Sunday, June 20, 2010

Making Room for One Another by Gerri August

Talking Points: Extended comments Jenn
Talking Points: Connections (Johnson)
There's so much to do! :)
All the world's a stage and circle time is no exception! What happens if the teacher/playwright messes up? Society isn't transformed! Students won't be active agents.... Students could be marginalized. Yikes! These manuscript chapters are not for the faint of heart. Truly heavy responsibility, no? Lots to learn.
Jenn, you asked "What can we do to ensure that students feel safe talking about their families and other social issues?"
I think that is exactly the point of Gerri August's qualitative research. We are introduced to a new dialogue as teachers. Bahktin's concepts of dialogicality, both dynamic and designed, offer a big hint. Prepare. Even dynamic or spontaneous dialogicality requires forethought. Know where you want to go. If creating unconditional acceptance is of primary importance, subscribe to creating that learning atmosphere. How? The mini tutorial is key. Mini tutorial? Yes, "Zeke's pedagogical road not often taken", the narratives in Zeke's kindergarten. Zeke is adept and we can learn, among others, how to encourage, transform, intervene, refocus, explore, suggest, validate, deescalate and save face.
I agree that " a teacher's orientation to difference has academic consequences". "Zeke had established an environment in which diversity in all its forms were acknowledged and valued." "Patterns of oppression and privilege are rooted in systems that we all participate in and make happen....If we have a vision of what we want social life to look like, we have to create paths that lead in that direction" Johnson (2006) (p.85) More paths, more practice, then we'll make progress in making room for one another.

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