Empowering Education

1) "Situated, multicultural pedagogy increases the chance that students will fell ownership in thier education and reduces the conditions that produce thier alienation." - This quote basically sums up our entire experience in this course!!! FNED 346 is a huge portion about changing or improving the way classrooms are interpreted and set up today. I feel like there is a little bit of participation today in schools more than when i was a kid, however it is still low. And by having student participation take place more in the classroom it will make for a more give and take learning environment between teacher and child. The way teaching is today is by the process of memorization and "right awnsers". We need to explain to the students more WHY they are taking such a course as algebra or history and connect it to their everday lives so that they see WHY its important for them to learn and embrace. And by bringing out multicultural materials and pedagogy more often this will help reduce the alienation that many children face.
2." students are people whose voices are worth listening to, whose minds can carry the weight of serious intellectual work, whose thought and feeling can entertain transforming self and society.” I feel very strong about this quote!! Ive always been for or been the person to advocate for children. I think all adults should believe in this quote. Each and Every student has his or her own unique personality and their own special voice, and it deserves to be heard. Just because children are younger and their minds are still developing does not mean they can not grasp the weight of intellectual work, all they need is the faith and encouragement from people like teachers to show that they do have this inside themselves. The encouragment is what is going to make them shine. If adults and teachers continue to think, act or live by the idea that children should not have an opinion in their education matters , then were going to get nowhere.
3.)"The students in that medi~ class learned subject mailer rhrough student-centered problem-posing in a critical dialogue, not through my lecturing them in a banking fashion. " This quote falls right into the idea that students have the ability to hold a critical dialogue. And this style of teaching is sometimes more successful and interesting than the old fashioned "lecture and note taking" style. students get to absorb different perspectives and ways of thinking. Its a style to think out of the box . When stickign to the "lecture and note taking style and not anything else students oftenly enough will hear the teacher say "blah blah blah blah" instead of what they are actually supposed to be learning , jotting down, and taking in. Now this doesnt go to say that teachers should 100% quit and throw away the "lecture" style of teaching, but there should be a balance. Maybe for the first half of the class the teacher can teach, and students will take notes. adn then second half of the class , the students talk and participate with eachother to see if they have grasped the real concept. and this would be the time that students can spit back any questions, confusion or concerns they might have.

- "Empowering Education" was a great way to end this course!! Its exactly what we have been doing since day one. I remember the first time we all got together and formed our infamous circle. :) when we tried talking all you heard was crickets!! But now the last month in this class, we are all like a family. and someone says one thing then someone has something to agree or counter argue with. we're all so comfortable with each other and i can honeslty say i am going to miss this crowd of adults ! :)