Empowerment

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the interrelationship of knowledge, power and culture. The paper specifically discusses how, as primary social institutions, schools have the ability to not only educate students, but to empower them as well. It discusses Marxist and humanistic theories and describes how these philosophies fit in with the empowerment of students at school. It describes how schools can most effectively empower their students.

From the Paper:

"Students are empowered when they are respected for their individual differences and their unique backgrounds. They are empowered when they are challenged without being belittled. Educators empower their students by encouraging active inquiry and creativity, refusing to squelch either in the name of curriculum requirements or assessment standards. Students are empowered when their teachers recognize their talents and abilities and encourage their students to maximize them. Schools can become agents of empowerment by allowing teachers wider girth in their curriculum and their pedagogical approach. Agents of empowerment allow a large degree of freedom and show students how to develop personal responsibility. Ultimately schools are agents of empowerment when they teach students the real tools they need to thrive and succeed in the dominant culture, revealing the codes, norms, and mores of that culture. Empowerment is unbiased and egalitarian. No school can be an agent of empowerment if it fails to question why some social groups continue to have more wealth and political clout than others. Students need to question those overarching social realities and educators need to help students ask those questions."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Almeida Moraes, R. (2003). "Antonio Gramsci on Culture." Encyclopedia of Morality and Education. Retrieved Mar 30, 2007 from http://www.vusst.hr/ENCYCLOPAEDIA/main.htm
• Aloni, N. (1999). "Humanistic Education." Encyclopedia of Morality and Education. Retrieved Mar 30, 2007 from http://www.vusst.hr/ENCYCLOPAEDIA/main.htm
• Giroux, H.A. (1999). "Cultural Studies as Public Pedagogy. Encyclopedia of Morality and Education. Retrieved Mar 30, 2007 from http://www.vusst.hr/ENCYCLOPAEDIA/main.htm

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