Common Sense, as explained by Kumashiro in “The Problem of Common Sense” is detailed in connection to education as “common sense is not what school’s could be doing, but rather what they should be doing” (Kumashiro, 35). They explain there is common sense following us everywhere in our everyday life, our morals, relationships, and education. To them, this was brought forward with their teaching in Nepal and how their ideas of common sense was brought from the U.S which did not fit in Nepal. It’s very important to pay attention to ‘common sense’ and everything surrounding it as an educator for the fact there can be terrible emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental outcomes if not. Kumashiro explains that in their time in Nepal, hitting a student was considered ‘common sense’ amongst the students. Which dives further into the oppression that is caused by ‘common sense’, although we subconsciously use this factor to make sense of our world, as educators we can not do this and must think of the factors behind it making us believe why our ideas are considered ‘common sense’.
As someone who wants to teach English in other countries, this brought forward my own ideas of ‘common sense’, and how sheltered my ideas are in this society. For instance, I am able to leave my house to go to school and drive in a car, where as some places to go to school is “an additional fifteen minute walk uphill on a footpath” (Kumashiro, 29). I take for granted the getting to school, as well as how I expect the teachers to educate me. I expect they are as well put together as society makes out teachers to be, only now being in a position to understand they are not entirely put together and are human just like everyone else. In my years of education I take for granted my safety, and the wellbeing of those surrounding me. At a young age most are giving access to certain immunizations, versus other countries where immunizations are hard to come by. I take for granted that someone with a gun will not come into the school and hurt me while I am learning, with the past year in the U.S I can see (more recently now) that, that isn’t a luxury everyone has. Although ‘common sense’ can be contrasted with ‘prejudge’ (both being subconscious examinations of our society), both are something educators must consciously be aware of as to ensure the healthy learning of the students.
