a beautiful day

a beautiful day

What I have learned so far

I came into women’s studies as a student who had no clue what a feminist was. I was just interested in furthering my education in some way, and I see this as a great opportunity. As a young school leaver I never thought I could learn new things at this level because of the negative experience in school and not being very successful. Without realizing you begin to internalize these messages that you’re no good, you’re stupid and not bright enough to complete education. With the result of this I have been just plodding along through life with blinkers on and not really taking any notice of the world around me. I suppose I view the world as a dichotomous thinker. Well to say my eyes have been opened is an understatement. As Jean Barr the feminist once said “education has an excellent starting point but a lousy finishing point” which I have experienced. After learning about Paulo Freiere and how he used his experience of poverty, being trapped in “the culture of silence” he realized there had to be a new way of teaching the oppressed. I like his ideas of listening surveys and storytelling as a way of educating and getting down with the ordinary working class people, and getting their stories from the ground up this really resonates with me.
I like bell hooks idea of educating “engaged pedagogy” the practise of teaching in a personal style and giving anecdotes and examples from your own personal experiences. Bell hooks philosophy is that nothing can stop you from learning if you really want to, no matter what your background once you have an open mind, there is always hope for everyone. She quotes “nothing can keep an open mind from seeking after knowledge, and finding a way to know” (hooks2003 p.x1v) It is only from learning about white privilege that you realize what an impact it had on bell hooks. I never even heard of or felt privileged for being born a white person until I read Peggy McIntosh`s piece on unpacking the invisible...

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