Critical Education Narrative - Prompt:
Dr. Nicole WarwickUCSB Writing Program109ED Project 1: Critical Education Narrative
Many of the activities we are involved in our day-to-day life become so routine that they seem natural, and we are so busy participating in them that we don’t have a lot of time or opportunity to step outside of the activity and reflect upon and examine our experiences. Education typically is one of those things. The first time I reflected on and analyzed my educational experiences was when I was working on my master’s degree, and that experience was pivotal in influencing who I am as a teacher today. I am so grateful I chose the class I did and had the opportunity to do this work. Like me, this paper for many of my students has been their first chance to think about their education and why their teachers approached teaching the way they did. It’s their first chance to develop a critical perspective of their educational experiences.
As Mike Rose says in the introduction to Why School, “We’re reminded through vignette and story--through accounts of people at work or in school--that beliefs and policies, which can operate at a high level of abstraction and distance, affect life lived daily in the classroom, on the job floor, at the community center” (7). This is what we are looking at in this paper - how more abstract elements of education affect our daily lives in the classroom. In doing this work, even if we don’t go into education, we will be practicing skills that can serve us in many different aspects of our lives, not just the classroom.
Task: Using one or more education theories (what we read together or, with approval, theories you have read in other classes or on your own), develop a position of critique about an educational experience or experiences. For example, classes, teachers, moments of learning could be the focus of the critique for you. By position of critique I mean using theory to develop an understanding of the education experience or experiences you choose to examine. While you can look at flaws and strengths in the experience, I’d also like you to identify philosophies, values, and/or assumptions that may be at work in the experience – how they manifest and the effects they have. Think: What is going on in this experience and use theory and what you are learning about education and learning to help you explain it.
Your critique will Tell a story about an aspect of your educational experiences and will have the following characteristics: Take place in specific settingsConvey action and telling detailsPresent a conflict and create tensionSequence eventsMake a point and reveal new insightsAnalyze the experience, which means taking something apart to reach a deeper understanding. Apply one or more theories/concepts we read in class (Fisher, Smith, and Frey; Dweck; or Freire) as a means of analysis Evaluate the experience, which means arriving at a judgment or conclusion about the experience
Challenges and tips: A challenge of writing narratives is writing a story about a topic that is too broad. It can also be challenging to figure out which details are meaningful to the story - which aspects do you summarize and which do you provide rich detail about. Whatever your topic is, try to find a slice or seed of a story to focus on. The most effective narratives tend to focus on a specific event, person, or challenge/success. First order writing can also help you figure out which details are most meaningful. I recommend just getting it all down on the page, and then re-reading it. Beginning to figure out your overall point/message will also help you know what to focus on and what to summarize.
Outcomes: For those who will be writing teaching philosophies for an educational career, this project provides a foundation for discovering your personal beliefs and values about teaching. More broadly, it helps us understand and learn about people and the values, behaviors, and practices that can be motivating and inhibiting. It also provides an opportunity to develop critical thinking and analytical skills and practice understanding and applying theory.
Length: 4-6 pages (but not more than 8), 12 pt, Times New Roman, double spaced (the paper can be longer than 6 pages if you need more room to discuss your experience)
Citation Style: MLA or APA (Here’s a link with citation information for our sources from Weeks 2-3)
Peer Review Draft Due: Wednesday, April 26 posted to Eli Review by class time
Teacher Draft Due Beginning Tuesday, 5/2 when conferences start. The teacher draft version of your project is due on the day of your conference in your course Google folder.
I meet with students one-on-one to discuss the project. A teacher draft is a revised version of the peer review draft. I don’t call it a final draft because you may be revising it again for the optional portfolio at the end of the quarter. We will discuss these processes more in class as the draft due dates get closer.
Many of the activities we are involved in our day-to-day life become so routine that they seem natural, and we are so busy participating in them that we don’t have a lot of time or opportunity to step outside of the activity and reflect upon and examine our experiences. Education typically is one of those things. The first time I reflected on and analyzed my educational experiences was when I was working on my master’s degree, and that experience was pivotal in influencing who I am as a teacher today. I am so grateful I chose the class I did and had the opportunity to do this work. Like me, this paper for many of my students has been their first chance to think about their education and why their teachers approached teaching the way they did. It’s their first chance to develop a critical perspective of their educational experiences.
