OUR DIFFICULTIES AND FEARS ARE CHALLENGES

Second Reflection 

During the second letter, and in my opinion, Freire gives us a life’s lesson more than just talk about a reading problem (which is the main topic), he says: “...no permitir que el miedo nos paralice o nos persuada fácilmente de desistir de enfrentar la situación desafiante sin lucha y sin esfuerzo” (Freire, p 45). I really liked when I read this idea because as PEM, I am passing through a series of difficulties with one class (low motivation, no responsibility, no values, etc). I am really worried for my students, and I know this is a process in which a lot of persons are involved, but I feel responsible of helping my students to face the fears and obstacles they have regarding their studies.  I know, I have fear of not doing a progress on my students, I know I have to take this fear and change it into motivation to help me to do a better job. If I do not solve this, I only would be in panic and this won’t help anyone.  I know we have to do an effort in every activity we do, I would like to put this into my students’ mind. We do not have to only focus on the fears, we have to analyze them, and give options to solve our obstacles. I consider, we as PEMs are here for this reason, we have seen problems in education, but we do not only complain we do something about it. 

On the other hand, regarding studying Freire captured my attention when he mentioned that studying gives pain and pleasure, victory and defeat, doubts and, joy. I agree with him, because I have seen these feelings in my classrooms, is so tasteful the positive ones, but the negative ones help us to get better if we see them as motivation.  However, something that it would be the ideal but IS NOT is when he mentioned that studying should be wrought by us. But what happen when our students are in the school not because they want to? Some of them are there because they are required to. According to Freire, studying can be a PLEASURE or a LOAD. When we study for pleasure we get a better learning, we get strength to overcome any obstacle. I think that is what I am trying to do, to give my students a pleasure environment where they can learn. But I know, not all the teachers think in the same way. 

Now, about reading, there are some elements we need to consider to have better readings, and we should share this ideas with our students: we have to be curious, we need an opened mind, we have to be focus on the text, because there is a connection between the reader and the writer, it is like a conversation, and we have to be respectful and pay attention. Something important are the grupal ideas or feedbacks, because according to Freire, during this groupal ideas different point of views emerge, and enrich the intelligence. We need to stimulate reading, and let our students to relive or imagine the story told in the book.

In conclusion, we face many obstacles, as low motivation to read, but we are the ones who decide if we only think about the problems, and let our fears take part of them or we do something about those obstacles and help our students.