Active Centralized Empowerment©: Teaching Without Borders

A.C.E.© helps to design a positive environment that is inclusive, addresses issues of diversity and develops Leadership and Self Agency. It is a new way of teaching and learning that empowers, both, the professor and students, on a metacognitive level. It’s one of the best ways to teach the person, who happens to be a student, and the teacher who happens to be a person.
Cooley's Looking Glass Self reflects how others see us.  Your mother may see you as an angel but your ex-partner may see you as a person of questionable character. These judgements may or may not accurate. 
In the case of the marginalized, for example, the African American male, may be unfairly perceived as a criminal, lazy, promiscuous, or dangerous by others who may not know him personally. They are judging him through a form of Symbolic Interactionism and stereotypes that are also racist. 
The Power Structure is Centralized and Powerful while the Marginalized are located outside of the Power structure, on the periphery. Active Centralized Empowerment© moves the Marginalized Individual to the central location and core of their Authentic Selves, providing self-empowerment, self-value, and the advantage of Cross Cultural Competence (CCC). CCCs act as conduits of positive interactions. 
A.C.E.© directly challenges spaces of Marginalization by transforming learning spaces of oppression into positive, empowering spaces of critical thinking, freedom and inclusion. So the marginalized individual is now positioned in a space of empowerment, moving from the margins with issues of racism, sexism and stereotypes on the outside of their true authentic selves. This connection allows for inner growth and provides a more advantageous position to challenge and battle the structures of oppression. 
Research results have revealed some of the benefits of using A.C.E.© in the classroom such as increases in student self-esteem and more representations of confidence performance, regardless of demographic construction. This is achieved by giving students partial autonomy, transforming constructs used to marginalize them into agents of Cross Cultural Competence that makes them unique in their experiences and knowledge and encouraging consistent participation, critical thinking and positions of leadership. 


​In the classroom or learning space, instead of Borders that confine the students and teachers potential, there are principles, guidelines and standards that the entire group can adhere to and achieve. Everyone has a fair and equal opportunity to successfully complete each task and project and, together, everyone is working directly and indirectly towards creating an environment of Inclusion and Respect for Differences and Diversity. Each individual, including the professor, learns to work, operate and teach in creative and effective ways by drawing on their Cross Cultural Competence. The movement of each individual is now fluid and can even move in a circular motion, depending upon the issue that needs to be addressed. 
Active Centralized Empowerment© encourages the class as well as the individual to Actively move to the center, the Core of their Empowerment that is found in self acceptance and self value. To understand that, while they may be marginalized by others, there is nothing minor about them and they are important. Each person must own up to, accept responsibility and accountability for, his or her own mistakes, misunderstandings, weaknesses, prejudices as well as strengths, uniqueness, victories and competence.  
​By directly challenging traditional, stagnate teaching methodologies, this Critical Pedagogy creates learning spaces of equity and social justice on the micro level in preparation for the macro world.
More than power in the margins - it is Movement from the margins to Empowerment. ​
Active Centralized Empowerment Engaged!
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