Literacy is Knowledge

Literacy is Knowledge

Literacy is like a fork, bifurcated. People live their lives one way or the other, separated. One side looks at what is observed through ordinary everyday life. Everyday life can entail the common routine of one’s day to day life. There is a saying; beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is generally observed as either inside or outside. For instance some people wake up at six A.M, and they leave for work at seven. They work from eight to five, and arrive home at six. They arrive home and prepare for their next day which consists of generally the same pattern. They live their lives in a constant daily routine. I do not mean to imply that this lifestyle is by any means irrelevant or unacceptable, but rather different from the latter.
The latter life could entail a different meaning or beauty. This life could be more abstract, that is to say the beauty is inside. By abstract, I mean not just living life as the routine that it is, but rather looking at life in the mind compared to the material life that is lived. While some people focus on the material aspect of work, home life, and its cycle, others focus on growth of the individual mind and society around them. That is not to say that this idea of life is less relevant, but rather to emphasis that everyone is different in some way. This abstract life could be less organized than other people. I am just pointing out that everyone has their own focus and priorities.
These two different lifestyles are used as extreme cases, but show an example of the different meanings literacy could mean to any individual. While one person lives a life of hard physical labor, their knowledge is completely relevant to them and their life. Their knowledge of laying bricks, landscape, tools, and cement are plentiful. While another person’s life revolves around solving the Greenhouse Effect, their knowledge is different regarding knowledge of the ozone, its layers, and chemical effects on the ozone is just as plentiful.
Literacy is knowledge. As we have seen here, knowledge is relevant to its own person. We are each our own person. I have my interests, and you have your interest. We are all individuals with unique ideas that define us as who we are. So, as a prospective teacher I think it is necessary remind others of individualism.
First and most important, I believe it is necessary to teach open mindedness. Secondly, I believe awareness of others individualism is what makes this country special and since we all live in this wonderful country that makes us all special. We are all equal in our own special way. To have an open mind is to put aside your judgments and really understand another person’s ideology. Ideology could be similar to literacy, like knowledge, is something that from birth to adulthood changes the way we view life. In our childhood years, we are limited to our family and our schooling. It is these views, that we are taught while we are young that mold our minds into the stigmas of society. Through further education, or literacy, do we come to realize the diversity in society, for example. While society is only one of the many institutions involved in our lives, my point is that no matter what the idea is we all must realize what it is that makes us different from each other. Different institutions could involve ideas of the family, church, work, pleasure, and so on. Not everyone can agree on every aspect of these issues. We all have our own ideas about every issue.
While everyone has their own ideas about society, I strongly believe it is important to acknowledge the history of knowledge, or rather philosophy, to bring about an understanding of why we think the way we do. Intertwined with the history the Americas, I could hopefully show the logic upon which this country was based. Thus, allowing the students to rationalize for themselves the logic (or illogical) ideas in which we could choose to live our own lives. If my students we introduced into important philosophers throughout history, this could widen their perceptions for a broader more meaningful life of happiness. Intertwined with the history of America to reflect the basis on which they could choose to life their lives, thus creating awareness.