The critical question in educational field is what qualities in teachers and material would predict success in learning. Ironically, many anecdotal evidences show that self-motivated learners themselves can be the determining factor in their learning success. Malcolm X’s case supports Roger’s humanistic approach that human beings have immense power to move forward for self-realization. It was a few years ago when I watched the movie Malcolm X that I first came to know the historic person Malcolm X. He is recorded as a historic figure who fought against the suppression of human rights of African American, along with Martin Luther King, Jr.. Also, he deserves to be studied in education sector for his way of learning. I was amazed by the fact that Malcolm X’s inner motive drove him out of ignorance and frustration to reach extensive knowledge, so that he became an articulate leading spokesman for the black community. As an English learner and teacher, I feel necessary to reflect upon his learning process- what motivated him and what he did, and its implication in teaching.
Malcolm X tried to educate himself very hard because he wanted not only to teach himself how to read but also he wanted to be able to make himself understood. He had difficulty in understanding what he read and having a legible hand. Every learning starts from self-awareness of his or her problems. Based on his self-awareness of his limited vocabulary, Malcolm set up two goals –being able to read and having a good penmanship to get him understood. His desperate desire to write letters which accurately communicated his thoughts induced his way of learning which was most plausible and appropriate for Malcolm X himself. Specifically, he was motivated to write some letters to Elijah Muhamad whose writings about the history of discrimination suffered by the black people deeply interested him. A dictionary was chosen as a learning material and textbook for self-study by him, because I think it was accessible in the prison, and a tangible target he wanted to acquire. Thinking back my school days, I used to dash to grasping a dictionary with greed to learn all the vocabulary by heart. However, the audacious venture reduced to a few flips of dictionary. Compared with my experience, his learning was amazingly consistent and ceaselessly self-powered. The reward was not a prize or praise of others, but satisfaction and interest in acquiring knowledge. The solution that he stumbled on worked well to relieve him of both his problem with his vocabulary as well as his writing deficiency. Malcolm X copied every word in the dictionary, read aloud his handwriting, and reviewed the words, at the same time working on improving his handwriting. In the prison with all the time in the world, he successfully grasped every piece of knowledge from a “miniature encyclopedia”, so that he could retrieve the words easily when he used the words in the letters. In a long period of time, he mastered his deliberate learning of the entire dictionary. Then the learning of vocabulary paved its way to his meaning focused input, extensive reading. As his word-based broaden, he naturally progressed to reading essays and novels of history and philosophy. His pleasure of reading pushed him to devour more books of his interest about the superior history of the black and barbaric culture of white, which was related to his psychological need, pride and self-conceit.
In a sense, learning to read and write would be one of the productive ways to kill time in the prison. However, it meant more than a pastime to him. He explains the excitement of learning in the essay, “I have reflected upon the new vistas that reading opened to me. I know right there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of my life. The ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive.” Reading and writing was the door to the new world, which set him free from the cell. While reading and understanding the books by well-read writers, he could explore the world beyond time and space constraints. His learning made him resume his new life as an intelligent man. With pride and historical consciousness he could gain, he could rise to voice himself. Also, he set an example for everyone who is devastated in poor education, bad situation due to the past wrong behavior, and learned helplessness. Malcolm X was such a teacher and learner with his own strategy. Motivating oneself and keeping oneself motivated are the best qualities of a teacher. He actively participated in the given task with fortitude and positive mind, which makes him a best learner. He made best use of material and text for his best benefit to meet his needs and level. In short, he implies that teachers have to find the learners’ potential and guide them to the best way for their interest, level, and needs, keeping them motivated. Once learners are hooked to the pleasure to learning, they would be a creative teacher for themselves until they reach their goal. Looking at Malcolm X’s case, his internal motivation, every effort and zeal he put into learning paid off. In the end, he deserves to call himself as Malcolm X unlimited and undefined.
Ms Lee,
You are talented in connecting your personal experiences with theories and academic discussions. It is always a pleasure to me to follow your stream of ideas every week. Thank you for your examplary good work.
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