Matheny 1

Kaitlin Matheny

Marisa Enos

ENG 111 WO3

3 December 2017

Authoritative Education

Learning can, at times, seem to be a struggle between right and wrong. Whether you

agree or disagree with someone, lifes experiences tend to create bias within others ideas. Those

ideas or opinions that others have becomes a frame of reference. The difference between ones

personal life experiences and the information students are being presented with do not always

match alongside one another. Differences within frame of references is where the war between

right and wrong begins. It is well known that all students do not become hard wired from the

same experiences. Since each student perceives and evaluates the incoming data in a plethora of

ways according to their own personal frame of reference, it would mean that arriving at one

singular conclusion would be impossible. Could there really be only one right answer?

Students are not always thinking in black and white. Some have creative minds with a

grey area, which can often produce several solutions. For example, a mathematical equation

should only exhibit one answer. Then there is Science. Science appears to have the right answer

for a while, but then discovers a different or better answer with many rights and wrongs within

the discussed topic. In addition to, each professor has a different teaching style. Their teaching

style, or frame of reference, becomes a challenging task to take in and translate what is already

known against what is being asked. How ever that information is received and perceived depicts

what the student views as the task to accomplish. Moreover, learning is often influenced by a

persons frame of reference. All people have an individual set of experiences that build their
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frame of reference. In some situations, such frames of reference can hinder a students ability to

learn.

More often than not, the phrase there is a right way, and there is a wrong way is used

in some form when it comes to teaching. As students who are not considered experts in which

ever topic is being taught, they simply conform to the idea and try to make the best of it. But,

right or wrong, black or white, there is a middle ground or a grey area. When teachers choose to

use this right way, wrong way system, it disturbs the development of creativity and self-

authorship in learning. Yes, having some kind of authoritative figure within the classroom is a

natural occurrence, but it may not be the best scenario in learning. Strong authoritative figures

within teaching can be experienced as a threat to some students. Being in such a situation only

justifies any withstanding reasons for students to remove their interest in any subject. Authority

is not just held by teachers within a classroom, within a school, within a city, within a state,

within a country, within the world; it is everywhere. Having authority everywhere one goes, is

more of a naturally experienced frame of reference and what students are accustomed to.

Students, and all humans for that matter, grow up learning how to conform to the idea that all

societies have a hierarchy. They learn that the United States of America has a president. They

learn that there is such a thing as kings and queens within the world. Even the work place has

CEOs, managers, and assistants above all other employees. The government itself, wants to be

in the know of who manages a residency when it comes to tax time. Each authority becomes a

representative of what is wrong and what is right. If students are to show their work on solving a

math problem, and solve it an alternative way then what was taught and still conclude the same

answer, it is still wrong because the correct formula was not used. If a student is to write an

essay and structured a sentence differently, it can be misinterpreted and viewed as wrong, just
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because the frame of reference of the authority figure states so. Color within the lines. Sit still

and face forward. Do this because the authority said so, and do not question why. From a young

age, students conform to the idea that there is always someone in power or always someone

controlling their actions. It becomes, this is the way to do it and Do not question authority.

Authority is always right.

There are teachers who speak as if their knowledge is as righteous as a verse from the

Bible, dangling it over the students like they are the lucky ones. Like it is a God given gift to sit

before the teacher and receive such knowledge; knowledge that comes from multiple frames of

references. Knowledge that spews out from books that students are to study and remember for

an exam weeks later. Paulo Freire is a Brazilian educator and philosopher who is a leading

advocate of critical pedagogy. Specifically, Freires work, The Banking Concept of Education is

a captivating chapter that provides an in-depth analysis of teacher-student relationships. His

aversion for these types of student-teacher relationship is illuminated when he writes the teacher

knows everything and the students know nothing (2). It is implied here that students are the

ignorant ones. Their minds are but blank sheets waiting to be filled for the transferring of

knowledge. They are the oppressed waiting to be freed by the professors allocated intellect, the

teacher confuses authority of knowledge, with his or her own professional authority, which she

and he sets in opposition to the freedom of the students (Freire 2). Professors bark orders for us

to follow without expecting students to question or comment on any given subject. This seems to

suggest there is only one, right answer for reading, interpreting, and writing about a given

subject. Being left with information to interpret and then being told, basically that youre

wrong, is something that just does not sit well with students. Harsh corrections tend to hurt

students self-esteem and directly affects pride in their work. English writing only gives the
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illusion of choice. For example, problematizing education. The main topic in which is

problematized is not a choice, but the deeper subject within education is. Students are given a

small range of choice, where the topic is not something all are able to easily write about. And for

what? To be judged. Judged by the educators that stand in front of us to teach. From an early age,

parents guide their young not to judge others for any of their shortcomings. Yet as adults, it

seems to be okay to compare and evaluate others. The given name of teacher somehow allows

for a students intelligence to be evaluated only by how accurately the assigned task was

performed. Not only in schools, but in the broad spectrum of the workplace. Where is the

balance between judgement and compliment?

Liberal Arts education is a type of education required to be well a rounded individual.

Although, how one is to go about obtaining a liberal arts education is another frame of reference

that is affects learning. Students should have liberal arts courses. But, students should not have

the inability to choose over what liberal arts courses they can or should take. Having the lack of

power to have a greater choice over these classes, many students see them as a complete waste of

time. A student should be offered a list of options that will fulfill such prerequisites instead of

having the classes chosen for them. The student would select the one they most identify with.

