- How does Kumashiro define ‘commonsense?’ Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘commonsense’?
- Common sense is often defined as a collection of knowledge that is popularized and viewed as a standard. Commonsense often influences how someone views the world and how it should operate. Kumashiro defines ‘commonsense’ as a biased and oppressive force in which more dominant cultures criticize other methods of operation within the less dominant societies that differ from the more recognized “norms.” One of the examples Kumashiro utilizes within the reading to illustrate his more negative perspective on commonsense is the ways in which he describes how the curriculum should be administered within a school setting. There are many methods that educators can utilize to teach their curriculum, however, there are always some standards that they must adhere to. More dominant cultures view their method of organization within a school setting as the proper and most efficient method. Therefore, any counter commonsensical ideas utilized within other cultures are dismissed as “Biased, as a distraction from the real work of schools, as inappropriate for schools, or simply as nonsensical.” It is important to examine commonsense within a school setting as it allows us to open ourselves to other definitions of commonsense within other cultures. Their methods might improve our own and it is important to look at all sides of something before judging it.
- What type(s) of curriculum model did Kumashiro encounter in Nepal?
- Kumashiro encountered the “banking model” of education while in Nepal. This model of curriculum consists of a teacher as an authority figure that instills knowledge and values into their students. There is an emphasis on more rudimentary forms and methods of learning such as rote memorization and information regurgitation. While other methods of learning such as the critical thinking based learning are pushed aside as the student’s role is centered around obedience. Students are expected to simply listen to their teaches and are taught not to challenging the social and political systems in place. This is likely due to a lack of resources for teachers and a lack of funding into their school system.
- What type(s) of curriculum model is the “commonsense” model in our Canadian school system? What might be the benefits and drawbacks to this model?
- Canadian schools operate based on an academic schedule. Each student is to arrive at their designated class by the times indicated by their schedule and if they are late they are punished as a result. Students are test their knowledge through standardized tests that happen throughout the school year. One drawback from this method is the large class sizes. classrooms generally consist of 30-40 students per classroom. This means that teachers are forced to just simply pump out as much information as possible from the curriculum instead of focusing on the individual needs of the students in regards to their education.
Categories: Uncategorized
1 Comment
Hayleigh Prentice · May 17, 2023 at 6:31 am
Hello Abigail,
I really enjoyed reading your post! I thought it was clear, easy to follow, and very insightful. You brought up many fascinating points.
I liked how you opened the first question with a broader definition of commonsense, then delved more specifically into Kumashiro’s definition. I found this provided a more comprehensive explanation of the term and helped to further acknowledge that there are many variations of ‘commonsense.’ You also emphasized this idea when you discussed that the commonsense of dominant cultures usually overshadows the commonsense of minoritized cultures. There is not one singular idea of commonsense, but several. I found it interesting that you brought up the importance of acknowledging the commonsense of other cultures. I had previously thought commonsense was exclusively negative and oppressive. However, you made me consider how many new techniques and ideas we could learn from different cultures simply by exposing ourselves to diverse forms of commonsense. Additionally, I enjoyed your final point about the lack of individual attention Canadian students receive from their teachers due to larger class sizes. The more students there are crammed in a class, the less time a teacher has to get-to-know their students and learn their individual needs. Thus, the larger the class, the more commonsense infiltrates the lessons.
Thanks for the read!
Hayleigh