Author: Ethan Stein

Education Beyond the Major

If a student at West Chester University is majoring in physics, then why should they have to take an art class.  It would seem to be a waste of time, unless there is a justified reason. Students seem to moan at the thought of taking a class they don’t feel is necessary to their degree, but in reality it could help them in the long run. Walker Percy is an author who talks about these topics of education in his passage called The Loss of the Creature.  Even though Percy never directly writes it down, he is pushing this message of education beyond a students major.  West Chester is no exception. Most of the students time at West Chester University are spent outside their major because it helps them learn indirectly through mistakes, challenges them in ways they aren’t used to or familiar with, helps them find weaknesses to fix and puts them in unfamiliar situations.

Humans learn from their mistakes than from their successes; because of this, students should take courses beyond their major in order to increase their opportunities to productively make mistakes.  When a business major takes a public speaking course they might fail because they aren’t used to speaking in front of large groups or have stage fright, but from that “F” they received off of a project comes learning and understanding.  One day they might have to present a sales pitch in front of their boss and this time they won’t mess up. In Greek mythology a phoenix is a bird who once is dead, will be reborn better than before. There is a saying that in order to succeed in life you have to fail first.  A physics major might find math and science easy, but when you give them a paint brush they might struggle. Percy says, “If the failures are “wrong” enough, as these are, they might still be turned to account as rueful conversation pieces”(Percy 3). This means that just because you fail doesn’t mean you are a failure.  The art class is going to be a different type of hard for the physics major student, which will help them deal with situations like that for the future. Taking classes outside of the major prepares the student to not learn the material, but knowing how to deal with situations they are not used too. At West Chester, students need to take more classes to they are not used to open them up to failure and from that failure comes success and knowledge.  Without these courses outside of the students major, the student might not be challenged enough to learn.

When a student is used to a certain type of learning from the same subject and gets thrown into a new environment and type of teaching it can be challenging for them in ways they aren’t used too.  The student who majors in math can struggle trying to write a paper. It challenges them to use a different part of the brain they aren’t used to using. It almost forces them to adapt to new obstacles which can help everyone.  The content does not have to be hard, it can just be a different way of learning that is difficult. Percy says, “The great difficulty is that he is not aware that there is a difficulty”(Percy 4). This means that people should always expect and prepare for the worst but hope for the best.  When that physics student walks into that art class with a bad attitude then they are going to end up with a bad grade. If someone thinks lightly of any class then they are going to be surprised with the difficulty level compared to if they prepared properly. All students fall to this statement at some point in their educational career.  Every student is not perfect in every subject and in every class. The reason to take classes outside of the major is to find those weaknesses and work/fix them.  

Every student has a weakness.  It could be anything as small as they can’t tie their own shoes, to a big as they can’t study for more than a minute.  A lot of students have bullshitted their way through high school. They never studied or tried because they didn’t have too.  They never challenged themselves by always taking easier classes. I also take fault. If someone never failed, then how can they fix or improve upon the past.  No struggle means no improvement. At West Chester University students are forced into these classes they need to study for and that is a defining time in every students life.  It shows the students true colors and work ethic by throwing them into a class they aren’t used too. For the students who then fail those classes, they need to take a look at themselves and fix their mistakes.  For the students who flourish in these classes, they should feel pleased about there work/study habits. Percy has his own opinions on education that are unique and unlike most. Although, he would agree with the statement that people would become better students if they succeed and overcome classes they didn’t want to take or thought were to hard to take.  No one likes being put outside of their comfort and especially at school while paying lots of money.

Being put in an unfamiliar situation is tough for people.  Maybe you are by yourself and don’t know anyone or you’re lost and and can’t ask for help.  These situations are anxiety endorsing for most people. The first day for West Chester is set up to help the freshmen because there are no upperclassmen, but it’s still tough being in a new and unfamiliar place.  Once classes start all hell breaks loose. Students now have the most freedom they have ever felt in their lives and are also the most scared they have ever been. Taking hard and new classes are already enough pressure for students.  Percy feels that most learning happens outside the classroom. If a group project is assigned for homework then that forces students to go beyond their comfort zone. Even if they are researching an insignificant topic they are still learning and improving their research skills.  A math major working with an art major may come up with some new and interesting ideas never thought of all just because people in both majors required the same class. Taking different classes outside of a major is a great way of getting comfortable with people unlike yourself.

Most of the students time at West Chester University are spent outside their major because it helps them learn indirectly through mistakes, challenges them in ways they aren’t used to or familiar with, helps them find weaknesses to fix and puts them in unfamiliar situations.  Learning through mistakes is a great way to improve upon the past. Challenging yourself can help you overcome obstacles. Finding your weaknesses is a great way to get better at school. Being put in unfamiliar situations can help you learn new things about yourself. Most students don’t understand why they are taking the classes they are enrolled in, but some of those classes can actually be more important than the ones that correspond with there own major.

