Week Three: September 24th & 26th

In this weeks seminary, we did a class activity called The Power of an Illusion. Our seminar leader, Audrey Aamodt instructed our class to come up with a consensus classifying each individual by race. While it seems like an easy, multiple choice activity, it turned into a discussion that I never saw coming.

When asked if any of us felt uncomfortable participating in the activity, the majority of the class put their hands up. Audrey then asked if one of those students would like to explain why they felt uncomfortable. Some students raised their concern about why we are classifying students by race solely on their appearance, and how as teachers it is important that we don’t classify or categorize our students by race. To which another student replied about how there is a difference about talking about race and being racist. The same student also suggested how it is important to talk about race, as it is often a touchy subject that most are shy to speak of because they don’t want to say anything considered controversial.

I found it very interesting to witness how uncomfortable and almost offended some students were to partake in the activity, and was intrigued by the conversations towards the activity. It was easy for me to reflect to both students arguments. As teachers, we should avoid stereotypes towards our students based on their race or appearances. However, it is also important that we don’t shy away from race and hide it under the rug, pretending that it’s not there. Rather, we should appreciate the diversity amongst our students.

What are your opinions? Do you agree/relate more with the first student or the second student and why?

Week Two: September 17th & 19th

This week in seminar, we compared the definition of ‘curriculum’ as defined by groups in our lecture in contrast to a definition of ‘curriculum’ formed by Elementary Education students in a previous semester. One major difference about the two classes definitions is that this semesters ECS 210 students (majority of them in the Secondary Ed. program) spoke more about what is ‘curriculum’, as opposed to the other semester’s definition which spoke of how curriculum is used in relation to students. Below is the core definition of ‘curriculum’ that was created this semesters ECS 210 class:

“Curriculum includes multiple documents from the ministry of education that are mandated. These documents form the fundamental basis for teaching and provide a framework or guideline for what should be taught including outcomes and indicators for learning”

As you can see, the definition speaks towards what is curriculum and how it is used as teachers. The difference between this definition and the other class’s definition, is that their definition spoke about how curriculum affects students and student experiences.

I found it very interesting how the Elementary Ed. semester’s definition put the students first, where as the Secondary Ed. semester’s definition was a lot more straight forward towards curriculum itself.

Could this mean that Elementary Ed. students come from a more caring background where they consider how students are impacted or effected? Or that Secondary Ed. students understand the curriculum itself better and how it is implemented as teachers? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment!

Week One Reading Response: September 10th & 12th

Question: How does Kumashiro define ‘common sense’.
I think that Kumashiro defines ‘common sense’ as embedded values, priorities, and ideology established through perspectives. As a direct quote from Kumashiro’s book, “Common sense often makes it easy to continue teaching and learning in ways that allow the oppressions already in play to continue to play out unchallenged in our schools and society.” (Kumashiro, 2004, p. XXIV)

Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘commonsense’?
It is important to pay attention to the ‘common sense’ because there may be other values, priorities, and ideas outside of one’s comfortably established common sense or perspective that are not easy to identify. We can learn from critically examining our own common sense and by exploring outside it.