Because I’m a part of it
For our workshop, I've invited several students to help facilitate the break-out session of our presentation. I selected students who over the years have demonstrated the product of true liberating education. And what's the litmus test? I am getting wind that these students are getting in trouble in other classes for speaking up for themselves.
This is music to my ears because as our theory of action outlines:
"To combat the rigidity of dysfunctional school environments and didactic instructional scripts associated with underperforming urban schools, students must be the ones to demand a reevaluation of school practices and structures to best serve their educational and life needs."
And this is exactly what's happening to a handful of students. Students are advocating for themselves and their education.
While a student and I were meeting to discuss our presentation for the forum workshop, I asked her, "Why did you change this year? Last semester, you didn't care about school. This semester, you care more than anyone else."
Her response solidified for me the need for democratic education that treats students as thinkers and doers, and not pails to be filled. She answered, "Miss, I used to think school was nothing because it was. Teachers just gave us stuff. Now I feel I'm a part of it -- I'm a part of the learning." And this is all she needed to become the transformational citizen she has decided to become.
Posted in StudentsTeaching on Jun 15, 2010 - 10:25 PM
School has been out for a weekend now and as soon as the last bell of the school year rang, a couple of my friends and some of my students got right to work on our presentation for the U.S. Social Forum. Our presentation is called "Urban School Awakening: Critical Elements of Urban School Reform."For our workshop, I've invited several students to help facilitate the break-out session of our presentation. I selected students who over the years have demonstrated the product of true liberating education. And what's the litmus test? I am getting wind that these students are getting in trouble in other classes for speaking up for themselves.
This is music to my ears because as our theory of action outlines:
"To combat the rigidity of dysfunctional school environments and didactic instructional scripts associated with underperforming urban schools, students must be the ones to demand a reevaluation of school practices and structures to best serve their educational and life needs."
And this is exactly what's happening to a handful of students. Students are advocating for themselves and their education.
While a student and I were meeting to discuss our presentation for the forum workshop, I asked her, "Why did you change this year? Last semester, you didn't care about school. This semester, you care more than anyone else."
Her response solidified for me the need for democratic education that treats students as thinkers and doers, and not pails to be filled. She answered, "Miss, I used to think school was nothing because it was. Teachers just gave us stuff. Now I feel I'm a part of it -- I'm a part of the learning." And this is all she needed to become the transformational citizen she has decided to become.
Tags for this entry:
power,
control,
democracy,
unschooling,
critical thinking and analysis,
confidence
