Description
For this essay, reflect on your educational experiences (in and out of school). Use the course readings and in class discussions to frame your experiences.
First consider the context of your school. What kind of community was it situated in (i.e. urban, suburban, rural). What were the demographics of your school community? Did this reflect your neighborhood demographics? Was your entire community being served fairly by the school? (Was it socially just? Was it democratic?) If not, who was not well served by your school? Do you thing the school served both a public and a private good? Did it lean toward one (public or private) more than the other?
Next, distinguish in what ways you experienced “education” as opposed to “training” and/or “schooling?” Can you differentiate schooling experiences for educatory experiences? What forms of knowledge production did you learn? (refer to the McLaren and Sensoy & DiAngelo pieces for guidance). How do your formative experiences and your current way of being a learner shape how you are today as a student?
Cite specific subjects and topics you remember learning? Was anything missing? Can you recall any specific educational experiences that were outside of your schooling experience?
For those who will be teachers, how does this shape your intention to teach? For those who aren’t EDT majors, how does this shape your views of education?