Reaction to Chapter 2 of "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" by Paulo Friere
I am guilty. I am guilty of being a depositor of information into the bank that we call students. Therefore, it stands to reason why I felt a bit defensive while reading Paulo Friere's explanation of what he described as the "banking" theory. Based on this theory, teachers, also known as "oppressors," pour information into learners, who are referred to as the "oppressed." Banking education also assumes that students have no knowledge, and the teacher possess all knowledge.
While I am willing to admit that I can play the role of narrator, I do not feel comfortable with the assertion that I believe my students are without knowledge and that I cannot gain anything valuable from them. I feel that I do not fit into Friere's mold of a traditional teacher. However, I am willing to take a look at my teaching practices to allow for more student input, and problem based lessons. This brings me to the subject of my last article reaction. What Friere proposes is directly related to Harste and Leland's article about inquiry based learning. This is evident when Friere states that (we-teachers) "must abandon the educational goal of deposit making and replace it with the posing of the of the problems of human beings in their relations with the world."
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Reaction to "On getting Lost, Finding One's Direction, and Teacher Research by Harste and Leland
I found that the Harste & Leland article validates many of the things I learned to be best practices in teaching. For example, the idea that students benefit from choice is something I recall learning during my undergrad days at Temple University. Since that time, I have witnessed first hand how powerful student choice can be. I recently assigned a project where my students chose from a list of historical figures and ideas (from the time period we were studying) on which to base a poem. They also chose which of the provided literary elements they would include in the poem. I am convinced that by offering my students options, it was easier for them to generate the effort needed to create their literary pieces. This is one personal example I witnessed that demonstrates how choice often motivates students to work harder, and to go more in depth with their level of effort and understanding, since they are given some ownership over their learning. Harste and Leland also go on to explain that in addition to choice being "central to student learning," providing students with relevant experiences is a necessary part of an effective curriculum. Once again, providing choice and creating authentic learning experiences for students are things we all learn as teachers, and strive to do, but they are not always simple to put into action. I often find myself mulling over the curriculum to find new ways to make learning an experience for students that is relatable. Lack of time, as well as an occasional lack of resources can make it especially difficult to incorporate relevant experiences into the curriculum. I can only hope that I will find my way, with the help of further readings and my PAWLP classes, and gain some direction (in the same way as Harste and Leland) in delivering a curriculum that is relevant to my students.
I found that the Harste & Leland article validates many of the things I learned to be best practices in teaching. For example, the idea that students benefit from choice is something I recall learning during my undergrad days at Temple University. Since that time, I have witnessed first hand how powerful student choice can be. I recently assigned a project where my students chose from a list of historical figures and ideas (from the time period we were studying) on which to base a poem. They also chose which of the provided literary elements they would include in the poem. I am convinced that by offering my students options, it was easier for them to generate the effort needed to create their literary pieces. This is one personal example I witnessed that demonstrates how choice often motivates students to work harder, and to go more in depth with their level of effort and understanding, since they are given some ownership over their learning. Harste and Leland also go on to explain that in addition to choice being "central to student learning," providing students with relevant experiences is a necessary part of an effective curriculum. Once again, providing choice and creating authentic learning experiences for students are things we all learn as teachers, and strive to do, but they are not always simple to put into action. I often find myself mulling over the curriculum to find new ways to make learning an experience for students that is relatable. Lack of time, as well as an occasional lack of resources can make it especially difficult to incorporate relevant experiences into the curriculum. I can only hope that I will find my way, with the help of further readings and my PAWLP classes, and gain some direction (in the same way as Harste and Leland) in delivering a curriculum that is relevant to my students.
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