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Interview with Paulo Freire:

-Teaching literature is a political act, and reading is an interactive experience. Teachers should also carry certain qualities to their practice. What I wonder is how to make every student feel that way, particularly the students who dislike reading.

Vinz Reading

-We have to be self-reflective about our practices as a teacher, and that may require unlearning the things we've been taught. We have to be comfortable in the not knowing. What I wonder is how to embed spaces for self-reflection in the school setting.

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Noticing -

Freire's view of teachers as intentional constructions of virtue fascinated me, and left me thinking about the intentional vs unintentional crafting of character in professional settings. His descriptions, however, seem to allude to an evasive descriptor that would more accurately convey how these intentional qualities do not serve to replace what an individual brings to the table in term of perspective and personality, but rather accent it, and utilize that augmentation in order to make the teacher of a classroom accessible, something that traditional can be hard to establish because of power dynamics.

Wondering - Freire states: "If we think of education as an act of knowing, then reading has to do with knowing. The act of reading cannot be explained as merely reading words [...]" (18) In stressing education as an act of knowing, Freire implicitly defines learning as the process by which one knows. His suggestion here seems to me that reading serves as the process by which one learns from the text, but also extends beyond that. Freire seems to highlight the integral nature of experiental context to the act of reading, as, though the text remains constant, our own qualifications, rather that be experience (either in the moment or long term) knowledge base, etc. have continued to evolve, and our meaning shifts over time. I am wondering whether Freire's relationship with knowing here is focused on the awareness of / learning from the relationship between the reader and the text, or whether it pertains more to using the text as a springboard to understand the reader's direct relationship with the world around them? or does he mean both?

I would have liked to get to the second reading but didnt have time

Additional notes: freire essentially highlighting the importance of learning as a process not a destination, proficiency vs growth mindset.

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I enjoyed both the Freire and the Vinz immensely and feel that they complement one another. Freire's concept of teacher-as-learner provides a useful lens for Vinz's process of un-knowing. and dis-positioning Vinz wites, "'I fail' shadows us daily in this work and sometimes drives us to distraction. How can we dis-position ourselves to make such moments productive?" Her question touches me for it highlights the sometimes painful challenge of constantly learning - it means constantly experimenting, and often failing, and always trying again. But the hovering possibility of failure is, for me, the strongest of those experiences.

Vinz continues later on, "Without the disposition of not-knowing - trusting the possibility of having our minds move in unanticipated directions and acting instantaneously without rehearsal - what type of teachers would we become?" Though it is often uncomfortable to live in such uncertainty, it is necessary to do so if we are to expect sincerity and earnestness from our students. As Freire says, "The teacher has to be free to say to students 'You convinced me.' Dialogue is not an empty instructional tactic, but a natural part of the process of knowing."

I wonder how we can build into our lesson plans this desire for true dialogue and un-knowing for the sake of our student's knowing. What are some practical ways to keep this spirit in the classroom?

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Freire - In reading Freire, I'll admit I got stuck on one line (probably a bad reading habit), but whatever. I got stuck on the idea of empty dialogue, and what that looks like in a classroom. I love Socratic method courses (both in the true sense and in the lighter version that I think is more often applied to HS classrooms), but I'd be lying if I said I didn't think it had produces some really empty dialogue in my life. I'm curious how to maintain that undercurrent of real wondering, so that's my wondering and my noticing.

Vinz - For Vinz, I'm thinking more about the ways that intellectual curiosity requires an acknowledgement of what we don't know. We don't chase what we already have, so I'm thinking about the ways that unknowing, and chasing knowledge, can become a joint pursuit for student an teacher in a real way, not an empty one. I'm not quite sure how to get there, but that's my thinking as it is.

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Freire reading

Takeaway: Teachers must accept that we will never reach a “full” understanding of the practice; we can only be confident and well versed

Wondering: How do we maintain the balance of teaching being both political and artistic as society moves away from emphasis on artistic importance?

