A defining moment, for those fortunate enough, is one’s college career. It is a time of self-discovery, new experiences, independence, but above all, the time to work toward a higher education. Adrienne Rich, in her convocation speech “Claiming an Education,” highlights the vital importance of higher education. Moreover, Rich seeks to empower the young women in the audience to seize control of their education. In her speech, Rich explains that it is not only important for women to attain a college degree, but to take command of their education (and their lives in general) by resisting society’s traditional view of women. Moreover, Rich illustrates what individuals can do in order to benefit the most from their education. In describing how
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She urges the audience to “claim” their education by making their goals and aspirations their top priority. Here, Rich’s logic is that the future of individuals’ lives lies in their dedication to themselves and their education; thus, each individual must take a responsibility to maximize their education. This difference between “receiving” and “claiming” an education implies that individuals must resist becoming passive during their schooling, and rather be proactive to meet Rich’s conception of the future of education. Furthermore, Rich is targeting this advice toward the young women in the audience who she feels must be particularly vigilant by resisting gender stereotypes which portray women as second to men. Rich states that the audience needs to be “taking responsibility toward yourselves. Our upbringing as women has so often told us that this should come second to our relationships and responsibilities to other people” (298-299). Here, Rich is further emphasizing that nothing should stand in the way of one’s education. Rich encourages her audience to dismiss preconceived notions of women being inferior to men. Instead, they should focus on themselves and their personal goals instead of fulfilling stereotypical imagined responsibilities of women. The argument that one’s educational aspirations should always be the top priority is where Rich grounds her …show more content…
In her book, hooks explores the theory of teaching, or pedagogy, and how her personal learning experiences have influenced her pedagogy. Hooks argues that an essential part of the classroom is that “the professor must genuinely value everyone’s presence. There must be an ongoing recognition that everyone influences the classroom dynamic, that everyone contributes” (8). This argument is inspired by hook’s personal experience of transitioning from a segregated to non-segregated school. Due her continued exclusion even in a non-segregated setting, hooks has a strong belief that in the classroom, everyone should be treated as the equals they are. By hooks’ logic, equality entails equality of influence in a group. Hooks’ argument can be related to Rich’s beliefs that women should continue to be integrated into education, in that both value the necessity of inclusive learning environments. Additionally, hooks argues that the problem in education is that “students often do not want to learn and teachers do not want to teach” (12). While hooks and Rich view education as a right for all and support diverse, dynamic learning environments, hooks identifies the problem in education to be that there is a lack of eagerness to teach and learn. The implication of this argument is a harmful cycle whereby students and educators are unable to mutually learn
She urges the audience to “claim” their education by making their goals and aspirations their top priority. Here, Rich’s logic is that the future of individuals’ lives lies in their dedication to themselves and their education; thus, each individual must take a responsibility to maximize their education. This difference between “receiving” and “claiming” an education implies that individuals must resist becoming passive during their schooling, and rather be proactive to meet Rich’s conception of the future of education. Furthermore, Rich is targeting this advice toward the young women in the audience who she feels must be particularly vigilant by resisting gender stereotypes which portray women as second to men. Rich states that the audience needs to be “taking responsibility toward yourselves. Our upbringing as women has so often told us that this should come second to our relationships and responsibilities to other people” (298-299). Here, Rich is further emphasizing that nothing should stand in the way of one’s education. Rich encourages her audience to dismiss preconceived notions of women being inferior to men. Instead, they should focus on themselves and their personal goals instead of fulfilling stereotypical imagined responsibilities of women. The argument that one’s educational aspirations should always be the top priority is where Rich grounds her …show more content…
In her book, hooks explores the theory of teaching, or pedagogy, and how her personal learning experiences have influenced her pedagogy. Hooks argues that an essential part of the classroom is that “the professor must genuinely value everyone’s presence. There must be an ongoing recognition that everyone influences the classroom dynamic, that everyone contributes” (8). This argument is inspired by hook’s personal experience of transitioning from a segregated to non-segregated school. Due her continued exclusion even in a non-segregated setting, hooks has a strong belief that in the classroom, everyone should be treated as the equals they are. By hooks’ logic, equality entails equality of influence in a group. Hooks’ argument can be related to Rich’s beliefs that women should continue to be integrated into education, in that both value the necessity of inclusive learning environments. Additionally, hooks argues that the problem in education is that “students often do not want to learn and teachers do not want to teach” (12). While hooks and Rich view education as a right for all and support diverse, dynamic learning environments, hooks identifies the problem in education to be that there is a lack of eagerness to teach and learn. The implication of this argument is a harmful cycle whereby students and educators are unable to mutually learn