The essay assignment asks that you write an argumentative essay that decides which one of the many problems that Freire and hooks believe exist within the education system is the biggest problem facing education.
So, that means that the assignment asks you to choose one problem in education that has come up in the readings. You will be arguing that this problem is the biggest, most significant, or most detrimental problem in education.
In terms of what the include in the body of your essay, you will need to quote from both authors when you’re proving your argument in your body paragraphs, even though you may have chosen a problem that only one of the authors discusses.
This means that you could either try to find evidence from both texts that supports your argument of the biggest problem you see in education OR you could use evidence from one of them to talk about the biggest issue in education and then use evidence from the other author to help you in a supporting body paragraph where you explain another issue that in education that you don’t think is the biggest problem, even though you agree it’s also a problem in education.
In you want to talk about the elitism that hooks encounters in academia as the biggest issue in education, you can find passage in Freire where he is also talking about elitism in education. He may use different terms but he also addresses this as a problem (this is one reason is finds education oppressive).
Here is some information you’ll need in order to make your Works Cited page for this paper:
Freire: I’ve included the title page, as well as the copyright page, at the beginning of the PDF of the Freire chapter. Please use the information in the PDF to guide you as you format your Works Cited page.
hooks:
This information is available on the copyright page that is included at the end of the PDF you read, but in case it’s hard to find:
Anthology title: 75 Thematic Readings: An Anthology
edited by Lisa Moore
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Year published: 2003
Essay 1 draft that wrote
Thesis Statement: In bell hooks’ “Keeping Close to Home” and Paulo Freire’s “Chapter 2” from Pedagogy of the Oppressed, the authors emphasize the importance of education as a tool for liberation and critical thinking.
Topic Sentence 1: bell hooks argues that education should be a transformative process that empowers individuals to challenge societal norms and expectations.
Evidence: In “Keeping Close to Home,” hooks describes how her education at Stanford University exposed her to new ideas and perspectives that encouraged her to question her own beliefs and values. She emphasizes the need for education to be a liberating force that allows individuals to think critically about the world around them.
Topic Sentence 2: Paulo Freire highlights the oppressive nature of traditional education systems that promote a banking model of learning.
Evidence: In “Chapter 2” of Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Freire criticizes the traditional approach to education where students are seen as empty vessels to be filled with knowledge. He argues that this model perpetuates oppression by discouraging critical thinking and fostering a passive attitude towards learning.
Topic Sentence 3: Both hooks and Freire emphasize the importance of education as a tool for social change and liberation.
Evidence: hooks’ and Freire’s works advocate for an education system that empowers individuals to challenge existing power structures and work towards a more just and equitable society. They both believe that education should not only provide knowledge but also cultivate a sense of agency and critical consciousness in individuals.
In conclusion, Bell hooks “Keeping to Home” and Paulo Freires “Chapter 2” from Pedagogy of the Oppressed highlight how education can empower individuals to challenge oppressive structures through critical thinking ultimately striving for societal change. Both authors advocate for rethinking education as a tool, for liberation and empowerment.
