Reflections on History, Hidden Agendas and Provocative Statements

      

Reading up on the history of education has allowed me to realize the very real, visceral struggle it has been for people of color to receive an education and the financial struggles that we still face today when it comes to education. Although recent laws that have come into place make the financial burden a little easier for some students to attend college, it is still amazing how many students will shy away from wanting to further themselves academically due to the fear of living the rest of their lives in debt. Reading up on the hidden curriculum was especially interesting because it's something that we do not think about. The hidden agenda has maintained structure and organization in the classroom which is something that is extremely important but it has also robbed many students of their individuality and creativity. Often times students can interpret these hidden agendas as being more of a follower rather than a leader in their lives. Rather than ask questions and think outside of the box we are expected to follow a set of rules and act a certain way when attending school. When doing the provocative statements, this allowed me to really think about the deep struggles of being a student as well as an aspiring educator. Such as the statement about not being able to connect with every student. Although I would love to connect with all of my students, the reality is that I won't be able to reach every single student that I will meet during my career. It was a great exercise to get me thinking and facing tough questions about being an educator.