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Freire’s second letter really hit home for me both personally and professionally.  I have been through many experiences where I had a fear of something, but one situation stands out the most in my mind…and at the time in which I was going through it, there were feelings of fear, insecurity, panic and everything else in the middle.  I wish I had this book at the time, but at some point I did realize that I can either let fear take control of my life or I could take control of my own life and start focusing on the things that I could do to help me get through that situation.  I think teachers sometimes feel insecure about their feelings on certain issues and therefore remain silent.  I know this because I am trying to overcome some of those feelings myself…and maybe it’s not so much insecurity as it is inadequecy when you are faced against teachers who are and have been in positions of power within the school in which we work.  It is very difficult to stand up and ask questions or voice comments, but I am finding that it is really the only way to get real solutions to issues within your school community.  I find it very sad that Jaeger was excused from the school in which she worked because she found it best to teach her students…not the required curriculum.  Where was the respect…not only for the teacher, but for the students?  Don’t they derserve someone to stand up for them?  If not us, who then?  Publishing companies don’t know our students, politicians don’t know our students, administrators don’t really know our students…we know our students…we are the ones who are with them day in and day out in the classroom (and I know I’m preaching to the choir)…it frustrates me that so little respect is given to our profession, yet so much is expected of us at the same time. 

In regards to Freire’s second letter about reading comprehension, I know he wrote that with me in mind! :0)  I am that person who daydreams while reading only to realize at the end of the paragraph that I have not read anything at all!  It is so frustrating!  Reading is not easy for me.  I’ll be honest with anyone, except my students, I’m not a fan when it comes to reading.  It is not that I don’t enjoy sitting down and reading a good book, article, etc., but it is the amount of time it takes me to read through something.  In addition, language plays an important role in whether I enjoy a particular reading and the amount of time it takes me to read something in particular.  I have always had difficulty with reading comprehension…I look back and realize that the fun, “special” reading class that I went to everyday, was a pull-out program for those who had difficulty in reading.  I didn’t know it at the time though.  It is a struggle that started such a long time ago and still follows me to this day.  When I read a passage, usually if the language within the passage is difficult to understand, I have to re-read through it several times.  In addition, I have to pull out the dictionary (auxiliary tool) and dissect the difficult words into easier to understand words in order to fully comprehend the meaning.  It takes time to do all of that.  For those who are like me in this area, there is fear and panic that begins to arrise within oneself when a lot of reading is assigned at one time.  And for those of us who do like to be prepared to at least somewhat take part in a disscussion, being able to read and understand the text is important.  It made me feel better to know that Freire seemed to understand this fear by saying, “Studying is a demanding occupation, in the process of which we will encounter pain, pleasure, victory, defeat, doubt, and happiness”  (Freire, p.52).  I have a love for learning, but at the same time it causes me such a feeling of defeat at times.  However, I find that the more I put my entire attention into something (the more I surrender to the text), the more meaning and knowledge is constructed.  In conclusion, something that I have taken away from these two readings is to never let fear paralyze you into not standing up for what you believe is right.  Never let it get the best of you…find steps to overcome it and work through it.  We are the voices of our students, let them be heard!     

We should write to Freire and tell him we are discussing his book…what a joy that would be for him. 

I don’t know if I answered this question fully in the response I published…got a little publishing happy! :0)  But, I did want to take the time to answer this particular question…the best I can.  Honestly, I feel that there is no one good answer for this question… it differs according to each and every person.  For me, the source of knowledge comes from whatever or whoever makes the learning process personal and understandable.  Language plays such an important role in the learning process.  For me, knowledge is attained when one talks to me, not above me.  When I feel as though someone is talking above me, I look back on the experience and think that the only thing I learned was how not to teach my students…and I really have a difficult time wondering exactly what the purpose in that teaching was.  I think it is important to challenge…I personally love a good one…but I think there are limits.  Does this make me not as smart, no…I think it just makes me real…a real person looking to be challenged in a meaningful way.

As I read this chapter, I felt like I was being given a history lesson on how education and the process of teaching has evolved within our world.  Wow…education sure has changed tremedously since the early nineteenth  century.  From how we teach academics…to the teaching of social tasks…to how church played a dominent role in the school classroom.  What a transformation!  This chapter discussed six philosophies of education…3 which are considered “traditional” and 3 that are considered “progressive.”  In looking at the tables on pgs. 78-79, I made a note while reading that I have experienced both in the classroom as a student…I think though more of the “traditional” philosophy of education.  As I read over the characteristics of both, I think that the traditional philosophy lends itself to more of a strict and authoritarian type of classroom environment.  As I read over the progressive table, I see it as allowing students more choice in the education and they way in which they learn.  When I look at both these tables, I think as educators we are stepping more into the progressive philosophy of teaching, but that doesn’t mean that we should abandon the entire traditional philosophy completely.  It was interesting for me to read about the textbooks and how they changed through time.  It was interesting that the progressive education movement began in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.  Progressive education focused on the ”how” we teach, not so much the “what,” although that was important too.  I found this interesting because I really feel that for the most part, school and learning was not about choice for me…I was never given a choice in the way that I learned.  I found school very boring and to be honest, didn’t really care about my performance in elementary and middle school.  It wasn’t personal and I think that is what was lacking.  Maybe it was immaturity at the time, but I can’t help but wonder what my experience may have been like if I had actually been inspired. 

