Blog related to CC#3

The readings for this week’s class intensely focused on this idea of critical pedagogy; and, more specifically how this critical pedagogy relates to/plays out in schools and classrooms. While the excerpt from Larson & Marsh focused mainly on defining critical literacy and the pedagogy that ensues with it, the other articles spoke about different, but related topics. Shannon’s book covered a lot of historical material, but mainly described more about different teaching strategies; and suggests that it is most appropriate to teach students to read when they are authentically interested in learning how to.

Lastly, Freire spoke about why it is important for students to be skilled in critical literacy. Freire’s article was intense, with its talk of the oppressed and the oppressor. I likened this relationship to students and their education (not students and teachers). As I applied this reading (Freire) to my career as a teacher, students are oppressed by the educational system and lack the essential freedom(s) that they should have. However, many students are comfortable in this role and adopt attitudes like the one expressed in quote #2 above. It seems that critical literacy/pedagogy is the solution for this oppression. Might I also suggest that teachers can be oppressed by the educational system, as well. As I was reading the excerpt from Freire, it took me a long while to make the connection between the article and teaching. In fact, it sounded like an article from the race, class, gender, and disability course. However, towards the end, it really came together (at least in my mind). I was most able to relate this to a students resistance for inquiry and constructivist pedagogy (when they are used to a more transmission method of teaching).

On a little bit of a separate note, in Larson & Marsh, I really enjoyed the idea about an “audit trail” that was discussed on page 51. I think that this is a unique way to not only document different lessons and activities throughout the school year, but it serves as a great way to show students all of the things that they have learned. It is very powerful to show a student a wall full of material and say to them “you know all of this.” I am wondering how this idea could transfer into a high school classroom (specifically a science classroom). Maybe this would take the form of a concept map? I think that concept maps really allow students to make the broader connections across the curriculum (especially in a year long course). The two reservations that I have with this “audit trail” idea in a higher level classroom is (1) what do you do during testing and (2) what do you do when you have multiple classes in the same room or you are a traveling teacher? If the walls are plastered with all of this great information that the students have constructed throughout the school year, how do you really test students when many of the answers are on the wall? Make everything in really small font? I don’t know, but needless to say, I think that this is a great way to document a class for the students.

The readings for this week’s class intensely focused on this idea of critical pedagogy; and, more specifically how this critical pedagogy relates to/plays out in schools and classrooms. While the excerpt from Larson & Marsh focused mainly on defining critical literacy and the pedagogy that ensues with it, the other articles spoke about different, but related topics. Shannon’s book covered a lot of historical material, but mainly described more about different teaching strategies; and suggests that it is most appropriate to teach students to read when they are authentically interested in learning how to.

Lastly, Freire spoke about why it is important for students to be skilled in critical literacy. Freire’s article was intense, with its talk of the oppressed and the oppressor. I likened this relationship to students and their education (not students and teachers). As I applied this reading (Freire) to my career as a teacher, students are oppressed by the educational system and lack the essential freedom(s) that they should have. However, many students are comfortable in this role and adopt attitudes like the one expressed in quote #2 above. It seems that critical literacy/pedagogy is the solution for this oppression. Might I also suggest that teachers can be oppressed by the educational system, as well. As I was reading the excerpt from Freire, it took me a long while to make the connection between the article and teaching. In fact, it sounded like an article from the race, class, gender, and disability course. However, towards the end, it really came together (at least in my mind). I was most able to relate this to a students resistance for inquiry and constructivist pedagogy (when they are used to a more transmission method of teaching).

On a little bit of a separate note, in Larson & Marsh, I really enjoyed the idea about an “audit trail” that was discussed on page 51. I think that this is a unique way to not only document different lessons and activities throughout the school year, but it serves as a great way to show students all of the things that they have learned. It is very powerful to show a student a wall full of material and say to them “you know all of this.” I am wondering how this idea could transfer into a high school classroom (specifically a science classroom). Maybe this would take the form of a concept map? I think that concept maps really allow students to make the broader connections across the curriculum (especially in a year long course). The two reservations that I have with this “audit trail” idea in a higher level classroom is (1) what do you do during testing and (2) what do you do when you have multiple classes in the same room or you are a traveling teacher? If the walls are plastered with all of this great information that the students have constructed throughout the school year, how do you really test students when many of the answers are on the wall? Make everything in really small font? I don’t know, but needless to say, I think that this is a great way to document a class for the students.