Vinz reading

Takeaway: Similar to Freire, the position of teacher is that of a constant learner. We must constantly adjust our thinking as conditions and knowledge changes

Wondering: How do we maintain an attitude of un-knowing while still being the one to transfer knowledge? Is it just part of the acceptance of teaching that what we once taught to be foundational could be futile later on?

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My main takeaway from Freire's "Reading the World and Reading the Word..." stems from teaching and educating. In the text, Freire writes "we are responsible, we must become prepared, competent, capable." This particularly resonates with me as teachers are beyond the content that they teach. We must explore how to help our students know which in itself goes beyond methodological practices and incorporates solid pedagogical practices. In considering this, reading is evidently a practice that must consider the diverse needs of students; however, how are we able to cater to all of those needs while making possible for those conditions to learn in.

My main takeaway from "Capturing a Moving Form" is the importance of reflecting upon teaching practices. Teachers must be reflective in order to recognize strengths and weaknesses in the approach to teaching. Ultimately, this is how we grow. While this may appear to be hard to let go at first, it is integral in considering the needs of students and ensuring that students have a successful learning experience. Taking this into account, I wonder how we can take advantage of lesson planning and reflect during those specific moments that encourage us to consider students' needs and best practices in teaching English.

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For me, an instructor with no prior experience in education Ruth Vinz's article "Capturing a Moving Form: 'Becoming' as Teachers was a liberating read. Through this lense of un-knowing, I feel my unfamiliarity with classical teaching pedigogies and modalities can finally be an advantage. I get to lean on my extracurricular literacies as wealths of knowlege -- especially in lesson plan, design, and as a means of "instigating" discourse. Some of my favorite teachers were the ones who didn't parrot lessons and have us practice note-taking or scribing all day; it was the teachers we connected with, because of their colorful stories, corny banter, or unique and unforgettable quirks. Bringing personality and style to the classroom builds upon the daily bonds we form with students allowing instruction to be more relatable and more impactful/lasting.

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What stands out to me in Freire’s text is the requirement for teachers to respect students as individuals growing in certain contexts and thus have formed their own philosophies of learning and living, some of which are not aligned with mainstream ideologies. What teachers should do is not impose what they believe on the students. Freire suggests that reality is usually revealed through a “counter-ideology,” and it is “accomplished by reflecting critically on our concrete experiences” and standing in the shoes of our students (18). According to Freire, this is the starting point of teaching reading and writing. He continues that the context of a text matters and it is crucial to relate it to students’ lives. I resonate with the point so much since I was trained to tackle reading comprehension exercises with either a right or a wrong answer during my learning of reading, which is what I do not want to pass down to my students. I hope my students can enjoy the process of making meanings out of what is hidden in the text and recognizing that complexities are what realities usually like.

I appreciate Vinz for the highlights on a dynamic curriculum, which is tied to the identity of students. Moreover, the planning of the curriculum is not a one-off action. We are always on our way to “becoming” a teacher, acknowledging our vulnerabilities and progressing our work as the growth of our students.

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"The challenge for teachers is to re-know for themselves the objects the kids are trying to learn, to find meanings to them before."

Paulo Freire emphasized the importance of becoming vulnerable in the face of uncertainty. For instance, he acknowledged that teachers must learn how to continue learning. Find interests in what students deem significant. Most importantly, become open to learning from students just as we teach them.

Vinz

"How Am I Becoming as a Teacher, as a Knower, Enabler, and Believer?"

My main takeaway from this article is how to reposition our brains to acknowledge the weaknesses in our teaching practices. When acknowledging our weaknesses, we are opening the window to learning how to become skillful and thoughtful educators. My main wondering is, how do we cultivate a culture of curiosity among emerging educators?