 I liked reading about Jane Addams.  What an inspiration she was to the immigrants…she argued that “while everyone should learn a common culture…immigrants should also retain and be proud of their home cultures.”  What if everyone thought like this…what a different society we would live in.  I think culture is so important to teach within the classroom and I think sometimes, this is why some students fall behind…I think it is part of why a gap still remains.  What if every teacher took a magnifing glass to their students’ culture?  I wonder how their teaching would change…I wonder how much their students would transform.  

As I read further, the author talked about how the concept of construction is essential to both learning and knowledge…I agree!  However, if this idea was established in the 1970’s, then why is it that I didn’t experience this kind of teaching until I began teaching in the classroom?  I feel like I missed out somehow.  It is so important to focus on the process, not so much the product…that’s how we learn and retain the knowledge learned.  There are so many things I was “taught” that if asked today, I wouldn’t remember.  It’s a shame really.  I almost feel like sometimes I need to go back to history 101 to at least feel like I can take part in some conversations.  Making learning meaningful is key!  This is not an easy task, but it is one that I think can be done.  

I actually enjoyed reading Freire’s “Fourth Letter.”  In this letter, he describes 8 qualities that progressive teachers should “acquire gradually through practice.”  I like how he makes that point clear in that these qualities take time to develop and should not be looked for immediatley.  He begins with the quality of humility, which I found interesting.  I knew what humility meant, however never thought of it actually assisting me with my educational career.  I like his quote “No one knows it all; no one is ignorant of something.  Without humility, one can hardly listen with respect to those one judges to be too far below one’s own level of competence.” (Freire, p.72)  I think that through humiliation, one is able to see multiple perspectives, thus opens a door to learn from others and teach what has been learned.  Freire goes on to talk about the quality of lovingness…for the process of teaching, as well as for the students.  I do love my job…and I think I am very lucky to have a job I really do love do get up and go to (most days) ;0).  I sometimes joke with friends that I feel like a kid in a candy store everytime I walk into a teacher suply store…I know I’m a dork.  :0)  I feel that it is important to learn new processes and carry a suitcase of ideas to pull out when needed.  It is also important to want to learn new processes.  He goes from there to discuss courage…he states that one cannot have courage without having fear, but one must not let fear immobolize ones self.  It is so imporatnt to take risks with the way you teach in the classroom.  Change is uncomfortable at times, but you learn from it…you grow from it…you evolve through it.  He goes on to discuss tolerance, decisiveness, security, patience and impatience, and the joy of living.  As he discussed decisiveness, I thought I have a long way to go before I master that virtue…yes I am that girl who buys 2 and 3 colors of the same shirt because I can’t decide which color I like best…but I liked what he said…”Indecision reveals a lack in confidence.”  I wrote a little note in my book that sometimes our (our my) indecisiveness stems from not being sure of one-self or what is going to happen as a result…but, that is when we need to have the courage to conquer that fear and take a risk.  As I read the section on security, I thought about us as researchers and how we are learning to be secure in our own beliefs and have research to back up the conversations we may have.  I liked how he stated that one cannot be too patient, but one cannot be too impatient either.  I like the whole idea of “impatient patience.”  I may possibly use that in future converstions.  I love the school he painted a picture of on p. 83.  I also love how he encourages teachers to take a stand and fight for freedom in teaching.  I think every teacher should read this letter…it is truely inspiring.  

From the perspective of someone who struggled in school and had to work hard for every good grade received, I often wished that I was one that was like the Asien culture.  I saw them as an extremely smart culture and wondered how they made all those high grades.  How were they so different than me?  I never really saw how much pressure a particular culture could have on another.  I never really thought about it.  I found it very interesting to read how diversified the culture “Asian” really is!  It is so widespread within our society.  I found the term given to the Asian cuture, “Model Minority” a little disturbing.  If the Asian culture is considered the “model minority,” then how do all the other cutures compare?  It seems just as the article said that by assigning one group this particular term, than the other cutures are the reason for weaknesses within our society.  This seems to be a pretty unfair statement to make.  In my opinion, one should not judge someone by how smart they are or how successful they are by the color of their skin or the cultural group with whom they identify with.  It is a teachers job to teach their students and differentiate instruction where it is seen it is needed.  It whould not be assumed that one student is smarter than the other.  We all have our strengths and those areas that we struggle in.  It is our job to teach ALL students.

I so related to this article and I am not Asian!  I often times struggle with speaking up in class and let my thoughts slip away and not be heard because I feel uncomfortable speaking out.  I am naturally a quiet and very private person.  I turn in all class assignments on time and try to do my best on the work that is assigned.  I am a totally different person when I am in my comfort zone…people can’t really get me to stop talking and I think I can be quite funny at times.  I work better in small group settings or one-on-one.  I found this article particulary interesting to read.  I tried to think back and remember any particular person of Asian culture whom I felt fit this image and I couldn’t.  In the section entitled, “Snapshots from the Classroom,” I found it interesting that the reason the boy Jeff had not spoken a lot about an assignment he had completed within his small group was because he was brought up to beleive that it was “a sign of strength to solve your problems yourself and not to impose them on others.”  I never really thought that “quiet” people could have other reasons for not speaking up other than being shy and feeling uncomfortable.  I found the section where the students told what would help them speak out more also interesting.  I like how they agreed that when they are given a time in which they can talk instead of just jumping into a conversation could help.  I also liked how they thought giving each group in the small groups a job to do instead of just sitting there wondering who was going to speak first and what to speak about.  I think these ideas can be adapted very well to any classroom.  This article opened the door for me that there are many different reasons why people behave in the way they do…it is our job to get to know these students and help them join the classroom where they feel culturally safe.

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