As I pointed out on an earlier post, I wouldn’t say “the new Rita” is wiser than the old. Wisdom is not only related to how much “knowledge” we have about things such as Literature, Arts and Science, but also with how much knowledge we have about the world and how we learn from our experiences in life. I would say Rita was already a clever woman before starting the course with Frank as she was very skilful when dealing with every day situations. What I feel at this point, and what I believe Frank thinks as well, is that she is displacing her old knowledge of the world, replacing it with information about plays, books, authors and a bit snobbish trends. She seems to be ashamed of who she was. This is why she has changed her way of speaking, a strong symbol of her old identity. She wants to leave no trace of it. I believe this is not the right decision; internal growth involves not killing off our own identities so as to go back to square one and try again with another identity, but to build new knowledge and attitudes accepting who we are.lunes, 10 de noviembre de 2008
Who you are
As I pointed out on an earlier post, I wouldn’t say “the new Rita” is wiser than the old. Wisdom is not only related to how much “knowledge” we have about things such as Literature, Arts and Science, but also with how much knowledge we have about the world and how we learn from our experiences in life. I would say Rita was already a clever woman before starting the course with Frank as she was very skilful when dealing with every day situations. What I feel at this point, and what I believe Frank thinks as well, is that she is displacing her old knowledge of the world, replacing it with information about plays, books, authors and a bit snobbish trends. She seems to be ashamed of who she was. This is why she has changed her way of speaking, a strong symbol of her old identity. She wants to leave no trace of it. I believe this is not the right decision; internal growth involves not killing off our own identities so as to go back to square one and try again with another identity, but to build new knowledge and attitudes accepting who we are.
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7 comentarios:
Hi Lu...
I like your post very much. (I felt curious about your post because of the comment you left me).
I totally agree on that that you cannot kill your identity - your roots - but you should build over it. (subtractive education)
I don't remember where or who told me... Aborigines consider wise the elderly memebers of their tribes, and they show their respect. I think this has to do with that of "life experience".
I think it's always better to add than to subtract. =P
xxx,
Pame
Adding new experiences to your life is an enriching thing!
The Problem comes when those experiences take over our old experiences, and you almost see them as part of an old life, a life that doesn´t concern you any more.
Don´t change who you are!
Don´t kill your essence!!
Kisses
Romi
Hi Pame! You know I thought exactly the same as you the last lesson we talked about substractive learning!!!! And yes, it is true that many aborigines consider the elders to be the most respeted of the tribe. I will try to find out which ones in particular, but from what I know I think also the Chinese culture do this , do you remember last year we dealt with this topic in Language in The Joy Luck Club?
hugs,
Lu
Hi Ro!
Yes I absolutly agree with what you´ve said. And I believe it is just the aspect that Rita ignores in the novel, she wants to be somebody elso and not re-discover her own self. And this also has to do with what I read last year. In this story they all tried to hide their Chinese origins because they were ashamed of them as they grew up in The United States. But in the end, they realised the importance of their roots as part of their own identity and began to appreciate them.
huggies,
Lu
Hi Lu,
I think Chinese respect the elders as well. They are very strict.
Unfortunately this is something we loosing in our society. The elder people is no longer respected (not as they used to be). And the relationship between generations is bigger, and sometimes it seems that elder people bother.
It's a pity because if the elfers are the wisers, we are missing a lot!
Bye Bye!
=Pame
Wisdom and experience, seems it all boils down to these two values, right, ladies?
As we've already discussed in class, Nietzche's ideas and existentialism as a whole brought about an increase in how much our societies value individualism and look down upon the importance of other's experiences. As you've noticed, there's a lot to miss if we fail to take them into account, practically as much as in denying the value of our own wisdom and experience... The challenge for us educators lies in empowering our learners so that they "hear their own voices" while at the same time enabling them to listen to others.
Have you started planning how you'll contribute to that?
Big hug,
Gladys
Hi!
I think I will try to ask my students what they really think of every issue is dealt in a lesson and encourage the rest to listen and respect others opinions.
It is difficult to think in abstract terms, but I would encourage not only opinions but likes and dislikes, outcomes of their tasks, each student's effort as a way to make them notice I think of them as a group and as an individuals too since a group is made up of individuals who interact and share their lives.
Some time ago I went to observe a lesson and at the teacher at the beginning of each lesson 8Iobserved two lesson with her) asked her students what the news were, so the student who felt klike telleing something new about their life shared it woth the rest of the group in Spanish. I was surprised to see how open they were with their mates and with their teacher, they told her about their feelings and also about their activities during the weekend for example. A girl was very worried because her parents were angry because that year there ahd been many teacher strikes so they wanted the girl to go to another school. So she was very sad. The teacher tried to calm her and the rest also.
I loved the rapport the teacher was able to build with her students and how she wanted ALL of them to pay attention to the one who was sharing the news.
All in all, I believe that as teachers we should find the way to encourage and praise students functioning as a group but at the same time as individuals.
I don't know if I've branched off much but...
hugs,
Lu
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