Empowering Education: Critical Teaching for Social Change- Ira Shor

The education system then and now has always been driven by political interested. Most of the schools that receive the most money are schools that are in mostly white areas where most of the powerful people live. To really change the system and culture of how the youth are educated we have to access of how schools in urban areas have little resources.

History and relateable topics to all students should be intertwined in the curriculum. With the focus on state testing most schools are now even cutting out history or at least nonwhite US history. As a minority this is very discouraging to see. Most students when I was in school were only taught about MLK and maybe Rosa Parks. Now some school will not even do that unless it is MLK day. I was helping in a class during black history month. In school I was taught about many European countries but I do not remember learning about any nonwhite countries. The US is made up of many races and the curriculum in the schools should reflect that.

 

Citizenship in schools: Reconceptualizing Down syndrome

Conceptualizing is to develop a replacement concept of something.

          We need to rethink the way we see people with disabilities. We need to first identify them as what they really are people that deserve to have the same opportunities as you and I have. In my high school the students with disabilities were in their own class’ separate from the rest of the “regular” students. They went to lunch at a different time, had PE at a different time, and were presented to us as students that were unable to really do much of anything. When in reality they could do just as much as us.

Inclusion would allow students with disabilities to grow and allow students without disabilities to gain knowledge of what these students have to deal with. Also the students without disabilities could benefit academically. With inclusion students without disabilities would be able to help the other students and when students help their fellow students they actually are further embedding their knowledge into their own brains. 

In service of What?

I feel being able to participate in community service is a privilege.  For most people who live in poverty they do not have an opportunity to participate in community service.  Even if they would love to do it, most likely would not be able because the have other responsibilities that have take precedence over community service. I do feel that all high schools should require that their students complete some form of community service or volunteering. This would help all students understand the value of helping others and also open up to new experiences while at the same time improving our communities.