Teaching Civic Engagement and Resistance Expression
The readings for this week provided a platform for how we, as future educators, can promote civic engagement within the classroom. In one of the first articles we read, James Baldwin's "A Talk for Teachers," Baldwin states that the purpose of educations is to "create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black and this is white" (Baldwin, 18). As educators, we should not strive to indoctrinate our own beliefs in the curriculum we are teaching, but instead, promote several perspectives to show that there is a diversity of opinion on every issue. As we are aware, not everyone agrees on everything. Although we might have an opinion on a particular issue, it is not our job to emphasize that opinion in the classroom. Instead, we should be trying to assist our students in developing their own critical conscious that affords them the ability to think for themselves without being influenced by other adults in their lives. Once they have developed their own opinions, they can then be educated by the teacher on how they can get involved in movements that promote their particular interests and beliefs. One question I have for this week, is how can we promote diversity of opinion within the classroom? Whether you provide a sample lesson or activity, seeing the ways other disciplines engage with promoting opinion differences can help us learn how each of us can be creative with accomplishing this task in our own unique classrooms.
The second required text for this week was a website on resistance writings. This webpage provided a plethora of different forms of literature. Each example listed served to some capacity as a form of resistance writing, mainly to systemic oppression. In these writings, we see how artists, poets, and novelists referenced oppressive tactics that were being used against them. For instance, songs that were created during the Civil Rights Movement served as avenues for promoting hope during difficult times, as well as resistance to oppressors.
We were also asked to review two other sources that discussed resistance expression. One source that particularly struck me was the video on Palestinian artwork and how it has conveyed messages of resistance to Israeli sanctioned oppression. Seeing this video, made me think about how I could teach resistance expression in a way that allows students to see how resistance has been expressed through different mediums like poetry, novels, and artworks. Maybe having students analyze a resistance movement like the Civil Rights Movement and creating a poem, short essay, or piece of artwork that conveys a message of resistance could be a unique activity that teaches them how these different mediums can be forms of expressive resistance. I am curious to learn how each of you might teach resistance expression in your classrooms. Please share in the comments below!
Hi Bret, thanks for sharing your ideas on civic engagement and resistance expression. Baldwin's text was by far the most inspiring text because of its sheer truthfulness. Not to mention the slight emotional touch on pages 4-5 where I personally felt that I could hear Baldwin speaking in front of a large audience. In this writing itself we can see the power of “writing.” Writing is the most powerful form of expressing resistance and it has been used everywhere around the world and throughout history.
ReplyDeleteThrough Baldwin’s text, we can deduce that the purpose of education is to access freedom and autonomy for oneself. As educators there are a variety of things we can teach our students that will ensure that students become the ideal educated person. For instance, increase awareness of current situations with facts, how to be stronger than the set expectations by society, how to understand personal worth, teach them to question and change social standards, understand the difference between reality and fantasy depicted in media, and build awareness of a larger world that exists beyond the United States. In my opinion, by incorporating the following elements into our disciplines we will be able to provide our students with the right tools they need to construct their identities. Additionally, while sculpting identity, students will be given the opportunity to think critically about themselves and their surroundings, providing the best ground for sharing personal ideals, opinions, and experiences.
