It is always shocking but also comforting to read a testimony like Rose's experience in high-school and how life can change because of an event or a person. I'm not familiar with the American school system and reading this essay makes me think differently about what i thought of it and it also makes me understand it better. I realize that there not much difference between the system I know (French) and the American one. I like to be positive and i hope that the system is changing and by reading testimonies like this maybe we (teachers) will offer equal opportunities to study for all.
Rose mentioned that schools have criticized and made parents responsible for their children's failure because they do not get involved in their education (163). It is revolting when farther in the reading to find out that teachers in the Voc. Ed were just unqualified, troubled, passionless for education, lacked motivation, in other words were just low-grade teachers. Rose was lucky enough to get out of the pack. Finally one of his teacher realized that his scores were not reflecting his abilities but what happen to the others.... They stayed in this "cul de sac" situation, kind of no hope situation. Society and school system allow to perpetrate inequality among social levels and this leave me a little bit puzzled....It makes think of what Freire was saying about oppression and education and i wasn't going with his theory but reading Rose's testimony i can see oppression in education. So what is really education? Freedom for some and oppression for others....depending on which side we are in society, a matter of location and finance.....
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I think it is very interesting that you mentioned the parents role in their children's education. In my opinion it seems to be both the parents and the teachers responsibility to ensure a child is being inspired to learn (through their teachers) and being disciplined enough to do the necessary work (through their parents). I was glad that Rose was very truthful when telling his story,I can recall various teachers from my k-12 experiences who weren't qualified within the subjects they were teaching (ex. my math instructor "filling" in for a philosophy course). The question is why is this happening? Most of the time it is happening because of the constant budget cuts, particularly within Public School districts. I can also recall within my public institution, that my teachers weren't even state licensed! Most of them never had experience working with children, and were hired merely because they were a member of the church in which the school was founded in.
ReplyDeleteWhen you mentioned that societies and school systems perpetuate inequality among social levels, it reminded me of Freire's references to the "oppressed". it does make you wonder, what is the purpose of school in today's society? School seems to mean a variety of different things for different people. For example, if a child is from an upper middle class family school is an opportunity to expand perspectives, grow intellectually, and to develop critical thinking skills. A child living in a working class environment may view school as a prison of mindless reading and "requirements" school may be viewed as a place to occupy time. If the structure of schools reflect what social class environment it is in, then it is up to the teachers to transform that environment and give all students an equal opportunity to be inspired and to take an active part in cultivating their education/growth. That reminded me of what Rose said about teachers "setting the bar" if we as future educators are limiting our child's capacity to be inspired then we are merely pawns that are reinforcing the idea of school being the place where class systems are reinforced and oppression exists.