Short Reflection
The theme that stands out for me among the readings is the idea of becoming vulnerable. This idea is in the talk given by Brene Brown. It is also in DTL chapter 1, where it is stated plainly that daring (making oneself vulnerable) is in knowing one will fail and yet going all in anyway. It is also in the concept of the promotion of literacy discussed by bell hooks. This is evident in the way hooks explains democratic education: it is not something that should be denied anyone; rather it is something that exists for all and that should be accessible by all. By offering everything to everyone, one holds nothing back for oneself. The teacher becomes vulnerable so that the learner can become empowered. It is the ultimate act of givingand that sense of giving is really the underlying theme that I see flowing through all the works we have looked at thus far.
In my personal and professional experiences, I have always found that I gain nothing when I try to protect myself from being hurt or disappointedbut that I gain everything when I open myself to scorn or failure and make myself vulnerable. If I dont try, I always wonder what would have happened. There is always that regret. But if I try and give all, there is nothing to wonder about: I did what I could. And maybe I succeeded and maybe I failedbut I tried.
Vulnerability is often seen as a weakness, but in the classroom, it can be a strength. That is one of the main points that bell hooks makes in the idea of promoting democratic education. Being vulnerable means being open to new ideas and giving up the need to be right all the time. It shows that you are willing to take risks and learn from your mistakes. This can create a more open and supportive...
…in my personal and professional life is to make myself more vulnerable. As the readings suggest, vulnerability fosters courage and creativity, as people are more likely to take risks when they feel supported. By becoming vulnerable as professional educators, we are allowing learners to become vulnerable tooto take that step into the unknown with us, where we will all be transformed. I have definitely experienced this as a learner and as a teacher: nothing is gained in either case if one stays rooted to one spot thinking this is where safety and security can be found. We have to move to grow.Yes, it is true: the readings have shown to me that vulnerability is essential for building trust, both within communities and between different groups, and especially between teachers and students. When people feel comfortable being vulnerable with each other, it creates a sense of shared purpose and mutual respect. In short, vulnerability is an essential part of democratic education because it fosters understanding, honesty,…
References
Brene Brown. The power of vulnerability. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o&t=2s
Dare To Lead. Chapter 1.
Hooks - Democratic Education.
Bell hooks' "Seeing and Making Culture" bell hooks successfully challenges stereotypes specific to poverty by writing to two separate audiences using ethos, pathos and vocabulary common enough for most people, yet elegant enough for academics. In her essay, "Seeing and Making Culture," hooks uses an ethos way of writing when she uses quotes throughout the text. In addition, hooks also uses pathos by appealing to our emotions with the interactions between
Bell Hooks In "The Oppositional Gaze," Bell Hooks frames gender in terms of power. Gender is one aspect of social hierarchy, and represents the social construction of power. The act of gazing, looking someone in the eye, or staring, likewise carries important connotations of power. Culturally specific, the norms regarding gazing determine norms related to relational power. Looking intently at someone is construed as brash, confident, and assertive. Therefore, persons with
(pp.45-58) Hooks also recognized that when integration occurred these change agents were alienated from black children and alienation and discrimination ensued, associated with being taught white history and democratic ideals, rather than reformation of education, which was the intention. (p. 3) Both perspective childhood stories imply implicit as well as environmental (explicit) characteristics of wisdom, as Hooks acknowledges that she may have been singled out, as a child of a
Another provocative element of hooks' text is the way that she renders whiteness problematic and alien, while the dominant culture has always done this with blackness. The quest to know what is not 'us' and to know the 'other' she implies, is endemic to all societies (hooks 32). Yet the academy has shown scant interest in how blacks perceive whiteness, only how whites perceive blackness. This renders white people and
Bell Hooks Argues There Must be no Split Between Theory and Practice Hooks also argues quite compellingly about not splitting theory and practice when it comes to feminism. In other words, practice what you preach. The best theory in the world cannot help anyone if it is not put into common practice. As Hooks notes, "I have come to see that silence is an act of complicity, one that helps
bell hooks, the celebrated Black feminist writer and thinker, recently penned a book called Feminism is for Everybody. It is a provocative title to be sure, but hooks is not the first writer to tackle the subject of how so-called "women's issues" can often have profound consequences on men. Literary works of fiction have long struggled with this central theme. In particular, Jean Toomer's Cane includes some powerful vignettes
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