As Mike Rose says in the introduction to Why School, “We’re reminded through vignette and story--through accounts of people at work or in school--that beliefs and policies, which can operate at a high level of abstraction and distance, affect life lived daily in the classroom, on the job floor, at the community center” (7). This is what we are looking at in this paper - how more abstract elements of education affect our daily lives in the classroom. In doing this work, even if we don’t go into education, we will be practicing skills that can serve us in many different aspects of our lives, not just the classroom.
Task: Using one or more education theories (what we read together or, with approval, theories you have read in other classes or on your own), develop a position of critique about an educational experience or experiences. For example, classes, teachers, moments of learning could be the focus of the critique for you. By position of critique I mean using theory to develop an understanding of the education experience or experiences you choose to examine. While you can look at flaws and strengths in the experience, I’d also like you to identify philosophies, values, and/or assumptions that may be at work in the experience – how they manifest and the effects they have. Think: What is going on in this experience and use theory and what you are learning about education and learning to help you explain it.
Your critique will Tell a story about an aspect of your educational experiences and will have the following characteristics: Take place in specific settingsConvey action and telling detailsPresent a conflict and create tensionSequence eventsMake a point and reveal new insightsAnalyze the experience, which means taking something apart to reach a deeper understanding. Apply one or more theories/concepts we read in class (Fisher, Smith, and Frey; Dweck; or Freire) as a means of analysis Evaluate the experience, which means arriving at a judgment or conclusion about the experience
Challenges and tips: A challenge of writing narratives is writing a story about a topic that is too broad. It can also be challenging to figure out which details are meaningful to the story - which aspects do you summarize and which do you provide rich detail about. Whatever your topic is, try to find a slice or seed of a story to focus on. The most effective narratives tend to focus on a specific event, person, or challenge/success. First order writing can also help you figure out which details are most meaningful. I recommend just getting it all down on the page, and then re-reading it. Beginning to figure out your overall point/message will also help you know what to focus on and what to summarize.
Outcomes: For those who will be writing teaching philosophies for an educational career, this project provides a foundation for discovering your personal beliefs and values about teaching. More broadly, it helps us understand and learn about people and the values, behaviors, and practices that can be motivating and inhibiting. It also provides an opportunity to develop critical thinking and analytical skills and practice understanding and applying theory.
Length: 4-6 pages (but not more than 8), 12 pt, Times New Roman, double spaced (the paper can be longer than 6 pages if you need more room to discuss your experience)
Citation Style: MLA or APA (Here’s a link with citation information for our sources from Weeks 2-3)
Peer Review Draft Due: Wednesday, April 26 posted to Eli Review by class time
Teacher Draft Due Beginning Tuesday, 5/2 when conferences start. The teacher draft version of your project is due on the day of your conference in your course Google folder.
I meet with students one-on-one to discuss the project. A teacher draft is a revised version of the peer review draft. I don’t call it a final draft because you may be revising it again for the optional portfolio at the end of the quarter. We will discuss these processes more in class as the draft due dates get closer.
Final Draft
A Small Town Education: Unleashing the Power of Problem-Posing Pedagogy and Finding My Agency
Emerging from the warmth and familiarity of a small town in central valley, my journey in the realm of education initially felt insulated within a cozy bubble. A modest population of just over 60,000 people, conventional classrooms, and unvarying teaching methods painted a predictable picture of my early educational experiences. It was not until my junior year of high school, under the guidance of my English teacher, Mrs. Koontz, that I truly began to understand my role as an agent in my education. In her classroom, I found the opportunity to explore Paulo Freire's problem-posing pedagogy, even before I was familiar with the concept itself. This awakening, facilitated by Mrs. Koontz but driven by my own curiosity and participation, transformed my fixed mindset, allowing personal and academic growth.
