Empowering Education: Critical Teaching for Social Change and The Karate Kid

Write a substantive 250 words response to the ideas from a colleague post listed below, that originated from their views from the book and movie listed.

    Ira Shor, Empowering Education: Critical Teaching for Social Change (Chicago:     
University of Chicago Press, 1992)
    The Karate Kid (Movie)

Karate Kid and Empowering Education
  The difference between empowering pedagogy and traditional educational approaches is the positive or negative feelings that students develop from the learning experience. Power is the ability to influence change and learning is the ability to critically think within the context of the situation. The Karate Kid demonstrates two distinctly different approaches to teaching and the impact it has on the learners ability to see, hear, and think rather than default to education that requires memorizing and obedience.

  Daniel struggles with socialization in his new environment. He is stifled by his inability to resolve the issues. His approach results in hostility, and inconsistent outcomes. His lack of confidence undermines his desire for self-esteem.

  Traditional education practices make simple questions such as, How did the tree get so small? complex. Miyagi represents educational empowerment through basic cooperation, critical thought, experience, and negotiated authority. The goal was not to win but to empower Daniel with the ability to pursue sufficient understanding to achieve his goal. Education helps to understand the situation.

Teaching informs how to adapt to the situation.  Paint the house, wax on wax off struck me as an example of educating, teaching, translating for the purpose of achieving the goal. His curiosity empowered his cooperative and participatory spirit. The opposing karate instructor taught structure, obedience, hate, and the penalty for disobedience. His teachings represented the dominant view of society. His students were self-centered, indoctrinate, and were unable to think for themselves. Power was viewed as dominance.
 
Daniels’s empowering and triumphant moment represented his accomplishment to think critically, accept challenges, take risks, and believe that his actions would make a difference. One person can make a difference. Make it a good one.