How does Kumashiro define ‘commonsense?’ Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘commonsense’? What commonsense understandings of curriculum and pedagogy do you bring with you into this course?
Kumashiro defines ‘commonsense’ as the behaviours, attitudes, traditions, customs, experiences, perspectives, etc., that have become normalized in a specific society over time. To put it simply, ‘commonsense’ is the action of doing something the same way because that is the way it has always been done in the past, and this is where the problem lies. When I think of Canada as a whole, I think of a diverse nation that is home to people of many different backgrounds and cultures. One individual’s idea of ‘commonsense’ is completely foreign to another. To fully embrace this diverse nation we find ourselves living in today, we need to stop teaching from this ‘commonsense perspective’.
It is important to pay attention to the notion of ‘commonsense’ because as Kumashiro mentions, this idea of ‘commonsense’ we see today is often oppressive, and most times, we do not even realize it. The “New World” was built on oppression and colonization, and it is time we stop teaching and learning from these perspectives. Saskatchewan isn’t the same as it once, Canada isn’t the same as it once was, and society as a whole isn’t the same as it once was so it does not make sense to continue teaching and learning from the same oppressive nature we always have. As Kumashiro puts it in his article, “common sense often makes it easy to continue teaching and learning in ways that allow the oppressions already in play to continue to play out unchallenged in our schools and society” (XXXVI). It is important to pay attention to the notion of ‘commonsense’ because recognizing that a problem exists is the first step in rectifying this problem.
After spending my entire youth in the Canadian public education system, it would be naïve to think that I do not have certain negative ‘commonsense’ understanding of our education system. My experience with the K-12 education system was mostly taught from a white (European) perspective and this is the main thing I would like to change as an educator. Canada is home to many different cultures, and I think we should spend more time highlighting those. As I continue to learn and grow, I look forward to uncovering more commonsense understandings of curriculum and pedagogy I hold.