bit more sensitivity to the

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

As Douglass continued to go from master to master he eventually began to be taught english by Mrs. Auld, but after hearing of this his master, Mr. Auld, says, " if you teach a nigger (speaking of myself) how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would be forever unfit for him to be a slave”(Douglass 20). Malcolm X also understands that this was a way to combat racism. This is known as he describes his experience while in prison and says, “ I saw that the best thing could do was get hold of a dictionary-to study, to learn some words”(Haley/X 172). Malcolm X came to this conclusion after realizing that his literary skills were lacking and that if he wanted to convey his feeling of resistance that he would have increase his knowledge, Douglass in a similar way, after hearing his master utter those words, felt that he then understood the pathway to

Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X each were told their education was unimportant, but later both learned from and taught others. Frederick Douglass’ mistress, Mrs. Auld, taught him the basics of reading before her husband learned of it and forbade her from continuing his education because “It would forever unfit him to be a slave.” (Douglass 31) Instead of giving up on reading, he befriended many of the white boys who lived near him and learned to read from them. (Douglass 34) Similarly, Malcolm X did well in school and dreamed of becoming a lawyer before his teacher told him that he should have less high aspirations. Douglass then went on to secretly run a school where he taught other slaves how to read, while Malcolm X went on to become

Malcolm X realizes that he has to do something with his free time and if he enjoys reading Mr. Muhammad’s teachings he has to make a change himself. Being surrounded between four walls lead him to write letters, even though at the beginning “[he becomes] increasingly frustrated at not being able to express what [he wants] to convey in the letters [he] wrote” (Malcolm X). If one does not know how to write and that is what they want to do, they obviously will feel disappointed in themselves? For Malcolm X to learn the letters of the alphabet and new words is very difficult because African Americans during his time have to teach themselves. He makes it clear “where else but in prison could [he attack his] ignorance” (Malcolm X). He is aware that he had no knowledge at the beginning, but due to his perseverance he is able to accomplish his goal, which he could not have in any other place but prison. He knows that his dedication is worth it because he “[reflects] upon the new vistas that reading opened to [him]” (Malcolm X). It opens many doors that to him could have possibly never been open. Angelou, too pushes herself to learning and fighting for what she wants, which for her is a better education. She has worked hard throughout the years and “her work alone had awarded [her] a top place and [she is] going to be one of the first called in the graduating ceremony” (Angelou 79). If she works this hard to get an education is because she not only want to be a professional when she gets older but she also wants to prove many people wrong. She is aware that women are not expected to become professionals, and that they are expected to become housewives. She wants to prove that stereotype wrong because it will make all her hard work even more worthwhile. Angelou’s mission is to

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.

. According to John Dewey education plays a large role in the development of an individual and it is an element that separates humans from other animals. It is important to try to comprehend what Dewey means by this and in order to do so the following must be done. First, one must understand the role education plays in an individual and Dewey’s notions of education in the areas of growth, direction and social function. Second, after comprehending Dewey’s notions of education in the areas of growth, direction, and social function, one must be able to grasp the distinction between education as a social function and the simple notion of training and what sets these two apart. Third, after being able to comprehend the notions of education and the distinction between education as a social function and training, the idea of why education is distinctive of human life will be further developed.

Education is very essential in life no matter what age you are. Every day is a new learning experience, and the possibilities are endless. We are all different people with different mindsets and life experiences. But, we do not need traditional schooling to further our experiences in education. We all can learn various things that schooling will not be able to teach.