Connections: What to Look for in a Classroom (Kohn)

When reviewing Kohn’s chart of classroom evaluation, many aspects reminded me of the readings about asset-based education and the Broken Model of education. The material that is covered in the “Good Signs” column reflect many points that were mentioned by Bertolini & Renkly in “Shifting the Paradigm” and Khan in “The Broken Model,” mainly in how the class is ran. Many aspects of how a class is conducted traditionally are listed in the “Possible Reasons to Worry” column: chairs and desks facing forward and/or in rows rather than in groups; students waiting to be called on by the teacher in class discussion rather than encouraging discussion between classmates; a controlling and demanding tone from the teacher, etc. Both texts agree with each other in that our current system of education is flawed in so many different ways, and that it is failing many of our students who get thrown off the path of success because their needs and problems are not being acknowledged. Having an atmosphere that falls into the criteria listed in the “Good Signs” column can shift our education system towards that of an “asset-based education,” encouraging creativity, student connection, as well as an overall positive and welcoming environment for the students.

Another thing that stood out to me when analyzing the chart was the general focus on the students in each setting. From my experiences in classes that utilize both styles of teaching (the “traditional” rows of desks with teacher-centric learning vs. the “newer” groups of desks with student-centric learning), both settings have their benefits and their downsides, but overall I felt as if the student-centered learning showed more confidence overall in students, even with what could be seen as “difficult” material. Although the “traditional” classroom structure does allow for students to ask questions from the teacher regarding material they are struggling with, the structure covered in Kohn’s chart allows for more student connection and, subsequently, a more active classroom environment. This can also help prepare students for college and the workforce, where collaboration with peers is crucial for a successful work environment.

Reflection - Finn: "From Literacy with an Attitude"

Finn describes his experiences in graduate school alongside the writings of Paulo Freire, a university professor in Brazil who founded an adult literacy program for the illiterate poor, specifically of his experiences with working with his community. He describes different approaches Freire utilized when working with this group of people, starting first with reflections on the concepts of justice before even beginning the process of teaching them to read and write. He approached his education in this way because he believed that “literacy would make them far better able to engage in the struggle they would certainly face if they tried to get a better deal” (2). Rather than teaching this community literacy to become better citizens, workers, and Christians, he taught them literacy to engage in the struggle for justice. At this point in time, discussing justice was seen as a radical viewpoint due to the huge divide between the rich and the poor.

Sound familiar yet?

We live in a society where people are beginning to point out a similar-sized gap between the ultra-rich and those who are stricken with poverty. It would make sense for those in poverty to be assisted to where they can be lifted out of this state of poverty and have a high quality life, right? Well, it doesn’t to the ultra-rich. Time and time again, bills that would shrink the gap between the poverty class and the ultra-rich are constantly thrown out, because then that means less money for the rich. And not just that, we have seen a constant fight to defund and dismantle our own Department of Education, in the name of “fighting wokeness.” The reality is, the rich that hold power do not want us to be educated. They want us to learn to become better citizens, better workers, and better Christians, just like Freire’s experiences in Brazil.

So with this in mind, what is there to do? Is there anything we can do? Do we have the power to change the culture of education being crafted?

Well, it’s not easy, but we have been given this power through our Constitutional rights, no matter how much our government tries to reduce them. We have the power to peaceably assemble and protest, we have the ability to call upon our lawmakers to do what is right for their constituents, and we have the power to create change through our votes. It may not seem like our vote has that kind of power, but slowly but surely it can create a change towards a better society. There is more power in numbers.

Reflection - Delpit: "Other People's Children"

The purpose of “The Silenced Dialogue” is to highlight statements made by non-White students and educators and provide a new perspective into how the current American educational climate has been consistently placing non-White students and educators at a disadvantage. At the same time, Delpit aims to address responses to the article that was created from these statements (“Skills and Other Dilemmas of a Progressive Black Educator”) and urge educators to think about how different perspectives on educational approaches can alienate and “silence dialogue” (24).

It seems that one of the most prevalent issues in the world of education, according to Delpit, is that schools with predominantly white instructors will not organize their teaching structure to best serve students of color. Delpit starts the chapter “The Silenced Dialogue” by having a graduate student and a female teacher, both persons of color, recount their experiences with predominantly white education. What both of them have in common is that, essentially, they’re talking to brick walls; white educators will more often than not argue against reforming education to best serve students of color, often citing “If it’s worked for this long, why should we change it?” The teacher’s experience brings out a notable point regarding her experiences in that while the white educators listened to her, they didn’t hear her: “They just don’t listen well. No, they listen, but they don’t hear—you know how your mama used to say you listen to the radio, but you hear your mother? Well they don’t hear me” (21). Her peers truly didn’t try to understand what she was saying, they didn’t try and see things from her perspective; it was almost as if they were just waiting for her to finish so they could continue on with their day, ultimately not changing a single thing with how their respective school’s curriculum was structured.

In her analysis of issues with education, she writes about what she has called the “culture of power,” which involves 5 premises: the power of the teacher over the students; the rules and presentations of self that coincide with the rules for participating in power, which are a reflection of those who have power; knowing explicitly what rules are in place for this “culture of power” makes it easier to be a part of the culture; and that those who have power are either unaware of its existence or are least willing to acknowledge its existence. The last premise made me reflect on my previous educational experiences; as a white student, I inherently knew that there was a power dynamic between teacher and student, but I wasn’t aware of how similar power dynamics could effect teacher-to-teacher relationships, how non-white educators and students viewed this power dynamic.