Education is never neutral. It must take a side
According to Paulo Freire if an educator argues their teaching is neutral, in reality their practice is supporting and reinforcing the existing power structure and dominant culture, (Elias & Merriam, 2005, p. 160). I too believe that educators must continuously analyze our assumptions, beliefs, and underlying world view to arrive at a political position from which we will teach. To fail to do so; to operate without questioning, analyzing or critiquing dominant culture and ideas, will lead to education that replicates, perpetuates and reinforces oppressive structures in our society...
The Citizenship Schools are a beautiful example of adult education that takes a political position. Led primarily by Black women in the Jim Crow South, the purpose of the schools was to increase literacy as a specific tool for African Americans to exercise their right to vote. The Citizenship Schools created a point of entry for thousands of working class African American to join the Civil Rights Movement, and participate in something bigger than themselves, (Horton, 1998).
(Excerpted from Radical Popular Education and Conscientization: An Antidote to Reactionary Politics and Their Impacts in White Working Class and New Immigrant Communities, written November 2017 for AHE 554 (Foundations of Adult Ed and Diversity). Click on title to read full paper.
Race Pedagogy and Critical Reflection on Whiteness
As part of my adult education philosophy I argue that it is imperative, as educators in the United States, to develop a specific race pedagogy, which I define as a teaching practice that is informed by an understanding that race is a social construct, dutiful scholarship to achieve racial literacy (Sealey-Ruiz, 2010), and self-reflection on your positionality, (Bowman, Merriweather, & Closson, 2014). My own race pedagogy is evidenced by the following: 1) My teaching demonstration, Developing Our Race Pedagogy: Defining, Identifying and Deconstructing Microaggressions;, 2) A willingness in class discussions, participatory action research, and writing to expose and interrogate my own racial micro-aggressions in order to create an honest dialogue on race, (Brookfield, 2014 and 2015); and 3) The inclusion and amplification of scholarship by critical race theorists and radical feminists throughout my work.
(Excerpted from Learning Outcome Synthesis Paper #1, Diversity and Social Justice, written March 2017 for AHE 588 (Capstone Portfolio). Click on title to read full paper.
According to Paulo Freire if an educator argues their teaching is neutral, in reality their practice is supporting and reinforcing the existing power structure and dominant culture, (Elias & Merriam, 2005, p. 160). I too believe that educators must continuously analyze our assumptions, beliefs, and underlying world view to arrive at a political position from which we will teach. To fail to do so; to operate without questioning, analyzing or critiquing dominant culture and ideas, will lead to education that replicates, perpetuates and reinforces oppressive structures in our society...
The Citizenship Schools are a beautiful example of adult education that takes a political position. Led primarily by Black women in the Jim Crow South, the purpose of the schools was to increase literacy as a specific tool for African Americans to exercise their right to vote. The Citizenship Schools created a point of entry for thousands of working class African American to join the Civil Rights Movement, and participate in something bigger than themselves, (Horton, 1998).
(Excerpted from Radical Popular Education and Conscientization: An Antidote to Reactionary Politics and Their Impacts in White Working Class and New Immigrant Communities, written November 2017 for AHE 554 (Foundations of Adult Ed and Diversity). Click on title to read full paper.
Race Pedagogy and Critical Reflection on Whiteness
As part of my adult education philosophy I argue that it is imperative, as educators in the United States, to develop a specific race pedagogy, which I define as a teaching practice that is informed by an understanding that race is a social construct, dutiful scholarship to achieve racial literacy (Sealey-Ruiz, 2010), and self-reflection on your positionality, (Bowman, Merriweather, & Closson, 2014). My own race pedagogy is evidenced by the following: 1) My teaching demonstration, Developing Our Race Pedagogy: Defining, Identifying and Deconstructing Microaggressions;, 2) A willingness in class discussions, participatory action research, and writing to expose and interrogate my own racial micro-aggressions in order to create an honest dialogue on race, (Brookfield, 2014 and 2015); and 3) The inclusion and amplification of scholarship by critical race theorists and radical feminists throughout my work.
(Excerpted from Learning Outcome Synthesis Paper #1, Diversity and Social Justice, written March 2017 for AHE 588 (Capstone Portfolio). Click on title to read full paper.