Edu-Tweeting

In a previous reflection of mine, I analyzed an in class activity we completed regarding a re-invention the high school education system.  One of the key components we discussed during this activity was around curriculum and teaching instruments and our desire to make them both a bit more modern and relevant.  The activity was rather exclusive to the student’s point of view, but what about the teacher’s?   

            I read an article on the Canadian Education Association’s (CEA) website about the growing popularity of educators using social networking, specifically Twitter, for developing their curriculum.  Thousands of educators across Canada and beyond are “Edu-tweeting”.  Essentially what this means, is that educators are sharing their knowledge and best practices regarding education, and employing Twitter as the vehicle to do so. 

Refuge in Education

            When a student reaches a dark place in their life and feels as though education is not worth pursuing any further, it requires a special teacher to provide the inspiration and passion for learning that the child needs in order to overcome their unwillingness to learn.

            I read the novel Push, by Sapphire, which follows a young, black, teenage girl through Harlem in the 80’s.  The girl has suffered a life of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, but finds refuge in the arms of an alternative school.  Most people probably know the film adaptation, as Precious.  The alternative school, Each One Teach One, is an educational institution dedicated to helping youth who have experienced a variety of different hardships, which has impeded their ability or desire to learn and pursue an education.  The pendulum of choice then begins for Precious, the protagonist in both the book and the film, as she must decide between living the only life she has ever know, or pursuing an education.

Discipline & Power

McLean’s magazine ran an article in September of 2011, which discussed a bullying case that landed in an Ontario court.  The article explains that the parents of the bullied youth tried to mitigate the situation by engaging the proper personnel at the child’s school, however the bullying continued to happen on a regular basis.  Legal proceedings related to bullying are surprisingly becoming quite common and come with a hefty price tag. 

Education in Finland

I read an article which was an offshoot of the Nova Scotia Teacher’s Union website, which provided a comparative account of schools in the United States and schools in Finland.  Finland, years ago, found themselves in a similar situation as the United States is in now; poor performing students in the public education system.  Fast forward to present day and Finland ranks as one of the most excellent countries academically in the world.  The article provides an thorough view of the Finnish education system, but there were two components that jumped out at me and relate to some of the course material we have reviewed thus far.

F is for Failure... in Education

            I recently stumbled upon an interesting film, titled Waiting for Superman.  This documentary style film looks at the school system in America, and in essence how they are setting up children for failure.  The film has won several awards and accolades for its’ raw and unfeigned account of public education and the ineffectiveness it is producing for children. 

            A section of the film talks about how the United States has gone from ranking very highly on a global scale for academic proficiency, but has slipped on the scale and is ranked much lower.  As I was watching the video and hearing this, I could not help thinking about the RSA Animate video we watched in class and specifically, the explanation that schools are structured today as they were years ago.  Specifically, in a way that limits children’s creativity and their ability to perform to their full potential.  The structure of the public education system proved to be effective decades ago, but the reality is that this structure is no longer producing the greatest results in students and we are now being faced with an academic and educational epidemic. 

Where Does Gay Fit Into Education?

Creating safe spaces, educating the community at large and fighting harassment and discrimination in schools.  For a student who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), these actions are refreshing to hear amidst an environment that can often times be unforgiving, mean and unaccepting.  Gay Straight Alliances (GSA), are organizations found throughout middle and high schools, as well as in universities, whose main purpose is to facilitate the aforementioned objectives for LGBT students and their allies.  Issues related to homosexuality continue to be experienced in a variety of ways, and GSAs are no exception.  Throughout this reflection I will discuss a variety of LGBT issues and analyze how they fit into the education system as a whole.

Re-creating the High School Education System

A recent in class activity combined many of Freire’s theories around education, with the creative minds of my peers and myself.  An integral implication in Freire’s work suggests that the education system we have today, which has been present for decades, is not the most effective and viable system for educating students.  Freire argues that schools cultivate oppression in a number of ways, and students should be given the opportunity to analyze their education and play to their strengths and likes.  In an effort to construct our own contemporary Freirean inspired high school education system, we honed in on several key components such as curriculum, staff, teaching methods and infrastructure, which I will discuss in this essay.

Giving Children a Voice

Paulo Freire

Each one, teach one.  This phrase summarizes many of Paulo Freire’s theories around education.  We have reviewed several of his works thus far in class related to his book, The Critical Pedagogy of the Oppressed, in addition to watching a video specific to an entire education institution employing his politics of education.  Is the education system of today producing the greatest results from its’ students, or should more of Freire’s philosophies be implemented?  In this essay, I will analyze several of Freire’s theories around education, oppression, and the voice children should have.

Afro-centric Curriculum

A hot topic issue which we discussed in our class, but which also extends beyond the boundaries of our classroom, is an Afro-centric schooling system.  This educational endeavor can be looked at from a number of different angles, however my reflection will look to critically analyze this system from my own point of view.  Initially I found myself approaching this topic from a “in the middle”, or “on the fence” perspective, but the more and more I delve into the topic, the more I find myself supporting alternative means of education, but opposing certain aspects of Afro-centric curriculum. 

Gender and Class Based Cultural Capital in Education

Pierre Bourdieu

Last weeks reading introduced us to Pierre Bourdieu and his concept of cultural capital.  If we dissect this phrase, cultural capital, cultural refers to societal behaviors and/or ideas, and capital is typically seen as monetary, however it can also be looked at as any sort of an advantage or asset.  According to Bourdieu, cultural capital can exist in more ways than one; it can exist in mind and body, in the form of cultural goods, and in education (Nash, 1990, p.432).  Therefore cultural capital could be something one experienced, possesses, acquires, learned, etc.  Bourdieu also introduced us to class and gender based cultural capital and its’ presence in the education system.