#powerineducation

[recsspecs]

Education enrols a person into the network of human culture, into the accumulated history of ideas – such as democracy, freedom, power, responsibility, accountability, corruption and so on. Abstract ideas like these are enormously empowering, as are the associated practical skills for negotiating everyday life like arithmetic, reading and writing. If there is any doubt the power that ideas can have, witness how Karl Marx’s dense, obscure text Das Kapital, written over many years in the British Library in London, changed the world for a century and dramatically shaped the lives of billions of people, killing tens of millions along the way. If that is not power, what is?

The Winner Effect: The Neuroscience of Success and Failure

[twinkletoeslow]

#provethemallwrong #powerineducation #thisiswhywedowhatwedo #specialeducation

[diversethis-blog]

Acknowledging Knowledge

The documentary, “Precious Knowledge: Revolutionary Education,” described the situation of the education system in a city in Arizona. There was a concern with the high drop-out rates amongst the Latino student, and the solution was to create an Ethnic Studies Department that will allow them to learn about their culture. There was a massive increase in grades for the students. However, the senator of Arizona felt the program was “anti-American” because the were learning about a culture that was not American. The students and teachers in the program fought against them. However, it was unsuccessful. But the documentary ended with more hope and drive for the students to fight for generations to come to learn about their culture.

The documentary talked about the topics that are the issues within society that are not taken as seriously as they need to be. Education is power; it’s precious. And should be treated as so, with all education open to all students. When the students learned about their history, they figured out they were not what everyone else told them they were going to be. Latino culture ignites perseverance, strength, and confidence for all that learn about the culture.  Understanding more than one culture and acknowledging there is more is intellectual power that should be protected by the government, not taken away. By allowing cultures to continue to be suppressed the United States is taking away the founding fundamentals of this country. By saying "If you want to learn another culture, then go there," is not embracing the freedom this country was founded on.

"Precious Knowledge" relates to the topic of xenophobia because the reasons of the senator saying that program should no longer exist were as if he had a fear of the Latino community becoming stronger. Once a race has the ability to educate themselves, that allows a more inclusive environment and intellectual conversation. Ethnic studies was a program that was opened to all students and even those who were not hispanic were taking the courses. However, it was predominantly latinos and Latino professors, so it was seen as an issue. When a person learns about their culture, it gives them the power to fight for themselves. You cannot un-educate the educated. By the government taking away this program, they are igniting a bigger fight that is yet to come.