Engaged in Education

When I read the assigned essay I felt it was necessary to define some keywords that I did not completely understand. I thought it would be best to start with the title, “Engaged Pedagogy” written by Bell Hooks. Engaged was a familiar word in my in my vocabulary but I decided to look in up anyway. Engaged was defined as; take part in or participate or to give attention to something. Pedagogy was a word I had never seen written before. It was defined as: the art, science, or profession of teaching; especially education (Webster).These definitions helped clarify Hooks purpose in here writing.
After reading “Engaged Pedagogy” by Bell Hooks the second time I felt more “engaged” in her writing. I felt drawn to her first opening paragraph which I feel meant a lot to me personally, mainly because it is a philosophy of teaching I always had felt strongly about. Bell proclaims her philosophy by stating, “to educate as the practice of freedom is a way of teaching that anyone can learn. That learning process comes easiest to those of us who teach who also believe that there is an aspect of our vocation that is sacred; who believe that our work is not merely to share information but to share information in the intellectual and spiritual growth of our students”.(68)This statement strongly states that teachers should “engage” in every student and provide the necessary environment for engagement to happen. I feel she pushes the envelope throughout this chapter and challenges them to expand to their boundaries, boundaries that go beyond just knowledge, seeking the relationship between our well- being and empower us to grow by this process. She suggests teachers dispose the “assembly-line approach to learning”.(68) Hooks states, “Such teachers approach students with the will and desire to respond to our unique well beings, even if the situation does not allow the full emergence of a relationship based on mutual recognition. Yet the possibilities of such recognition is always present”.(68)
The possibilities are always present, but not always sought after. It takes more of a demand to recognize and react to the well being of the student. Hook strongly proclaims, “that teachers must be actively committed to the process of self-actualization that promotes their own well being if they are to teaching a manner that empowers students”.(68)
I feel” engaged pedagogy” is a practice that has gained a lot of positive response over the years and has seen some great results. With its positive results there still has been some negative resistance, resistance that still lies in the systemic politicized practices of teaching and learning. Halting what Hooks proclaims at the end of her essay,” Professors who embrace the challenge of self-actuation will be better able to create pedagogical practices that engage students, providing them with ways of knowing that enhance their capacity to live fully and deeply”.(73)It is up to the educational body to engage in this practice of freedom in a way of teaching that anyone can learn.