Education Restriction
From the readings by Ayer and Collins, education should not be militaristic and should be open for students to learn. In “Another World is Possible/ Another Education is Necessary” by Bill Ayers, he focuses on the importance of proper education. He states that being educated in a school system puts the student to see in only one perspective. “But we are never freer as teachers and students, citizens, residents, activists, and thinkers than when we refuse to see the situation or the world before us as the absolute end of the matter” (Ayers, 194). From this statement, it is important to see situations from different perspectives. If we were to only perceive the problem in one way, we might not be able to solve the problem at hand. Towards the end of “The Way Forward: Remembering Zora” by Patricia Hill Collins, she mentions how we must think outside of the box. A good example that she gave to the readers was the way preschoolers think. “As anyone who has spent any time around kids will tell you, kids frequently think the unthinkable and do the unexpected” (Collins, 182). At such a young age, the kids are not limited to solving problems and seeing solutions in one way. An example of this would be a child who is given a spoon compared to an adult who is given the spoon. The child knows that it can be used to eat with, but they can also hit it against a table to make noise with it, or use it as a character in one of their games. An adult, on the other hand, would just see this as a utensil for eating. This correlates to the framework that we learn in class. When we analyze readings, many of us have different views on what it means to us. Once a teacher analyzes the reading and explains what it means, many of us may think that our analysis of the reading is incorrect. This is not true, we are just taking in our background knowledge and gathering the things we know to understand this concept. By taking this class, we can analyze the world from our perspective and also learn from others and what they think the world is like.
Both Ayers and Collins connect to my community partner NGS because they call for education that fosters the skills and knowledge of critical analysis. “Education can foster skills of critical analysis that will enable us to see the patterns that enhance or retard the principles we embrace” (Collins, 179). Through tutoring, we can educate the students, but what is more important is that they see the problem in the community. By the Community Uplift Project, the students can see the patterns and find a solution in their manner. They are not limited to how they can solve the problem because a teacher does not give them the solution. They must think of the solution themselves, which is an important factor because this allows them to think outside of the box and not be limited to a few options that are presented in front of them. The students at NGS are eager to learn and better themselves so that they can have more opportunities in the future. “They are crying out for an experience that values them as human beings” (Ayers, 198). Giving them a reason to learn and acknowledging their thoughts and ideas, allows for growth in themselves and the community. Through their growth, they can use their knowledge to impact those around them. NGS does this by letting them share their thoughts and beliefs without putting them down.
It is often difficult for students from NGS to think they have the same opportunities as their friends or neighbors who can afford more. They know that they face more challenges and do not get equal opportunities as those of a higher class. “The reality offends the very idea that each person is equal in value and regard, and reflects instead the reactionary idea that some of us are more deserving and more valuable than others” (Ayers, 196). This barrier that Latino immigrants face in the San Rafael community is lessened through the help of NGS. Although NGS is not able to take in everyone, they can help those who are eager to learn and gain a better opportunity for themselves. Collins mentions, “We cannot attend the March on Washington, but education can place us in dialogue with the ideas of people who counsel both vision and pragmatic strategies of achieving that vision” (Collins, 180). Being educated in any setting helps us see the vision that we are trying to achieve. An example of this would go back to the Community Uplift Project where the students are educated about the problems and it is up to them to solve the problem that they face.
One point from Ayers list in his “Nine Possible Steps, Campaign, and Connections” that stood out to me was the way schools are structured. He mentions how schools are militarized and what we should do to encourage education. “Demilitarize our schools. Imagine drawing a bright line between military training and recruitment, and education as a human right” (Ayers, 200). By demilitarizing the schools and giving students more opportunities to think for themselves and express their opinions, they can learn in a relaxing atmosphere and would be eager to learn. Many students who go to school, tend to not like going to school because of how structured it is and how there are many rules they must follow. What should be done “In schools as they could be, education would be constructed as a fundamental human right geared toward the fullest development of the human personality, and the reconstruction of society around basic principles of equality and justice and recognition” (Ayers, 199). In some countries such as Finland, they focus less on homework and tests and encourage more playtime. This stimulates the children into thinking outside of the box and does not suppress their personalities at a young age. Through this type of education, teachers are able to reconstruct education to the students’ needs rather than force them to pay attention past their full potential. What is taught is that the students learn through playing and interacting with one another. If we were to incorporate the way Finland’s education system works, more students would be able to think outside of the box and we would not have as much of a militarized school system. This would also make learning more fun for the students.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/02/how-does-finland-s-top-ranking-education-system-work
