Perhaps the biggest misconceptions about the use of literary theory with secondary students is that it is most appropriate for college-bound or AP students... In fact, kids on the margins seem to be savvier about theory. Many of them have been reading the world and its inequities for a very long time. (p. 112)
I think about this quote often when I'm in the classroom. Because I am in mostly "gifted" classrooms, I often don't see a broad range of socio-economic backgrounds in the classroom, as unfortunate as this reality is. I do, however, see a range of different races and religions.
I think about how this quote applies to how teachers teach. Another unfortunate reality of our world is that most teachers in schools are members of majority groups. The teachers I work with are both white Christian males. This certainly plays a role in how they approach their classrooms.
A perfect example of this is a World Religions class that I sit in on. The instructor, one of the aforementioned men, is tasked with sensitive subject matter. In the units he created on First Nations and Jewish religion, he approached the topic with reverence. He was also quick to curb any inappropriate comments made, often out of genuine ignorance, by the students. However, for the unit on Christianity, the instructor approached the subject matter with irreverent humour. As a well-read Christian who attended a Christian school, this instructor felt comfortable making light of his own beliefs, while the beliefs of other groups were not treated with any hint of comedy.
This same situation plays itself out for many teachers. Teachers, being for the most part sensitive and well educated, are aware of the difficulties of using certain critical approaches in classrooms where students have experienced "the world and its inequities." Often for these reasons teachers shy away from asking deep questions in classrooms or in subject areas where students may have experienced oppression or marginalization. Yet, as Appleman suggests, it is often these students who can benefit the most from this kind of questioning.
I am not suggesting any concrete answers or solutions here. I think this is a difficult situation for teachers. But I do think, as Appleman does, that asking deep questions is essential. In gifted education, it is the central focus of the program. It is important then that educators be able to ask these deep questions in all classrooms. This is difficult. It requires a great deal of courage, and even larger amounts of sensitivity and humility.
We talked a little bit about this same idea in Paul's class today. One of the things we decided was that it's important to be in relationship with the students. We can't expect to launch into critical perspectives on sensitive issues like race and class without first developing some social capital. At the same time, it's important to have an understanding of where students are coming from, how they are approaching the discussion.
ReplyDeleteThe process of coming to know someone is always organic, but that doesn't mean it has to be comfortable or unguided. Sometimes, I think we may need to take some difficult first steps and ask some risky questions about race and class––with sensitivity. Not that I'm sure what this would look like, it's just a theory.
Issues of oppression will be real to our students. We'll just have to convince them that what we're talking about is not just related to the classroom; it's about what they're experiencing. But to do that, we'll have to know what they're experiencing.