Engaged Pedagogy

Engaged Pedagogy

Bell Hooks

When reading Engaged Pedagogy, by Bell Hooks, surfaces is a different forum of the teacher/student stage show. Instead, of just being concerned with how smart one can become from knowledge, the pedagogy listed above focuses on the "whole" self. Engaged pedagogy is a teaching practice that embodies the "whole" human being not just the mind. A quote surfaced that exemplifies exactly what one means by "whole," by "striving not just for knowledge of books, but knowledge about how to live in the world" (page 68, Engaged Pedagogy, Hooks).

Often schools focus more on making the grade, making sure state requirements are meant, instead of teaching for a purpose. Students begin to lose focus thinking knowledge is only in books, not understanding how what is taught has meaning. Everything taught should have a reason behind it and how knowledge gained in the classroom can be applied to survival in the real world.

One central theme in the essay of importance is "engaged pedagogy" (page 69, Engaged Pedagogy, Hooks). In order for teachers to break through to students they have to begin themselves focusing on how important knowledge can be. Students need to be engaged by trying to make connections about how and why book knowledge can be transferred to the real world. For this teaching practice teachers need to realize that by including themselves in the lecture makes it more personal. Students, will be more open to offering up their own experiences as well.

The reason the essay was important to me is because schools are more concerned about how they stack up against other schools in America. Students are basically pawns in the constant chess match for supremacy. By forcing knowledge down a students throat they never truly understand what is learned and how it can be applied.

What Bell Hooks states is important how both teachers and students can both learn from each other. Practicing "engaged pedagogy" in the classroom benefits everyone by having a stake in what is learned. Individuals begin to believe that what they have to say is important and needed to the overall shaping of the "whole human being."