This has by far been my favorite reading. I could completly relate this to my own experience at West Broadway Elementary. School should not be focused completely on the curriculum. I think many teachers these days are more focused on meeting standards and following a rigid curriculum other than anything else. School is such an important aspect in a child's life, that it has to consist of more than just the subjects being taught. I agree with Shor with the idea of allowing kids to think outside the box and come up with their own questions about what their thinking.
I liked the idea of making that relationship between student and teacher. "Piaget urged a reciprical relationship between teachers and students, where respect for the teacher coexisted with cooperative and student centered pedagogy." (pg. 12). I think this quote is explaining that learning should not just be a one way street where the teacher just explainins the material and moves on to the next subject. Students and teachers should have a relationship where they both put their input into discussion and repectfully discuss their opinions and analyze the material. "In a curriculum that encourages student questioning, the teach avoids a unilateral transfer of knowledge. I also think this part of the article relates to the Johnson article because it goes against that silenced dialogue idea, allowing students to express their ideas and questions.
I believe Shor sums up how exactly politics relates to education when she explaining how students are influenced. "All forms of education are political because they can enable or inhibit the questioning habits of students, thus developing or disabling their criticical relation to knowledge, schooling and society. Education can socialize students into critical thought or into dependence on authority, that is, into autonomous habits of mind or into passive habits of following authorities, waiting to be told what do and what things mean." I think Shor is trying to explain the importance of education in the developing minds of children. The way students grow relates directly to their learning and how the classroom is ran.
A part of this essay that really stood out to me was when Shor is explaining exactly what empowering education is. "Empowering education....is a critical-democratic pedagogy for self and social change. It is a student-centered program for a multiculutral democracy in school and society." I agree with Shor's idea of students individually growing. Not every student is going to learn at the exact same pace. Furthermore, once a student is able to individually advance they are able to contribute more to society. I know from my own life experiences and from people surrounding me, those who are more educated, are the people are contribute their ideas to society and become more involved.
I also agree with the idea of full participation of students in the classroom. Especially in current generations many students are not motivated to learn or go to school. This is partly because many do not have a say in the class room. Shor explains, "...the lack of meaningful participation alienates workers, tearchers, and students. This alienation lowers their productivity in the class and on the job." I think this relates back to the idea that there has to be a mutual relationship between student and teacher. There should be participation from both sides instead of the classroom being teacher-centered.
I really enjoyed reading this article. The key points of this article that really stood out to me included the importance of participation of both students and teachers, a beneficial relationship between the class and teacher, and finally how important education is to society.
**The more people know, the more they can contribute to improving our society, and being motivated to further their learning as well.
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