Essay on Reflection on My Future Goals

In the discussion provided for these assignments, three readings have been provided for the reflection and one of the readings is by two authors namely Margolis and Soladatenko on Higher Education and Capitalists Turn. In this provision, one of the most fundamental themes that have been presented is the influence that exists between society and higher education.

In other words, there is intertwine between higher education and society and therefore the authors are interested in how the two influence each other. The two, act as culture transmitters, however, colleges and the universities are also aimed at creating a society which is more perfect and enlightened with engaged citizens.

When there is a connection between social structures and higher education, the aims of the university can, therefore, become easily achievable as opposed to when that connection does not exist. According to the authors as well, “it is possible to enroll and educate a large number of un-evenly prepared students well, without diminishing quality”, (Margolis and Michael 240). From an individual perspective, I think that there is a significant resonation between the themes presented in this reading with my future. Since I would want to be a college professor in the future, I think that the relationship between higher education and society has a direct influence on my career.

In the second reading that has been provided, Ochoa, the author has focused on how one can learn from Latino teachers. The reading has provided an insightful reading as well as powerful visions within the movement for purposes of attaining equitable schools. The author has conducted an in-depth interview with Latino teachers who have a wide range of experience in teaching especially in schools with a significant number of immigrant populations. The stories that have been presented by the Latino teachers offers a valuable insight that is gained from the wide range of experience that they have which came from the system of K-12 while they were still students and later on becoming part of the same system as teachers.

According to responses that have been provided by the Latino teachers in the interview conducted by Ochoa, “in the curriculum, the structure of the classroom, and the expectations of the traditional social science research is subjugation which is multi-elevated and has significant ramifications” (Ochoa 3). This, in other words, means that the Latino teachers faced numerous challenges in the process of gaining their experience. I think that this provision resonates with my future goal of being a college professor because in the same way as the Latino teachers, for an individual to gain the wide experience, it is important to begin the system as a student before continuing as a teacher.

In the final provision, the author has provided a discussion on the historian as curandera and according to her, “one of the first things that the repressive regime does is to attack the sense of the history of those that they wish to dominate by taking control of their relationships” (Morales 23). It is of crucial importance to have a historical understanding of the present because it would make things more efficient. History serves an important purpose of informing the current generation of the things that took place before their time thus equipping them with the knowledge of the past.

From a personal perspective, I think that this reading serves an important purpose and also resonates with my future career of being a college professor. This is due to the fact that as a professor, it is important to have an understanding of the history and what happened in the past so as to provide your students with vast knowledge concerning various events. From the readings that have been provided, various discussion questions may engage the members of the class. For instance, should the method by the Latino teachers be adopted among different groups to produce more competent teachers across the globe? Secondly, can the spread of higher education among different societies have positive impacts among members of such communities?

Works Cited

Margolis, Eric, and Michael Soladatenko. Higher Education and Capitalist Turn. Library of the University of Wyoming, 14 Aug. 2016.

Morales, Aurora Levins. “The historian as curandera.” Women in Culture: An Intersectional Anthology for Gender and Women’s Studies (1998): 23-38.