Wednesday, September 30, 2009

"I Just Wanna Be Average" By Mike Rose

In "I Just Wanna Be Average" talks about how himself, Mike Rose, was placed in the "vocational education" program at his high school. While in this "vocational education" program Rose began to learn some dead end skills from his teachers that were to often unprepared, underprepared, or incompetent. Rose contends that those students in the "vocational" track have been written off but some show unrealized potential and specifies reasons why the school system allows them to fail.
The quote that struck out to me was when a student by the name of Ken Harvey was asked by the teacher an opinion about parable talents, about achievement, and working hard. Ken stated that "he just wants to be average" (page 3, "I Just Wanna Be Average" by Mike Rose.) Like Mike Rose this statement startled me for the simple fact that who just wants to be an average person. The school system is built that if you don't excel in the "normal" classes you are viewed as "slow" or just an "average" student trying to get by with minimal effort.
The term that is central to the text is "vocational education" program (page 2, "I Just Wanna Be Average" by Mike Rose.) The term "vocational education" program to me is providing the student with basic job-skills necessary for him to be "average" in society. The main goal is provide training to students who are deemed by the school system not able to gain adequate knowledge to get a better job in society. They provide them with the basic knowledge, information, facts etc. to get an average job which in turn affords them an average lifestyle.
These "vocational education" classes use various tests, such as the Stanford-Binet for placement in tracks which are deemed essential for the student in question. However like Rose some of these students fall through the cracks and are placed in these tracks, remaining there for extended periods of time. If you were a student like Rose after awhile you would begin to be bored with the subject matter if it was handed down to you in a "watered down" like manner.
The key component out of all of this is that nobody should want to be a "average" person period. Everyone should set high standards for oneself and go above and beyond the means established to get them. However, sometimes the school system places limits on who or how far a certain individual can go. School systems forget how powerful a layered or important knowledge is. It can take you from your present situation and place no limits on were you want to go. You shouldn't want to be "average" you should want to be "GREAT!''

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

"The Achievement of Desire" by, Richard Rodriguez

In the reading of "The Achievement of Desire" by Richard Rodriguez in order to understand the world around us we must leave the comforts of home to go into the world unknown. You have to start and begin losing the way you speak and understand certain situations in order to start and function in public life/society. Rodriguez contends that bilingual education is not conduisive to Spanish speaking students, in that it will only reinforce Spanish speaking students separateness from mainstream American life.
In the reading one quote that stuck out to me was when Rodriguez stated that he was afraid to read silently so he choose to read aloud. One day after a session with a nun at his school, the nun asked Rodrizguez why he was so reluctant to read alone. Rodriguez states, "that the way written words made me feel alone" (page 441, "The Achievement of Desire", by Richard Rodriguez.) This quote actually relates somewhat to me because when I read anything, I to feel somewhat alone. By reading various newspapers, books, maganzines, etc. I feel I'm gaining all this discourse and knowledge but what good is it if nobody understands what I'm talking about.
While I was reading the text one word that appears throughout the text is "scholarship boy" (page 432, "The Achievement of Desire", by Richard Rodriguez.) The reason that this term was important to me is because its true that this type of individual must move between two worlds: the home and school environments. The individual feels comfortable at home but weary of the outside world. Its a balancing act between intense pressure of intimacy at home and public instruction tends to bind you to the trusting lonely reason.
The central theme of the text is how schooling can have a two-fold process to it. The first step is to take the student out of the family context and bring them into the classroom setting. In the classroom setting you are surrounded by students aiming for a common goal...to be educated. Students begin to lose what makes them individuals because schooling tries to "assimilate" you into a American student.
The problem with this type of education is that even though you gain a better understanding of what it is to be "educated" you sometimes begin to lose yourself in the process. This is especially true of minority families who only have one family member that has higher then a high school education. This member of the family begins to lose a sense of belonging to the family. By gaining an understanding of mainstream public life; education needs to be able to teach both extremes. Still keeping what makes you an individual and also helping you become a productive member of society.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