Reflecting upon my initial academic experiences, it is clear that my elementary and middle school years were characterized by a lack of true challenge. There was a disconnect between the traditional classroom instruction and the lived experiences that were shaping me. Looking back, I see that my education was predominantly fashioned after Freire's "banking" model, where knowledge is a commodity deposited into students, reducing us to passive recipients rather than active participants in the learning process (Freire 71).
The arrival of Mrs. Koontz on my academic horizon disrupted this status quo. Her unyielding commitment to student engagement and inquiry-based learning marked the beginning of my shift from a passive learner to an active agent. Her approach was reminiscent of Freire's problem-posing education, which he hailed as "the practice of freedom" (Freire 81). As students, we were encouraged to question, to engage in dialogue, and to connect our learning to our own lives.
A particularly transformative experience in Mrs. Koontz's class was our study of Shakespeare's "Macbeth." Instead of adhering to a one-dimensional lecture format, Mrs. Koontz engaged us in a dynamic exploration of the characters, themes, and contemporary relevance of the play. However, the key to the depth of my learning was not Mrs. Koontz's teaching approach alone; it was the way I embraced it, actively participating in discussions, formulating my interpretations, and creating personal connections with the text.
In this environment, my understanding of education began to evolve. As I adopted the practice of active learning, I also found my own agency. It was me, navigating the complex themes of "Macbeth," drawing connections between the power dynamics in the play and our society, and improving my critical thinking skills. Through my active participation, I found my voice and the confidence to express my opinions. This was a pivotal moment, where Freire's theories found resonance in my lived experience.
This newfound sense of agency continued to influence me as I transitioned into more traditional educational settings. In my senior year, I found myself in a government class where the norm was rote memorization and didactic lectures. However, my experiences in Mrs. Koontz's class had equipped me with the tools to navigate this environment. Even in the absence of problem-posing pedagogy, I continued to question, to connect course content with real-world situations, and to engage proactively with the material. I had become an active agent in my education, regardless of the teaching methodology employed.
Looking back, the impact of Mrs. Koontz's teaching, combined with my active embrace of Freire's problem-posing pedagogy, has left an indelible mark on my educational journey. This approach has not only transformed my perspective on learning but also nurtured my growth as an agent of my own education. While Mrs. Koontz was instrumental in sparking this transformation, I played an equally important role in nurturing and sustaining it.
As I embark on my college journey, I carry with me more than just the lessons from Mrs. Koontz's classroom or Freire's principles of problem-posing pedagogy. What I truly carry is the knowledge that I am an active agent in my own education. I am empowered to question, to seek relevance, to forge connections, and to take ownership of my learning. This understanding is a testament to my evolution from a passive recipient of education to an active participant, to an agent of my own academic and personal growth.
I am committed to maintaining this active role as I move forward in my academic journey. Even when faced with more traditional pedagogical methods, I will strive to actively engage with the material, to think critically, and to seek connections with the real world. I am convinced that the transformative power of education lies in the agency of the learner, a conviction that my experiences with Mrs. Koontz and my reflections on Freire's work have affirmed.
To conclude, my educational journey, though initiated in the small-town classrooms of my childhood, has been profoundly shaped by my realization of my own agency. Mrs. Koontz's approach, closely aligned with Freire's problem-posing pedagogy, provided the catalyst. However, it was my engagement, my questions, and my desire to connect learning to my life that propelled my transformation. The key was understanding that I am not just the beneficiary of my education, but an active agent in shaping it. As I navigate through my educational journey, I am confident that this sense of agency will continue to guide my growth and development.
Works Cited
Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Ballantine Books, 2007.Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 30th Anniversary Edition, Continuum, 2000.Rose, Mike. Why School? Reclaiming Education for All of Us. The New Press, 2009.
Emerging from the warmth and familiarity of a small town in central valley, my journey in the realm of education initially felt insulated within a cozy bubble. A modest population of just over 60,000 people, conventional classrooms, and unvarying teaching methods painted a predictable picture of my early educational experiences. It was not until my junior year of high school, under the guidance of my English teacher, Mrs. Koontz, that I truly began to understand my role as an agent in my education. In her classroom, I found the opportunity to explore Paulo Freire's problem-posing pedagogy, even before I was familiar with the concept itself. This awakening, facilitated by Mrs. Koontz but driven by my own curiosity and participation, transformed my fixed mindset, allowing personal and academic growth.
