“Learning to Read and Write”
Frederick Douglas
This essay reminded me of the power of education. Although this reading wasn’t for an education class, it impacted the future teacher in me. I want to become a teacher to impact my students and cultivate a passion for learning in them. I want to show them that knowledge is important, not only to pass classes, earn a degree, and get a good job, but because it is empowering. Being able to think clearly, discern, and communicate gives life purpose and prevents one from being fooled. Being informed is paramount. Simply knowing how to read was enough to cause Douglas to work for his freedom when he otherwise would have lived as a slave with no thought to how different his life could be. It is important to remember that my future lessons as a teacher and my classes currently are more than just something to get through. Education can and does change lives.
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2 comments:
I really liked this story for Douglas' essay. It is so true that people will do all they can to learn. We question so much in life. Why? We want to understand the things around us. My students at daycare this summer spent time almost every day trying to pick apart my brain and learn all that I could teach them. Something new always seemed scary. Yet, once they learned a small bit they wanted more.
I loved how Douglas explained the conflict he faced with education. It was what he wanted but it hurt when he realized the power it held over him and others. I liked Megan's last statement about education changing lives. It is one of the ultimate truths in life. I want to share that gift of education with children as a language arts teacher. With the power to speak, read and write a person can communicate with the world around them which is a vital aspect of human life.
I know this essay is focused on education, but something that Douglas wrote of really stood out to me. He said, "Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamb-like disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness." I think this is a powerfull testament to what such power can do to a soul. This woman was apparently nice before she realized she had control over another human being. That is just plain intense.
Douglas experienced first-hand a trap that I think alot of people need to be careful of. Power shifts and moves from person to person, unexpectedly coming into unprepared hands that misuse it because they do not know any better. We need to be cautious of how our actions affect other people and monitor how power changes people and situations.
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