Overview thoughts on Critical Pedagogy

A major focus of critical pedagogy is that of enabling individuals to identify / name, understand and disrupt power imbalances that are present in different aspects of the educational process and setting. In particular, issues of race and class are often viewed as a significant focal point.

It is concerned with empowering individuals to transformational, emancipatory acts and the facilitation of critical consciousness.

There are a number of key issues related to and contained within critical pedagogy, some of which I shall attempt to outline below.

UNDERLYING BELIEFS

1. Power is concentrated in the production of knowledge.

2. Knowledge content areas are seen as largely neutral and thus disconnected from power.

3. Subject areas are chosen in order to perpetuate the hegemony of socioeconomic classes and race (consciously or unconsciously).

THE 3 IN 1 CURRICULUM

1. Mainstream - the curriculum that is explicitly taught (knowledge, skills, understanding).

2. Hidden - the curriculum that is implied through the mainstream curriculum, teaching methodologies and practice. This is often communicated through the teacher’s own biases and views which are unconsciously manifested in their practice and expectations (sexism, Eurocentrism, patriotism, classism, etc). It can also be manifested through the physical / practical arrangements - class seating, subject options, etc.

3. Null - what is not included in the curriculum, or what is actively omitted or surpressed (this could include critical views of the explicit curriculum such as opposing viewpoints).

SERVING THE GOAL OF LIBERATION

Within education, this means an educational experience that facilitates the identification of power / knowledge relationships within society and develops an understanding of these relationships and their impact. It encourages an investigation into local and global hegemonies - what they do and how they are perpetuated.

A liberatory educational experience should facilitate a critical, questioning engagement with identified power / knowledge relationships and the concepts contained within them (e.g. historical / scientific “facts”, use of language, the origins and validity of evidence, etc).

CULTURAL CAPITAL

Cultural capital is the particular knowledge, understanding and practice that is valued by the dominant power holders. It could also be described as the acceptable cultural and social norms of a particular society or grouping as set by the elite. This is usually evidenced through the hidden or null curricula.

RELEVANCE

It is based in the real world and facilitates the interpretation or 'reading' of the world rather than a disconnected, theoretical 'reading' of the word. Students are encouraged to investigate and develop an understanding of relevant issues that affect them instead of developing technically accurate but decontextualised knowledge. The learning process is scaffolded, actively building upon students' existing knowledge and understanding.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Darder, A., Baltodano, M., Torres, R. D., Eds., 2003. The Critical Pedagogy Reader. London: RoutledgeFalmer

Kincheloe, J. 2008a. Critical Pedagogy. 2nd ed. New York: Springer Science + Business media B.V.

Malott, C. S., 2011. Critical Pedagogy and Cognition. New York: Springer Science + Business media B.V.

McLaren, P., 2003. Critical Pedagogy: A Look at the Major Concepts. In: Darder, A., Baltodano, M., Torres, R. D., eds., 2003. The Critical Pedagogy Reader. London: RoutledgeFalmer, pp.69-96

Monchinski, T., 2008. Critical pedagogy and the Everyday Classroom. New York: Springer Science + Business media B.V.