Social Class and School Knowledge.

The article by Jean Anyon reveled some compelling knowledge about the current U.S. Educational and Social Systems. She looked at four different schools in four different social classes and compared the curriculum and what the students thought about what knowledge was and capable of doing. The study showed that in lower class working schools the students were not taught about the working class in society and the curriculum focused on teaching mechanical and rote knowledge and tasks. in other words teaching the students how to do things in a rote many and not alloying for freedom of thought. The Middle class school students where taught that knowledge was a commodity to be traded for a job or for college admittance. The professional school was taught the most to be creative and to be free thinkers. lastly the elite school was taught the most "honest" view of society according to Jean.

Is it true that the school programs of todays society "program" us to stay and reproduce the same social classes that have existed since the beginning of time? I can see how it seems that way, and I can see that it is probably on the large scale mostly true. I do believe however that there is more class movement then any person with a social or political goal will lead you to believe. That being said, I do believe the public school system needs a revamp. The simple truth that the parents of the Elite school were so against the re-zoning talked about at the beginning of the article is reason to be skeptical. The fact that the upper class schools gave such a strong view towards critical thinking, problem solving, what I call true and open history, and creativity is enough of a reason to want to scrap the current school system and redraw it. Thats one reason I really like this video. Sir Robinson says that schools are increasingly standardizing our children and we need to go in the opposite direction. I feel that the Elite school is half of what we are looking for, pushing for critical thinking, creativity, and true, complete, and open history of all cultures and social classes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

I think one of the huge problems in our society is we are becoming increasingly a population of entertainment. That is all we care about and all we wish to see, we seek and only seek our own entertainment. I fear that we are all becoming dull and more or less zombies. We need something to wake us up and enjoy the world not just program everyone to produce and consume and live. We need to be thinking critically, we need to look at the world in more ways then the ways we always have. I also think we need to get out of the class room and change this paradigm of you go to school so you can make money, and instead start teaching and preaching you go to school to create new ideas, new opportunities, and to expand your own knowledge and ability. As Jean Anyon says in her study that the Elite out of any class where taught and understood knowledge as a tool for their using, not a commodity to be traded for money or a job. That i feel is what we have to be focused on and where we need to start. I know there has been this re-accruing theme of "funding" in our class. However, I think if you gave me a public library, a private outdoor location, and ten students I could teach them more and prepare them better for life then any public school in the same or less time. I don't think the problem is Funding alone. I think a person with the ambition and a tutor could gain more knowledge with a $1.80 in late fees at the public library then most kids get in school. Money yeah its nice, but I think its half an excuse and half reliance on a broken system that really makes it a factor in changing and fixing education.

Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness.

In the Chapter Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness by Kathleen she talks about the effects of teachers and students relationships with one another. It is really good cause she doesn't just speculate or talk about studies, she uses words stories from actual living students. She talks about how even being a teacher that students like isn't always the best for students learning. When you like a teacher to much you think of them as your friend and that can get in the way of your learning.
I really liked this article and I agree with what it says. Looking back at my own experiences I know that the teachers I didn't "like" all that much are the ones that I learned the most from. Some of them I did have better relationships with then others, however others I didn't like at all, I just respected them and felt respected by them. That is the key if you ask me. Teachers need to respect their students and students need to respect their teachers. There is no substitute for Respect and trust in a class room. Those are built on fairness and communication. Without these things school will fail in any and every form of education.

The Supidification of America

The first chapter of Literacies of Power by Donald Macedo, the Author gives his argument about how the American Educational System is installed to indoctrinate persons, and to continue the cycle of upperclass dominance. He points out the fact that the united states as a world power has violated and disregarded its own Pledge of Allegiance. Macedo believes that these systems are set in place to produce desensitized persons who have lost the ability of free thought and critical analysis. In the final Paragraph he says this "I am increasingly convinced that the U.S. Educational system is not a failure. The failure that it generates represents its ultimate victory to the extent that large groups of people, including the so-called minorities, were never intended to be educated.

From this chapter I feel like Macedo feels that the entire public school system is truly a "white power" system of oppression. I will agree with current trends that is certainly what it looks like and maybe it even really is that. However, I don't really believe they were set up to do that way. I believe they have become a way for the government to try and create a unified country and they did and have tried to use European ideals as the foundation of that country. I don't believe that white power established the school systems to continue their ideals. I do believe, however, that the school system is now doing just that, continuing white power ideals, or ideals that allow the upperclass to stay and increase in power. I do believe that the government lies to meet its own ends on a daily basis. I strongly feel that government should never be allowed to govern, or predict, or control a large body educational system for its citizenship. I am becoming increasingly convinced that the U.S. educational system IS a Failure and is beyond the point of reformation. I believe that the Educational system should be destroyed and a new "public" school system be established as a Non-profit organization removed from government control. Schools should not be for the purpose of creating a united citizenship, they should be for the education of the populace to promote critical thinking, problem solving, and free thought. They should be for the exploration of the world, knowledge, and the application of such in the form of wisdom. Not mindless menial busy work to "reprogram" our brains for mindless menial work.