Talking Points #10

"Education is Politics: An agenda for Empowerment" Shor
Kaitlyn Paolino

1. “He urged teachers to encourage students to question their experience in school: “You must arouse children’s curiosity and make them think about school. For example, it’s very important to begin the school year with a discussion of why we go to school. Why does the government force us to go to school? This would set a questioning tone and show the children that you trust them and that they are intelligent enough, at their own level, to investigate and come up with answers” (Meier 1990, 7). A school year that begins by questioning school could be a remarkably democratic and critical learning experience for students.”

I agree with this quote. If students are encouraged to ask and discuss their school experience, they may be able to see the importance for receiving an education. When I was in school, I didn’t feel the importance of it a lot because no one talked about; it was just known to me that I would go to school then to college. If students discussed it and were asked about it, then it could evoke critical thoughts into some students, if not all which would lead to them finding out the importance of going to school.

2. “People are naturally curious. They are born learners. Education can either develop or stifle their inclination to ask why and to learn. A curriculum that avoids questioning school and society is not, as is commonly supposed, politically neutral. It cuts off the students’ development as critical thinkers about their world. If the students task is to memorize rules and existing knowledge, without questioning the subject matter or learning process, their potential for critical thought and action will be restricted.

I agree with this quote as well. Education can develop or stifle a student, and I have seen both. I think it’s important for schools to ask students about education and why they go to school, so they will be able to see the importance of it. Furthermore, if a student realizes why they are in school and how it can help them be successful, maybe they will become more inclined to learn.

3. “On the other hand, education is a social experience for tens of millions of students who come to class with their own dreams and agendas, sometimes cooperating with and sometimes resisting the intentions of the school and the teacher.”

Students do come to school with their own dreams and agendas because most of the time, especially in older students, they are focused on getting out of school and what’s ahead rather than what’s in front of them. I feel that it’s important for the teacher to engage the students by in cooperating aspects into each lesson that interests students so that they will focus on learning and achieving academically in the process of achieving their dreams.


This article was interesting. I think it’s very important that students learn, and teachers encourage, to question things. They should question why they are in school, what’s the importance of it, and to question what material they are learning and why. Furthermore, when students learn to question they will learn to analyze things critically, which is important for life. I also feel it’s important that people are not only judged on their academic success but also their hard work.