Finn- Literacy with an Attitude (Blog A)

 Literacy with an Attitude

Educating Working-Class Children in Their Own Self Interest

Patrick Finn

Three Talking Points:

1. Finn begins the article by explaining the two types of literacy education that is provided in our country. He says, "First, there is empowering education, which leads to powerful literacy, the kind of literacy that leads to positions of power and authority. Second, there is domesticating education, which leads

to functional literacy, literacy that makes a person productive and dependable, but not troublesome." As one might guess, the empowering education is given to children from higher socio-economic statuses, while the domesticating education is given to the middle-class/working-class children.

2. "The status quo is the status quo because people who have the power to make changes are comfortable with the way things are." (page XI) This quote reminds me of the articles from Delpit, Johnson and Armstrong & Wildman. All of the articles have mentioned that the people with power ignore, deny or argue that there's nothing wrong with society and that those not in power just aren't "doing enough". I agree with this quote because the reality is the people with power don't actually want society to change for fear of losing their power, or even sharing it.

3. Finn speaks to the different types of school settings based on socio-economic statuses of the families. Where the children of the affluent, "were developing a relationship to the economy, authority, and work," Finn states that the children of the working-class, "were learning to follow directions and do mechanical, low-paying work" (page 20). This disparity is a social construct that is used to prevent people from more easily moving up the economic hierarchy. 

Argument Statement:

The author Patrick Finn argues that we need to teach our working-class children literacy that provides the tools to challenge the current inequities that are present in the United States. This would take great reform within schools that serve our working-class families. Finn also says there would be pushback from the people with power, as it "threatens" to give others the chance to become equal to them in status.