Reflecting upon my initial academic experiences, it is clear that my elementary and middle school years were characterized by a lack of true challenge. There was a disconnect between the traditional classroom instruction and the lived experiences that were shaping me. Looking back, I see that my education was predominantly fashioned after Freire's "banking" model, where knowledge is a commodity deposited into students, reducing us to passive recipients rather than active participants in the learning process (Freire 71).
The arrival of Mrs. Koontz on my academic horizon disrupted this status quo. Her unyielding commitment to student engagement and inquiry-based learning marked the beginning of my shift from a passive learner to an active agent. Her approach was reminiscent of Freire's problem-posing education, which he hailed as "the practice of freedom" (Freire 81). As students, we were encouraged to question, to engage in dialogue, and to connect our learning to our own lives.
A particularly transformative experience in Mrs. Koontz's class was our study of Shakespeare's "Macbeth." Instead of adhering to a one-dimensional lecture format, Mrs. Koontz engaged us in a dynamic exploration of the characters, themes, and contemporary relevance of the play. However, the key to the depth of my learning was not Mrs. Koontz's teaching approach alone; it was the way I embraced it, actively participating in discussions, formulating my interpretations, and creating personal connections with the text.
In this environment, my understanding of education began to evolve. As I adopted the practice of active learning, I also found my own agency. It was me, navigating the complex themes of "Macbeth," drawing connections between the power dynamics in the play and our society, and improving my critical thinking skills. Through my active participation, I found my voice and the confidence to express my opinions. This was a pivotal moment, where Freire's theories found resonance in my lived experience.
This newfound sense of agency continued to influence me as I transitioned into more traditional educational settings. In my senior year, I found myself in a government class where the norm was rote memorization and didactic lectures. However, my experiences in Mrs. Koontz's class had equipped me with the tools to navigate this environment. Even in the absence of problem-posing pedagogy, I continued to question, to connect course content with real-world situations, and to engage proactively with the material. I had become an active agent in my education, regardless of the teaching methodology employed.
Looking back, the impact of Mrs. Koontz's teaching, combined with my active embrace of Freire's problem-posing pedagogy, has left an indelible mark on my educational journey. This approach has not only transformed my perspective on learning but also nurtured my growth as an agent of my own education. While Mrs. Koontz was instrumental in sparking this transformation, I played an equally important role in nurturing and sustaining it.
As I embark on my college journey, I carry with me more than just the lessons from Mrs. Koontz's classroom or Freire's principles of problem-posing pedagogy. What I truly carry is the knowledge that I am an active agent in my own education. I am empowered to question, to seek relevance, to forge connections, and to take ownership of my learning. This understanding is a testament to my evolution from a passive recipient of education to an active participant, to an agent of my own academic and personal growth.
I am committed to maintaining this active role as I move forward in my academic journey. Even when faced with more traditional pedagogical methods, I will strive to actively engage with the material, to think critically, and to seek connections with the real world. I am convinced that the transformative power of education lies in the agency of the learner, a conviction that my experiences with Mrs. Koontz and my reflections on Freire's work have affirmed.
To conclude, my educational journey, though initiated in the small-town classrooms of my childhood, has been profoundly shaped by my realization of my own agency. Mrs. Koontz's approach, closely aligned with Freire's problem-posing pedagogy, provided the catalyst. However, it was my engagement, my questions, and my desire to connect learning to my life that propelled my transformation. The key was understanding that I am not just the beneficiary of my education, but an active agent in shaping it. As I navigate through my educational journey, I am confident that this sense of agency will continue to guide my growth and development.
Works Cited
Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Ballantine Books, 2007.Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 30th Anniversary Edition, Continuum, 2000.Rose, Mike. Why School? Reclaiming Education for All of Us. The New Press, 2009.