"The Banking Concept of Education" By, Paolo Freire

In "The Banking Concept of Education", byPaolo Freire talks about how the teacher-student relationship is an important concept when overcoming oppression. Freire believes teachers and students need to constantly work together beginning to develop the knowledge and consciousness that is necessary to overcoming oppression. There are various methods which can be used to overcome these obstacles associated with the teaching of education. They are the banking method and the problem-posing education method.
In this article Freire talks of how in the problem-posing method of overcoming oppression as men "you need to develop a power to perceive critically the way they exist in the world with which and in which they find themselves..." (page 82, "The Banking Concept of Education", by Paolo Freire.) This quote was important because I never realized the power that this type of education could impose on the students you teach. It begins to help students see their world not so much as static but as reality. You use your education to transform the current conditions that one is faced with.
The central theme is the "banking concept of education" (page 75, "The Banking Concept of Education", by Paolo Freire.) This term is important because it tells just how the traditional educational system is teaching our students. Teachers are basically just filling up the "containers" of every student and telling them to take various examinations. Like Freire states you have basically turned education into a bank-clerk model in which the students are transformed into "depositories" and the teacher is transformed into "depositor." You basically fill all this information into the students minds without telling them the meaning or purpose behind the discourse.
Overall, the need for a reform in education is necessary in order for students to be better prepared for the "outside world." I'm not saying that this form of education isn't in the students best interests but sometimes as teachers you need to teach "outside the box" and bring real world situations along for the ride. This ride will ensure students that there is a reason I'm teaching you all this jargon of various subject matter.
One very useful resource that I took out of this reading was that as teachers you need to develop a further understanding of yourself and why "self" is important in society. By gaining a better understanding of the importance of "self" in society you can begin to provide an education that is both powerful/potent enough to students to have them say "change is coming!!"

"Engaged Pedagogy" By, Bell Hooks

In "Engaged Pedagogy" by, Bell Hooks that for one to be educated the educator must be able to take your through a "spiritual" journey in order to share that information in a "powerful" way. Your job as the teacher is to gain access to your students souls. In a manner that respects the whole self is key to the conditions of learning.
One quote that suck out is one by Thich Nhat Hanh. Hanh used this statement to describe his pedagogy. Hanh's unique way of teaching is one that encompasses "wholeness, a union of mind, body, and spirit" (page 68, "Engages Pedagogy", by Bell Hooks.) This teaching style was rooted in the Buddhist principles that you should be able to teach the "whole" person. This quote struck me as interesting because I never thought about teaching a "whole" student. In today's classrooms you just "fill" the student with information, facts, and figures. That as students they should be able to "spit" back to you on various test, quizzes and examinations. As teachers we sometimes forget that teaching is one thing but being a good teacher is taking all that ones learned and applying it to real life situations.
The critical term in this particular piece of work is pedagogy. Pedagogy appears in various statements throughout this reading (page 68, "Engaged Pedagogy", by Bell Hooks.) This term is important to teachers because it means a way or form of teaching information to your students. You will need to use and be familiar with this term throughout your teaching career. Like teaching it is ever-changing to meet students demands, as such, you as the teacher need to form a pedagogy around these demands.
The central theme that I got out of the text is that teachers sometimes forget what their actual role is. The teacher is there to guide and help students make sense of all the information that gets thrown at them through various points in the semester. By just teaching this information you aren't necessarily "healing" the students your just filling them up with "stuff" that has no meaning.
What teachers forget is to put passion behind their teaching. To show that you are as passionate about this transposes on the students in your classroom "that hey if the teacher is this passionate about this information maybe it's of some use." Your greatest gift to students that are taught under your guidance is that you taught with "heart" and that showed the students how meaningful this knowledge can be.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Re-Read "Inventing The University" By David Bartholomae

In re-reading, "Inventing the University by David Bartholomae I picked up on certain discourse that I missed the first read through. One of the main ideas after re-reading "Inventing The University" is that while writing academic papers you have the ability to use proper discourse in order to provide sufficient detail to essays. Understanding who and why you write is important. Beginning to be able to decide which type of discourse is suitable for that particular type of writing or speech is other trait of higher education.

One quote that stuck out the second time I read this piece was that "writers have shown a varied awareness of the codes-or the competing codes-that operate within a discourse" (page 521, Inventing the University, David Bartholomae.) It's your job as a writer that you have the ability to speak in another's voice or through someone’s voice that has some specific power or wisdom. You as a writer have to be able to enter into academic discourse not only when it's necessary but throughout your chosen profession. You may be called on by your specific "academic community" to speak a certain discourse on their behalf.

