Date of Award

Fall 2019

Document Type

Thesis Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Transformative Education and Social Change

Committee Chairperson

John Elmore

Committee Member

Paul Morgan

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to lessen aspects of social/political/economic reproduction of society, such as the devaluing of cultural capital and capitalistic self-interest, through urban youth empowerment. In order to do this, we must observe what is causing this reproduction. The points of interest focused on here is the purposeful disconnect between the subjects in school as well as the necrophilic personalities created through the standardization of education and the lack of freedom of choice in the traditional classroom setting. The action plan, therefore is to bridge a connection between the subjects utilizing a shared garden and to use it provide freedom choice in the educational process in a non-traditional / non-standardized classroom setting. A series of workshops, meetings, and peer-to-peer observations will be used to educate the faculty in ways to branch out from their usual methods of instruction and to join forces against the monotony of the fractured / standardized traditional teaching methods. Here, the hope is to give students the chance to have choices, make mistakes, disagree with each other, come to decisions in democratic ways, and to take these lessons into their community where they will be able to make positive change.

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