Karen,

I would have to agree that learning to "play the game" of passing the GED 
has to be your fundamental goal. At the same time, teaching that simply 
passing the test will not truly prepare your pupil to face the world. It is 
a status symbol. Learning to become an aware and contributing member of 
society is a much greater goal. I suspect it is something that can't be 
taught. You can only scatter the seeds of awareness and let them bear fruit 
where they may.

Craig

-----------------------------------------
shop with a conscience
http://www.gearupgreen.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karen Wyman" <karenw at gorhamschools.org>
To: <povertyracewomen at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 12:12 PM
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 192] Liberation and social change - sneaking it 
in



> Hello everyone,

> This is an interesting discussion, and I wholeheartedly agree that

> preparation for the GED exam does not lend itself toward education for

> liberation and transformation. I think many educators, like me, are

> sneaking in those social change, consciousness-raising bits wherever we

> can. In my program, students, for the most part, are interested in the

> economic benefits of earning the credential, not in empowerment or

> liberation. So much of preparing for the GED is learning to take tests

> well and in learning to suppress one's original, creative ideas in favor

> of conformity to the expectations of the test. Students are often

> frustrated by this when they have a strong defense for their answer

> choices, but those choices are not what the book says is "right."

>

> This leaves educators in a dilemma: do we respond to our students'

> authentic and stated desire for a credential that will allow them to

> access improved economic situations, or do we push for education that is

> about liberation and transformation even if that comes at the expense of

> students' immediate needs? It seems that most of us dance as fast as we

> can and try to do both simultaneously. I worry that this divided loyalty

> to disparate ends prevents us from accomplishing either goal, or at least,

> accomplishing them well. I wonder sometimes how much we really believe

> that education for liberation and transformation is of ultimate value, or

> if we still hold the suspicion that it is a luxury and an indulgence? If

> we really believed its value and our economy recognized that value in

> tangible ways, the discussion would be moot. Perhaps part of the problem

> is that our capitalist, imperialist society does not actually value the

> educational qualities that it says it does?

>

> In some ways, I guess the whole process of learning to "play the game" of

> the GED could be consciousness-raising if we are honest with students that

> this is, by and large, not the information that they will really need in

> their lives. So much of their/our lives are about mastering that process

> of learning the rules to whatever game we're playing - whether that's

> getting a GED, landing a new job, or applying for Medicare.

>

> I don't know, maybe I'm in a cynical mood today, but that's my $0.02!

> Take good care,

> Karen

>

> Karen Wyman

>

>

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