Revisit, Rethink, Reinvent
Posted On January 3, 2022
My experience in ECS210 was really a process of learning that occurred in stages over the last six or seven weeks. I found each scholar introduced in this course encouraged me to re-evaluate and re-establish what common sense looks like in the classroom. When one does this with commitment, sincere intention, and reflection, we begin to take a political stance towards and against traditional ways of teaching. I use the word “political” here, and throughout my reflection, with uncertainty as the general move for educators to teach in lieu of politics is to do so with democratic ideals. Throughout this brief essay I will rework, revisit, and rethink concepts and theories surrounding curriculum and pedagogy as social and political practice as defined by required readings written by scholars. Most importantly, I relearnt the importance of teaching from location and the importance of doing so in Saskatchewan based on our significant Indigenous population, and I will explore this in more detail with reference to Dwayne Donald’s lecture. Learning from the land entails not only paying attention to environmental policy changes but for Canadian-Canadians it means to reinterpret Indigenous knowledge systems with the help and guidance of Indigenous elders and community members.
How Can I Help You?
I really admired Kevin Kumashiro’s transparency in his book Against Common Sense, as he begins his introduction with the reason for pursuing a career in teaching because he “wanted to ‘help.’” (Kumashiro, K., Against Common Sense: Introduction. 2009. p 1) Parenthesizing the word help caught my attention as I have tried and tried again to grasp how to be a part of political movements in places where some may claim I hold no jurisdiction. Furthermore, Kumashiro explores common sense in the way in which it is practiced in the classroom, namely, as democratic political ideology so to not steer away from tradition. Kumashiro’s work provided a strong foundation when examining common sense in the classroom and how this applies not only to teachers, but to students as well. In visiting a society different from his own, and having to teach a Western curriculum but then being met with challenge and adversity by the students, Kumashiro was able to re-examine his own understanding of common sense. Revisiting Kumashiro’s book throughout the semester proved useful as doing so continuously reminded me to root my knowledge in remembering and revisiting knowledge I often mistake to be common sense.
Ben Levin examines teaching as a political practice, and states “The role of politics in policy is troubling and misunderstood by many educators, who feel that education is a matter of expertise and should be beyond politics.” (Levin, B., Curriculum Policy and the Politics of What Should Be Learned In Schools. 2007. p8) to which I one argued the idea that education is not beyond politics, but rather politics is beyond education. After reflection, I retract my statement made here because the two, education and politics, ought to co-exist and be approached in such a way that is cohesive when considering curriculum and teaching practices. This reminds me of watching the Mad TV skit “Nice White Lady,” as I think I’ve definitely been this woman at times where I felt I was in a position to “help” anyone who was different from me. Admittedly, I felt a bit embarrassed for the woman in the skit, even though it was meant to be comedy, but it’s largely because I could see my younger, naive self. This experience helped me to gain an understanding of my location as educator, and student, and after reading Jodi Latremouille’s piece Raising a Reader: Teachings from the Four Directions, I was able to conceptualize the approach of learning in uncomfortable, and unfamiliar ways. When learning about education as an approach to actualizing identity in relation to community and its members, one can turn to Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, as Freire encourages dialogue as a natural part of teaching and learning and this can be applied to the classroom when teaching non-Indigenous folk treaty education as curriculum.
Anti-Oppressive Pedagogy
Where I benefited most from this class was when my understanding of teaching pedagogy changed from an anti-oppressive standpoint to one that it is not entirely possible to do so, without first recognizing one’s own privilege. An educator who truly wishes to make an impact in his/her classroom ought to prepare for inevitable oppressive interactions to take place between students and other peers, students and content, and student and teacher. This oppressive relationship can be used as a jumping off point to connect ideas and knowledge in the classroom to real situations in the world. Richard Smith cites Paulo Freire in his essay Curriculum: Exploring theory and practice such that there is a danger in approaching the classroom with the hope of baby proofing students from every sharp edge. The worry here is the very real possibility that students then become bank accounts that educators then deposit information into with the hoping of creating the product of an individual with democratic ideals. Doing so contributes to the overall oppressive educational system because even if well-intended this pedagogical approach robs the individual of his identity, creativity, and imagination to decide for herself who she is of what she believes in. So then, how does one distinguish between teaching as political practice, incorporating socialist ideals, and sovereignty?
