I have read this book for two other classes in my collegiate career, both for education classes. So as I read through this again, I tried to make connections to my future as an ESL teacher.
Chapter 1:
In chapter 1, Freire explores how oppression has been justified through the constant cycle of "oppressor" vs. the "oppressed." He explains how the balance of power is relatively stable between the colonizer and the colonized.
"Freedom is acquired by conquest, not by gift. It must be pursued constantly and responsibly. Freedom is not an ideal located outside of man; nor is it an idea which becomes myth. It is rather the indispensable condition for the quest for human completion." (47) Freire claims that freedom can result from praxis (informed action), when a balance between practice and theory is achieved. Looking at this from an educational point of view, I see this as a sort of call for educational equality that is suppose to be there, but isn't. We can think of educational laws being made by our elected officials, but how many of them have actually taught? There is no balance, and that is very visible in our society.
Many of us want to be teachers in the future, and we have heard of the "educational" reform that has been going on with NCLB and schools being shutdown. If we, as pre-service teachers, think that the answer to a struggling school is to strip them of resources (money, activities, other resources) will be the "kick in the butt" for schools to improve, then we are just continuing the cycle of the oppressor and oppressed that Freire discusses in my opinion.
Is NCLB technically equal education? And if it isn't (<-- it isn't), would that make NCLB unconstitutional?
Chapter 2:
In chapter 2, Freire tends to direct the discussion to more of the educational aspect. He discusses the "banking" approach to educating students versus the "problem-posing" approach to educating students.
The "banking" approach tends to dehumanize students. School, based on this, is considered more or less alienation. The teacher's job is to fill students with contents of the narration, and the students are supposed to be like "receptacles" that take in all of the content by recording, memorizing, and repeating all of it, then go on to the next unit. I feel that without a change to the way we assess our schools and children, that this route is what we are heading (or are already) in. These standardized tests being the BIG SHOW for comprehension and knowledge are unrealistic to produce real, accurate, maybe even authentic results. There are many things that students can do that these end-all, be-all tests can never show. I am not trying to go on a rant and saying to toss out the whole system, but I think there has to be some sort of compromise or ideas for how we can fix the system that certain educational reforms have corrupted. If we don't, I fear that teachers will have no choice but to use the "banking" approach to keep the scores.
From all educational sectors, including ESL, I believe that a "problem-posing" approach is the better route. This approach strives for students to be conscious of the world around them. I see this as a way that students should be asking questions. We affirm our students that they are never done learning, they will always be unfinished, because we never are finished. Probing these students creatively with more than just a fill in the bubbles (neatly of course) sort of examination of their competence seems a bit better of a reflection of their education. Students shouldn't be seen as empty when they come into your class, even if they are newcomers of the language, we all have sort of an intellectual foundation, but I know I am just preaching to the choir when it comes to who will read this. ;)
I guess this is my last blog for this course, so thanks for those who do read these! Good luck with finals!
See you in class and can't wait to see each group's units!
Blogfully yours,
The TESOL Bro
Tommy T.
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