Week 6
Saying (and not) Saying the Things
Saying (and not) Saying the Things
What resonated with me most in class this week was when we detoured from the main lecture to talk about handling difficult discussions that may come up in the classroom. Something Dr. ABC said that really stuck with me was, “Say the things without saying the things.” In class, the topic of Palestine came up, starting with the question, “How can we talk about current world events, like the war in Gaza, and manage the discussion with Jews and Muslims in our class?” (or something along these lines). I have been wondering this myself! Or more generally, how do I become a Culturally Responsive Educator who’s attuned to events affecting my students and myself, and address these issues openly and honestly? What if they are brought up by students? I don’t want to ignore what’s happening in the world, and I feel so strongly about these injustices. Dr. ABC argued that it’s not always possible to dedicate class time to deep discussions on Gaza or other wars happening in the world. “Is this the time? Is this the space?” I think his exact words were, “WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT FRACTIONS!” Another student also shared how a teacher they’d worked with redirected such discussions to focus on themes like refugees and immigration, which are in the curriculum. I feel like this lecture will stick with me; these are core things I need to know as an educator!!!
It feels frustrating to balance all the contradictions when working within an institution like a school board. We’re taught (in this class!) to be knowledgeable about students’ realities, cultural histories, and current political events, as they shape the context within which we teach. Yet, certain subjects are essentially off-limits if we want to keep our jobs! I’m learning that we must be careful and SMART in how we navigate politics, heavy subjects, and our own beliefs in class. I think about what it means to be an ally, and how it’s possible to show support for people through our everyday actions. It’s so important to me to be a safe space for my future students, and for that, I need to be open-minded, kind, and ready to unlearn things I think I know. As Dr. ABC said this week: “You’re not as open-minded as you think you are.”
When I read about Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, it’s hard to believe there was ever another way to teach. “It’s just good teaching,” as Gloria Ladson-Billings says. One strategy mentioned in Culturally Responsive Teaching Matters! by Elizabeth B. Kozleski that I’d like to include in future teaching is incorporating multiple paradigms. The example given is discussing the expansion of the American West from the perspective of Indigenous people already living there, not just the pioneers. I anticipate many difficult discussions to come in my classroom journey, and from what I understand, the only way to learn is by DOING. I’m up for the challenge.
References:
Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34(3), 159–165. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1476635.
Kozleski, E.B. - The Equity Alliance at ASU (2010, January). Culturally Responsive Teaching Matters!, essay.
Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34(3), 159–165. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1476635.
Kozleski, E.B. - The Equity Alliance at ASU (2010, January). Culturally Responsive Teaching Matters!, essay.