Education Beyond the Major

If a student at West Chester University is majoring in physics, then why should they have to take an art class.  It would seem to be a waste of time, unless there is a justified reason. Students seem to moan at the thought of taking a class they don’t feel is necessary to their degree, but in reality it could help them in the long run. Walker Percy is an author who talks about these topics of education in his passage called The Loss of the Creature.  Even though Percy never directly writes it down, he is pushing this message of education beyond a students major.  West Chester is no exception. Most of the students time at West Chester University are spent outside their major because it helps them learn indirectly through mistakes, challenges them in ways they aren’t used to or familiar with, helps them find weaknesses to fix and puts them in unfamiliar situations.

There is a saying that in order to succeed in life you have to fail first.  Humans learn from their mistakes than from their successes. A physics major might find math and sciences easy but when you give them a paint brush they might struggle.  Percy says, “If the failures are “wrong” enough, as these are, they might still be turned to account as rueful conversation pieces”(3). This means that just because you fail doesn’t mean you are a failure.  The art class is going to be a different type of hard for the physics major student and that will help them deal with situations like that for the future. Taking classes outside of the major prepares the student to not learn the material but know how to deal with situations they are not used too.  At West Chester students need to take more classes to they are not used to to open them up to failure and from that failure come success and knowledge. Without these courses outside of the students major, the student might not be challenged enough to learn.

When a student is used a certain type of learning from the same subject and gets thrown into a new environment and type of teaching it can be challenges them in ways they aren’t used too and to learn.  The content does not have to be hard. It can just be a different way of learning that is difficult. Percy says, “The great difficulty is that he is not aware that there is a difficulty”(4). This means that people should always expect and prepare for the worst but hope for the best.  When that physics student walks into that art class with a bad attitude then they are going to end up with a bad grade. If someone thinks lightly of any class then they are going to be surprised with the difficulty level compared to if they prepared properly they would be fine. All students fall to this statement at some point in their educational career.  Every student is not perfect in every subject and in every class. The reason to take classes outside of the major is to find those weaknesses and work/fix them.  

Every student has a weakness.  It could be anything as small as they can’t tie their shoes to a big as they can’t study for more than a minute.  A lot of students bullshitted their way through high school. They never studied or tried because they didn’t have too.  They never challenged themselves always taking easier classes. I also take fault. At West Chester University students are forced into these classes they need to study for and that is a defining time in student’s lives.  It shows students true colors and work ethic by throwing them into a class they aren’t used too. For the students who then fail those classes, they need to take a look at themselves and fix their mistakes. For the students who flourish in these classes, they should feel pleased about there work/study habits.  Percy has his own opinions on education that are unique and inlike most. He would agree with the statement that people would become better students if they succeed and overcome classes they didn’t want to take or thought were to hard to take. No one likes being put outside of their comfort and especially at school while paying lots of money.

Being put in an unfamiliar situation is tough for people.  Maybe you are by yourself and don’t know anyone or you’re lost and and can’t ask for help.  These situations are anxiety endorsing for most people. The first day for West Chester is set up to help the freshmen because there are no upperclassmen, but it’s still tough being in a new and unfamiliar place.  Once classes start though all hell breaks loose. Students now have the most freedom they have ever felt in their life and also the most scared they have ever been. Taking hard and new classes are already enough pressure for students.

Education Beyond the Major

If a student at West Chester University is majoring in physics, then why should they have to take an art class.  It would seem to be a waste of time, unless there is a justified reason. Students seem to moan at the thought of taking a class they don’t feel is necessary to their degree but in reality could help them in the long run. Walker Percy is an author who talks about these topics of education in his passage called The Loss of the Creature.  Even though Percy never directly writes it down, he is pushing this message of education beyond a students major.  West Chester is no exception. Most of the students time at West Chester University are spent outside their major because it helps them learn indirectly through mistakes and challenges them in ways they aren’t used to or familiar with.

There is a saying that in order to succeed in life you have to fail first.  Humans learn from their mistakes than from their successes. A physics major might find math and sciences easy but when you give them a paint brush they might struggle.  Percy says, “If the failures are “wrong” enough, as these are, they might still be turned to account as rueful conversation pieces”(3). This means that just because you fail doesn’t mean you are a failure.  The art class is going to be a different type of hard for the physics major student and that will help them deal with situations like that for the future. Taking classes outside of the major prepares the student to not learn the material but know how to deal with situations they are not used too.  At West Chester students need to take more classes to they are not used to to open them up to failure and from that failure come success and knowledge. Without these courses outside of the students major, the student might not be challenged enough to learn.