Dwayne Donald
In his lecture, On What Terms Can We Speak, held at the University of Lethbridge Faculty of Education in 2010, Dwayne Donald speaks on the relationship to stories between Indigenous and non-indigenous people of Canada, and refers to his work as “Aboriginal Canadian relations.” (Donald, D., https://vimeo.com/15264558 5:47) I had only hoped for more time and space to explore the knowledge stated in Donald’s lecture, and I will take the opportunity to do so now. Donald is interested in what it is like to teach curriculum as treaty education to young students while keeping an engaged mindset with content, but he states that in order to do so in an effective way, educators must first reconcile with the past before moving forward. The aspect he focuses on in his lecture relating to curriculum and pedagogy is the notion of culture as typically viewed as a thing of the past. Moreover, culture is seen as an object, irrelevant to present day, and Donald explores culture as it exists as a verb or an action. (Donald, D., https://vimeo.com/15264558 17:41) Donald brings awareness to the unavoidable fact that many educators are hired for teaching positions to instruct on Aboriginal issues, but lack the necessary knowledge to do so in an effective way. So then, before looking at different strategies when it comes to instructing students on topics surrounding contemporary Indigenous issues in Canada, one must first come to terms with a common misconception made in classrooms, namely, the concept of culture. How one arrives to this misunderstanding of Indigenous perspectives is not the fault of the individual, but rather the failed attempt not made by educational institutions to introduce Indigenous narrative into the classroom at an earlier age. Donald refers to those who come from a generation of white settlers as Canadian-Canadians, and generally “perceive themselves as without culture.” (Donald, D., https://vimeo.com/15264558 20:55) Many were apologetic for this fact when being asked to describe what sorts of customs and traditions are practiced by their family, and with this, Donald explores the question of “what kind of education do you have to receive in order to believe that you do no have a culture?” (Donald, D., https://vimeo.com/15264558 21:40) So then, how do educators create dialogue between two seemingly opposing viewpoints? As a result of growing up with the belief of being disconnected from one’s own culture and identity, it “creates an inability to comprehend Indigenous issues today” (Donald, D., https://vimeo.com/15264558 22:11) and “in order to repair and renew Indigenous relations, Canadians need to engage with the aspects of Canadian culture that have led to this incomprehensibility.” (Donald, D., https://vimeo.com/15264558 22:30) This is just one of many strategies Donald suggests in his book, The Pedagogy of the Fort: Curriculum, Aboriginal-Canadian Relations, Indigenous Métissage (2009) as he explores in more detail pedagogy and its association to the practice of tying knowledge in the classroom to Indigenous ways of knowing, one of the many aspects as decolonization.
Dwayne Donald’s lecture reminds me of the question asked to myself and other students in a Grade 4 assignment, “what does Canadian culture look like?” I remember vividly struggling with this because I couldn’t think of anything to write down, and I leaving it blank on the assignment was not an option or I would receive a failing grade. I asked my parents for their help and I remember their subtle disappointment in being asked this question, most likely because of the connotation associated with the word “culture.” In the end I wrote something like “family, friends, and the Canadian flag” as being the hallmark of Canadian identity. Now, it is community and belonging that I associate with Canadian culture but there is still a lot of work to be done before Canada can add words such as these to their banner of patriotism. We must look to the past and reconcile in order to speak truth to the now. As I got older, culture and identity became more and more important to me, and not as a result of any belief imposed on me due to anyone else’s influence, but rather my witness to where community and belonging is the most prevalent. If students’ attention is brought to their location as learners, then doing so can change the entire dynamic of a classroom and set students up for success in internalizing a lens rooted in decolonization.
Conclusion
I think one of the most challenging things as an educator, an individual vested in politics, and active member interested in participating effectively in culture and society is learning about space and location. What is my location, and how might I bring about effective change in the lives of others? When thinking about the lived experiences of those in my community, how much effort is too much or not enough when going about appropriate educational changes and public policy? And lastly, how might I learn effective pedagogical approaches and strategies in order to bring attention to Aboriginal awareness and Indigenous reconciliation in the classroom? It is only natural I end the semester in uncertainty, and it is not a regrettable place to be. An educator who goes into a semester aware of any potential biases he/she holds, is honest about the high probability that their curriculum is not perfect (based on factors out of their control), and is prepared for the uncomfortableness associated with oppressive circumstances (again out of their control). However, being aware of this allows for transparency and growth in both the educator and student, as well as making the expectation of teachers as being less than perfect common knowledge would create space for teachers to learn with uncertainty. Something I will continue to take with me from this course is learning with uncertainty and what it means to be uncomfortable in knowing and not knowing. I think the main thing that fears me is the prospect that much of what has been addressed here is theoretical, and I cannot know how I will handle a situation until I am faced with it.
About The Author
BMoolla
Completed: B.A Philosophy Campion College @ The University of Regina 2019 B.A Sociology Campion College @ The University of Regina 2020 B.A Religious Studies (Honour's) Campion College @ The University of Regina 2023 In progress: Faculty of Education Middle Years 2020 - 2024 In Progress: Master's of Education | Second Language Learning University of Ottawa 2023 - 2026