The Lanham Method Revision

This page of revised text comes from my most recently written paper from a teaching and learning class.

Frierie addresses important issues in Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Effective, transformative education positively changes the lives of students. In my own education are experiences that challenged my way of thinking. Also, some educational experiences taught me to be a mindless drone, memorizing information for a test. When I was critically thinking and making connections with subject matter to my life, I made learning a necessary part of life. Effective and transformative pedagogy adopted for my future classroom will require understanding of “banking” and “problem-posing” education.

Banking education is outdated and ineffective in giving students knowledge to thrive in the world beyond school. My own experiences show, good learning experiences connect a person with her existence. Friere explains the banking approach, “expounds on a topic completely alien to the existential experience of students” (Friere, p. 53). Furthermore, students shouldn’t exist as “containers to be filled by the teacher,” but rather as “beings in the process of becoming” (Friere, p. 65). Making students a part of ongoing discussion conveys the message that their contribution is important. Making students active in their learning experience develops critical thinking, productivity, and communication skills, transferable to their lives outside education.

Painting With Brushstrokes

Here's a paragraph from an old creative writing paper. Creative writing isn't my strong point, maybe learning these brushstroke techniques will help out a bit!

As the three girls ran to the front door Kelly became more frightened contemplating situations in her head. Thoughts wandered, “What if someone gets seriously hurt or maybe even kidnapped by some crazy guy!” As these ideas were running through her mind she was unable to focus on much else, and while passing through the living room she ran directly into one of the dining room chairs, knocking it over and stubbing her big toe. The pain lasted for only a second, until the realization that there were way bigger issues at hand. The commotion the chair made was unnoticed by Julie and Clara, or at least their minds didn’t worry because they made no comment or asked if she was okay. As they all approached the front door the sunset shone through the windows, adding another element of fright because the night seemed imminent.

As the three girls were running to the front door, Kelly was becoming more frightened [participle] contemplating situations in her head. Thoughts wandered, “What if someone gets seriously hurt or maybe even kidnapped by some crazy guy!” As these ideas were running through her mind she was unable to focus on much else, and while passing through the living room she ran directly into one of the dining room chairs, knocking it over and stubbing her big toe. The pain lasted for only a second, until realizing [participle] that there were way bigger issues, possible kidnap and violence, [appositive] at hand. The commotion, loud and unexpected, [adjectives out of order] went unnoticed by Julie and Clara, or at least their minds didn’t worry because they made no comment or asked if she was okay. As they all approached the front door, the site of the crime, [appositive] the sunset was shining [participle] through the windows, adding another element of fright because the night, grim and disastrous, [adjectives out of order] seemed imminent.