When a student is used a certain type of learning from the same subject and gets thrown into a new environment and type of teaching it can be challenges them in ways they aren’t used too and to learn.  The content does not have to be hard. It can just be a different way of learning that is difficult. Percy says, “The great difficulty is that he is not aware that there is a difficulty”(4). This means that people should always expect and prepare for the worst but hope for the best.  When that physics student walks into that art class with a bad attitude then they are going to end up with a bad grade. If someone thinks lightly of any class then they are going to be surprised with the difficulty level compared to if they prepared properly they would be fine. All students fall to this statement at some point in their educational career.  Every student is not perfect in every subject and in every class. The reason to take classes outside of the major is to find those weaknesses and work/fix them.

Ethan Stein

Topic # 1: Education beyond the major

Team: Ethan Stein

Thesis: Most of students time at West Chester University are spent outside their major because it because it opens them up to new ideas and challenges them in ways they aren’t used too.

• Sub point 1: New ideas and broadens their horizons.
• Sub point 2: Challenges them in ways they are not used to.

• Supporting ideas- Percy talk about how the grand canyon is hyped up so much that when people see it they are left disappointed but at west chester it’s actually the opposite.  When students take classes they hear bad things about they don’t take them go in with a bad attitude even though they might actually enjoy it
• Supporting ideas- When Garcia Lopez de Cárdenas discovered the Grand Canyon he was amazed by it even more because of the challenge it gave him.  When taking a class someone isn’t used to it helps them figure out how to study or how to learn.

The teacher and student relationship at West Chester University is similar to most schools.  The teacher gives information to the student and the student is told to memorize and to repeat the information on an exam or project.  Freire is a Brazilian teacher and philosopher who believes that the education system is horrific. A few ways Freire thinks the teacher and student relationship should be changed are the student should try talking about the lesson as though they were teaching it and the student should not memorize, but instead learn the material.

Freire believes that the student will learn nothing unless he/she can teach it him/herself.  The teacher teaching is just a waste of time for everyone except the teacher because at the end of the day the teacher is the only one who learned.  Students cannot learn the material unless they can teach the material. This way of teaching is referred to as the “Banking Concept” when the teacher teaches and the students listen.  Freire says, “The banking approach to adult education, for example, will never propose to students that they critically consider reality (Freire 2). This phrase says a lot about Freire’s ideology on this topic.  To summarize he states that students do not think critically when in class or doing homework, thus the Banking concept is debunked. The banking concept may work for some who truly want to succeed , but the rest will surely fall behind.  At West Chester University, the teacher/professor relationship is indistinguishable from other schools. They all use the banking concept. To change this professors at West Chester University can assign students to teach other students similar to the tutoring center.  When a student presenting a topic in class that student is teaching, thus he/she is learning. Instead of having a final exam the student should teach the teacher a little bit of what they learned that simester. That would show actual understanding. Instead of doing math on a test the student would help a student who does not know the material well or just show the teacher.  For history class the student would talk about all the important dates in a war or time period. In science the students would make his/her own experiment and teach the teacher how to do it. Having the student teach would be a great and effective way to learn than to memorize and forget about the material the next day.

Students often forget the material for their next class which is bad when that class requires prior knowledge.  If students didn’t memorize but indeed learned the material then maybe it wouldn’t be an issue.

Topic selection:#3 Student/teacher relationships at WCU.

Team selection: Ethan Stein

Thesis: The teacher and student relationship at West Chester University is similar to most schools. A few ways Freire thinks the teacher and student relationship should be changed are the student should try talking about the lesson as though they were teaching it, the student should not memorize but instead learn the material, and the material should be of interest so they have the want to learn.

Quotes: The banking approach to adult education, for example, will never propose to students that they critically consider reality (Freire 2).

Worse yet, it turns them into “containers,” into “receptacles” to be “filled” by the teacher (Freire 1).

In the discussion group I attended we talked about how you can only teach someone if they are trying to teach you while in fact they are teaching themselves.  People learn from real world experiences. They do not learn in the classroom. Speaking and communication is one of the most important aspects of learning so it would only make sense that when you are doing the speaking that you are the one learning.  Someone in the group made a good point about how teachers are the students and the students are the teachers because the teachers are the only one speaking and talking about the information. It would seem that with this view on teaching that the roles of the classroom are switched drastically.  In the end, everyone learns differently and in their own way. This style of learning while teaching could work for one person but hurt another.

Group members: Amanda, Bella, David, Gwen, John,Mia, Emily, Julia, Maura