After reading an excerpt from Kumashiro’s The Problem of Common Sense, I am left with some newly formed thoughts on ‘common sense’, and its relation to how I view education as a future educator. Kumashiro defines common sense as the, “assumptions, expectations, and values” (pg. XXXI) that we bring with us everywhere we go, including schools, both in our own country and others we may visit. Similar to Kumashiro, I have some presumed ideas of common sense pertaining to education in regards to curriculum and pedagogy, as this is the way that I was taught, and how I am now being instructed to teach.
I have always known school to begin in early September, and run until mid-to-late June, with a two month summer break. Weekly classes run from approximately nine a.m. to three fifteen p.m, and offer courses such as math, social studies, English, art, physical education, computer studies, and etc. However we must be careful of what we deem as ‘common sense’ as, “Common sense limits what is considered to be consistent with the purposes of schooling”, and due to this we may not dare to expand beyond what we know to be common sense, “lest we be seen as abnormal, senseless, even counterproductive.” (pg. XXXV). The quote, “The ways we traditionally think about teaching and learning are not the only ways possible.” (pg. XXXII) really resonated with me, as I truly believe that we can always learn from others and improve ourselves, as well as our education system, with open minds.
(From Kumashiro. (2009). Against Common Sense: Teaching and Learning Toward Social Justice, pp. XXIX – XLI).
Hello Madison, great post speaking about “Common Sense” and how we perceive it. You mentioned one of North America’s common sense, schooling running two semesters, one in the fall and one in the winter. Do you think there is a better way to format when students to go school? Should there be bigger breaks for students and teachers to relax with a smaller summer, and should these breaks be in the middle of a semester? Additionally, I agree that we must be open-minded and learn from others. As educators, do you think there are common ways we can practice staying open-minded as we progress through our careers?