Week 1: The Problem of Common Sense

How does Kumashiro define ‘common sense’? Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘common sense’? What common sense understandings of curriculum and pedagogy do you bring with you to this course?

Kumashiro defines commonsense as what everyone in that particular community/group knows. These are the ideas, thoughts and process that we have a understanding and would not question because that is how something/someone works. This is what is normal to us.

It is important to pay attention to common sense in the classroom for a number of reasons. Common sense is the idea that we all have the same understanding, thought process or knowledge of something. When teaching, we need to understand that not all of our students have the same cultures, backgrounds, viewpoints, etc.. This can cause a differentiation between my common sense and my students common sense. Another important reason to pay attention to is that common sense can cause a hidden curriculum. Assuming the boys in the classroom need to help me move tables as they are stronger or asking the girls to help make a new bulletin board as they are more creative are some common sense or stereotyping situations that happened in my elementary experience. This can create negative common sense aspects within your classroom that your students will carry on in their lives.

My understanding of curriculum coming into this class was a bit more in-depth than my understanding for pedagogy. A curriculum is what you are teaching, a guideline set out with outcomes and indicators for our students to reach with a specific end goal. Pedagogy on the other hand, from my understanding, is how we teach. This includes the methods, tools and approach we use when teaching. I am looking forward to learning even more about the different types of curriculum discussed in our first lecture and gaining a better understanding of what pedagogy.