The term that I chose the second read through is more a statement then term and it is that as basic writers we have to determine just what a communities conventions are so that these conventions can be written out, "demystified" and then taught in our classrooms (page 517, Inventing the University, David Bartholomae.) To me this term means that sometimes teachers of a particular area of study are too vague on what they "require" their students to do. Terms like describing, defining, and use details are just a couple of terms that we have all heard as students at one time. As a result students have difficulty in choosing the proper discourse to be able to properly "meet" the needs that a certain teacher is asking for.

The central idea of the text is that everybody in society isn’t offered the ability to gain an equal education. Those that gain this education are able to use this to their advantage. You are able to sound intelligent and through this manipulate your audience.

Overall, the theme of this essay was that those who gain a higher education are better able to argue a point. Those that don’t have access to higher education are at a disadvantage because they aren’t able to validate or prove others wrong that have access to higher education.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

"Inventing The University"

9-13-09
Inventing The University by, David Bartholomae
In "Inventing The University", by David Bartholomae it talks about going beyond the "average writer" and becoming more meaningful writers. Students "invent" the university by gaining some understanding and knowledge needed in universities or particular areas of study. A quote in particular that Bartholomae uses to validate this point is that as basic writers "it's hard for us to take on the role-the voice, the person-of an authority whose authority is rooted in scholarship, analysis, or research (page 513, Inventing the University, Bartholomae The importance of this quote means that first you are always evolving into better writers taking on the discourse of your particular area of study. Basic writers never go beyond simple language and jargon when the "setting" deems a particular discourse necessary.
A critical term is that a "writer has to "build bridges" between his p.o.v. and his readers (page 515, Inventing the University, Bartholomae). The term of importance is the "building bridges" portion part of the quote which exemplifies what you as writers have to do. Analyze the audience whom you are writing for. Understanding your audience will help you decide, as a writer, how to write and what to write about.
One thing of key importance found in the text is that your writing should reflect upon those that are reading your piece of chosen text. For example you have to write an essay for the School of Education in order for you to be excepted. In this paper it should reflect not only your personal experiences but be able to include the discourse that you learned in the variety of education classes you have to take.
The second thing of key importance is the fact that some writers have the ability to successful manipulate their chosen audience. By being able to manipulate your particular audience you gain a sense of power from the academic discourse. This sense of power can be reflected in the academic discourse you use by being able to include and exclude particular readers of your essay. Wow, don't you love the power of words!!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

A Kind Word For Bullshit

A Kind Word For Bullshit: The Problem of Academic Writing goes in depth about different types of bullshit. Bullshit comes in two instances and these are prototypical and nonprototypical. Some people deny that these two instances exist in the first place since there is no pre-existing self to which the bullshitter is not true. These individuals feel that one's own self is bullshit, living independently from bullshit so thus how could you misrepresent yourself if that self lives outside of bullshit. Prototypical bullshit is easily summed up in that it is purposefully misrepresenting of yourself. Bullshit is practiced at both the professor level and the student level. At the professor level most professors assume that most papers contain some amounts of bullshit. The writing shouldn't be in question but whether or not prototypical academic writing is considered prototypical bullshit...and in whose eyes. At the student level students are considered "bullsters." An example is a student using Cliffnotes to write a term paper for a book they never opened, potentially receiving a favorable grade. Student bullshit comes in a different form when a student does all that is asked of him but tell the "truth." Jasper Neel calls it "anti-writing" stating ''it follows the conventions of academic writing but conveys the feeling I care nothing about the truth." (pg. 386) Professors and students alike lets take a step back, relax, and try not to bullshit!!

"On Bullshit"

"On Bullshit" by Harry G. Frankfurt was a delightful read about simply "bullshit." As we are all well aware of bullshit is always around us in one form or another. Many people bullshit about their weekends, who they are dating or the type of job they actually hold. Frankfurt explains that "bullshit" is the misrepresentation...of somebody's own thoughts, feelings, or attitudes. (pg. 12) When "bullshitting" a person misrepresents anything, in turn misrepresenting his own state of mind. If you believe the "bullshit" it must be true, but in actuality it also could be a lie. One quote in particular that I have heard before is "never tell a lie when you can bullshit your way through." It shows that people are more comfortable hearing "bullshit" then somebody lying." Individuals use "bullshit" as a sort of bluff, do you have the courage to call me out on what I just said.