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One key takeaway I have from the Freire reading is that humility in teaching is freeing. As a teacher, I often think of “not-knowing” as a weakness, and can struggle with pride when I make mistakes (even with young students). Freire suggests that humility and humiliation are different. Humility, in contrast to humiliation, “implies the pain of others, the feelings of others” (pg. 15). I think an excellent teacher, especially in subjects such as the humanities, which focus so deeply on human nature, would lean into the ways they are still learning, still making mistakes, and still asking questions. As Freire says, “The teacher has to be free to say to students ‘You convinced me.’ (pg. 15). This humility, rather than being a sign of weakness. could be a beautiful way to learn alongside students and create an equal power dynamic in the classroom.

My wondering, after reading Freire, is the practical applications of creating a classroom that is both tolerant and political. As an educator, I agree that “students have the right to know what our political dream is. They are then free to accept it, reject it, or modify it” (pg. 18). But I have worked with a large variety of students, all who have walked dramatically different paths in life than me. How do we challenge students while also allowing the classroom to be a place where they are fully welcomed? How do we assign books that challenge their worldview and encourage critical thinking without too much bias?

This connects to the takeaways, and wonderings, I have about the Vinz reading as well. Vinz believes in a process of "unknowing" assumptions in our teaching practices. He encourages us to confront our unknowing. My takeaway is that this "unknowing" is similar to Freire's idea of humility. We should look at the world as our students do, curious and open-minded. My wondering is practical ways to implement this ideology as an educator. How we can be "un-know" and "not-know" educators without creating too much chaos in classroom discussions/curriculum?

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Takeaways from Vinz : Rather than fixed curriculum and static educational outcomes, educators should be reflective, adaptive to changes, and foster critical thinking. The discussion of "un-known" and "not-known" underlines some uncertainness and challenges in teaching and emphasizes the importance of including both what has been understood and what still remains to be discovered, that encourage educators to be in the process of becoming, and openness to continued learning and critical reflection.

My wondering: What specific reflective practices can be most effective in helping teachers, and how can they remain openness and adaptive in the face of uncertainty and constant changes, and how can they balance the need for a fixed curriculum with the flexility to unknown and new challenges?

Takeaways from Paulo Freire: Teaching and learning are inseparable, that as teachers, we learn from the process of teaching and we learn with the students for whom we make possible the conditions to learn.We also learn from the processes that the students are also teaching us. Freire also highlights the political and artistic dimensions of education, that education should not only impart knowledge, but also inspire creativity and political awareness. Virtues like humility, tolerance, and love are essential.

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Reading the World and Reading the Word provides an insight into the ideologies of Paulo Friere as he elaborates on his core fundamental beliefs and values as a teacher in which educators combat the dominant ideology through equipping students with the skills to read with a critical consciousness. To facilitate this process, education must be reframed to incorporate the stages of knowing, apprehending, memorizing and learning and also reconcile the all-encompassing facets that shapes education in regards to its political nature. Thus, as teachers, beyond the several virtues that we must undertake, the process of learning and reading should follow the dynamic nature which involves continuous learning. Vinz supports this in Capturing a Moving Form highlighting the value of recognizing that “not-knowing” allows teachers to allow growth and approach teaching in the lens of a learner. This ideology is something that Vinz also applies to the overarching programs and guidelines that shape the curriculum as well. While I agree with these articles, the practicality of implementing these virtues while nurturing these fundamental skills still remains underdeveloped.

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Vinz's concept of unknowing is as idealistic as it is necessary. Decades ago, unknowing was a kin to not knowing which is social death. Admitting or promoting gray areas in knowledge was a cliff. Now its a pool of wealth. Technology fosters unknowing by allowing the end of knowledge to be the beginning of exploration. This means as inner city schools lag behind technology, it becomes a liminal space of unknowing.

Freire's insights about virtues such as humility and patience are paramount. Teachers must learn and not simply teach. This sensitive balance cannot thrive without trust. I've always believed that it is best for students to make character mistakes while young and within a safe environment. Humility and patience are required in what I perceive as professional forgiveness. Students must know that they will be held accountable for their mistakes, but they can also grow immensely from them.