Thus, their frames of reference would be less likely to interfere in their education. Patrick Allit,

is a historian who has written seven books on religious history, education, politics and

environmental history and teaches at Emory University in Atlanta. He discusses the importance

of a liberal arts education in conjunction with vocational studies. This idea is supported when he

writes, the vast American system can maintain the liberal arts option for those who prefer it

and dont yet have a clear sense of direction. Students with the right frame of mind thrive on

studying diverse subjects until their ready ( Allit 557). His idea is that students should have
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the option of what liberal arts courses they incorporate into their studies towards a major.

Especially for the students who are not ready to proclaim a major. While Allit focusses on choice

of study, Mike Rose, a Research Professor of Social Research Methodology in the UCLA

Graduate School of Education, focuses on a liberal arts education for a well-rounded point of

view. He talks about how a persons frame of reference creates a bias for or against the subject

being studied. At times, this bias blocks the ability to learn or makes the subject unrelatable.

Teachers have a starting point of assumption about students past experiences and previously

taught knowledge. Educators perceive that students should and are able comprehend where they

are coming from. This is reflected when he writes, students were coming to college with limited

exposure to certain kinds of writing and reading and with conceptions and beliefs that were

dissonant with those in the lower-division curriculum they encountered. And that curriculum

wasnt going to address their weaknesses or nurture their strengths (Rose 112). It is assumed

that students should already be able to perform tasks and understand deep concepts. This is an

erroneous direction to launch a students education. The notion that students are from identical

cultures instead of distinct diverse backgrounds is deceiving and tactless. Both Allit and Rose

understand the importance of a liberal arts education. Allit wants students to have the ability to

choose these electives, mostly for students that are too young or too naive to claim a major. Rose

supports that most students are ill-prepared and should be understood in their shortcomings.

Most students do not come from schools that teach them how to look for the deeper purpose in a

scholars teachings, but are expected to simply do so without discussion.

Being asked to achieve creative connections without discourse can be an impossible

balancing act. Conformity to others ideas without a personal voice is another frame of reference

that affects the ability to learn. Communication is key. Just as much as students are expected to
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conform to the structure in the classroom, they are expected to ask questions. But there is a sense

of an over compelling need to persistently ask questions, which interrupts the class in some eyes.

This concept of learning is not something that is socially acceptable. It is seen as disrespectful

and disruptive. bell hooks, a teacher, writer, and scholar, supports students having a voice in the

classroom and rebelling against conformity to authoritarianism. This thought is clearly expressed

when she discusses how her foreign language students were given the choice to write in their

native language and translate it to English after (hooks 57). Allowing her students to bypass the

conformity rules enhanced their ability to communicate and make connections to what was

being taught to them. Another suggested benefit to having dialogue in the classroom, is for the

evolution of a students frame of reference. Adrienne Rich, the most read and respected poet in

the 20th Century, mainly speaks about the suppression of women and education. She discusses

how one must claim and not receive an education and that [Education] is the experience of

taking responsibility towards yourselvesResponsibility towards yourself means refusing to let

others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your

own brains and instincts (Rich 96). Again, it is important to communicate. The lack of

communication is like suppressing ones own right to freedom of speech or thought. Students

thoughts and voices is what made them who you they are as an individual. Without their voices

and thoughts, they are just a preprogrammed robot within a societal structure. What is the benefit

to changing, or conforming to societys ideas? One cannot have objective creative thought if

they are made to conform. What is the use of communication if it is only to change ourselves and

not enlighten others? While both authors believe that communication plays a pivotal role in

transformative learning, Rich indicates that students should embrace communication and stake a

claim to education, which is rightfully theirs. hooks stresses the importance of communication is
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for a students holistic, self-growth. This approach incorporates others ideas into your own and

helps you reach conclusions through deep, creative thought.

With the multitude of possibilities to assess true knowledge, it can be a strenuous task to

decipher a true pathway to learning. The fact that none of these authors can agree and come to

one right conclusion, proves there truly is more than one way claim an education. It is

suggested, as students, that they are left to find their own pathway, yet a required structure and

guidelines for a journey to education is required. Students are offended and disagree with

authority, but it is a biological and social necessity. Communication is crucial to the learning

experience, but often leads to judgement and criticism from teachers for questioning their

authority and knowledge. But critical thinking is said to be the pathway to true knowledge.

There is more than just a right way and a wrong way in any aspect of life, especially

education. It would be small-minded to think the system of learning can change without first

considering and understanding the systems construction by nature and society. Society has

definitely lightened the way to learning with many detours and cul-de-sacs. Such detours and

circles encountered throughout life is how one learns and gains experience to later shape their

education. Students should not be expected to erase all of that to conform to each and every

individual classroom. Students should not be expected to decipher between what is right to one

teacher and what is wrong to the next.

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Works Cited

Alford, Barry. Frerian Voices, Students Choices, Exploring Relatinships: Globalization and

Learning in the 21st Century. Eds. MMCC English Dept. Boston: Pearson Learning

Solutions, 2013. 279-82. Print.

Freire, Paulo. The Banking Concept of Education, Class hand-out. 1-11

hooks, bell. Language: Teaching New Worlds/ New Words. In P. E. Inc, Exploring Connections

Learning in the 21st Century (pp. 55-60). NY, NY: Pearson Education.

Rose, Mike. The Politics of Remediation,, 99-124