Is school enough? probably not, but we still need it.

Is school enough?

 Even though I really enjoy some of the ideas that were represented in the documentary, I believe this could have have a better angle in the premise if school is enough? For me the message was too straight forward, I got mainly school is not enough. With this said, there are some Jenkins moments that were pretty interesting an amazing, but that’s not a surprised either, he is great! This documentary is a good effort to highlight how extracurricular activities or planning according the things that interest some kids may be more suitable to get to an effective learning process, that may even replace or enhanced the school experience.

Project Noah is a great example of how a teacher can use effectively media to communicate with people around the world and get some preparation for Rosie the elephant.  As Giroux and Simon explained about how pedagogy is engaging students and teachers in political cultural activities. The teacher uses Skype and other media to communicate and to establish connection with the scientist   and the owner of Rosie, with the students.   The student and the teacher were engage in a more-less activist group to save and provide  a safe home a defenseless animal that has been working all its life in a circus. This is a good idea of how students may be involved in something that can relate to them and at the same time may allowed them to investigate and do some more research on the areas of biology, math (budgeting), media coverage (taking pictures and analyzing plans), and other great benefits.  

 Another interesting point in the documentary is the story of the girl who decided to quit school to pursue her career. I think this is a way, a very not conventional way to continue with a learning experience that it might not be reachable for many. Having tutors and being a Yoga instructor are things that maybe can be a possibility as a part of a school program. I thought it was interesting how determined and focus and enthusiastic the girls was. I still believe though that learning some core elements might be important to experience in high school, with that, having to deal with the social experience is also a way to grow emotionally as a part of the whole. As Lystina planted in many questions in her text, maybe in high school and not completely outside there can be a mix of  this democratization of media and information between the “classics” and some alternative elements that can give a different view to students who have different interests.

Another interesting thought that I have in this regard on how Giroux and Simon, and Lystina about pedagogy is about a democratization of education among teachers and students. I really love the concept of this because while I studied pedagogy in my country I learn from actually a Freire text the Latin root of the word pedagogy that means “to take from,” taking it from this side as these three writers discuss plus Freire I would say that the real pedagogical experience is not one sided, but it has to be a two ways experience were the student may be involve in the subjects that are being discuss. Especially in an era in which newer generations are raised with technology and media, they can contribute so much to enhance the learning experience only because of the major exposition they have with new technologies.