Hi Brett! Thanks for this thoughtful synthesis of this week’s readings. I agree that civic engagement was a key theme tying these texts together this week. A large part of why I’m in the MAT program is because of the connection I see between history learning and civic engagement (and I know I’m not alone on this!) so it’s exciting for me to get to explore these issues in depth. In response to your first question, “how can we promote diversity of opinion within the classroom?” I’ll say that I think about this question a lot, and I think about it often in the context of these famous words from James Baldwin: “we can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.” So my question is, how do we promote diversity of opinion in our classrooms in a political environment that sometimes denies some of our students’ and fellow faculties’ right to exist, based on who they are? The issue for us as future educators becomes, I think, how do we promote diversity of opinion in our classrooms in a democratic way that holds multiple truths at the same time, but denies certain voices and opinions a spot at the table? In order to promote democracy, promote a diversity of opinion in our classroom, and model for students (and give students an opportunity to emulate) democratic processes of compromise and acceptance, we will, ironically, need to also censor our classrooms. Our classrooms cannot be places where we allow every opinion to circulate as valid and acceptable—it is crucial that we educate students as to why certain positions (transphobia, racism, sexism, xenophobia) are unacceptable in our classroom and detrimental to the flourishing of democracy in the world. This requires a re-education about the social world, which I think is what Baldwin is getting at in “A Talk to Teachers,” when he writes “I would try to teach them—I would try to make them know—that those streets, houses, dangers, agonies by which they are surrounded are criminal” (Baldwin, 18). It requires teaching students to see the social world as not natural, but constructed, with intention, by humans towards specific ends. This orientation affords students critical awareness of the world around them, from which they will hopefully derive agency and knowledge that will help them survive it, and know when and how to advocate on their own behalf.
ReplyDeleteHi Brett!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your blog post - it was very thought provoking! I think both topics, diversity of opinion and resistance expression, both pair together to create the ability to think and act critically as a student.
As I was completing the text set assignment this week, I decided to use the literacy strategy “think, pair, share” in order to spark conversation and possible diversity of opinion within the classroom. It is easy to stay fixated on one opinion or idea as you ruminate on it on your lonesome. With this literacy strategy, students are encouraged to think and share critically with oneself, a partner, and the class. To me, this seems like a great way to possibly change opinions that otherwise would have remained stagnant. Encouraging students to change/morph/grow their opinions should be of priority, and this will ultimately allow for regular critical discussion within class.
I also enjoyed reading your section on resistance expression and exploring the Civil Rights movement through possible unconventional means of literacy. Your mentions of resistance through art allowed my mind to wander to an art movement I was just made aware of in a recent class. “Institutional Critique” is a movement which emerged in the late 60s that focused on critiquing the institutions that uphold the discriminatory and inequitable nature of the art world (museums, galleries, private collectors). Resistance expression is especially vital to the art world, because we have movements created towards expressing that very same sentiment!
So, to answer your question, as a future art educator, I would love to incorporate critical creative movements like institutional critique in order to express the importance of resistance.
I find it hard to believe that art would be what it is without both diversity of opinion and resistance expression.
Hi Brett,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your perspectives on the reading for this week. I thought that Baldwin brought up a few great points about education. One thing that felt a bit disheartening was how he posed the state of the US in a tumultuous time, and it feels like not too much has changed…
Another portion of your blog that stood out to me was the idea that teachers should not strive to push our own beliefs on our students but rather create the environment where they can begin to question and think critically for themselves. I partially agree with this statement. On the one hand, I do not think that teachers should push their ideals on students, but I also think that to be civically and socially just in our classroom we have to a little bit. Where do we draw the line? How do we know if our beliefs are right or wrong, just, or unjust?
I think this can tie into the work we have been doing in class, the text set. In this we are asked to critically think about what texts we choose and in one of the columns to consider how these works can be a window or mirror for our students. This was a great exercise in considering how much impact we can have on our students. We had talked before about the idea that we as educators will be mentors and influence our students and this is why I think that we do need to present our beliefs a little bit. By choosing texts that can push and challenge our students we can expand their knowledge and extend some of our own beliefs in a non-aggressive and confrontational way. (I hope that makes sense!)
During my observations for SPED last semester, I was lucky enough to observe a friend of mine and I gained a whole new appreciation and respect for her as a person. She chose texts that gave perspectives on a variety of cultures, ethnicities, and communities. These texts not only taught the fundamentals for reading but also taught about morality and empathy.
Overall, I think Baldwin gives us a lot to think about in terms of what education is, and what it can be. Before my time as UIC I had a very rose-tinted idea of what my classroom would be and how teaching was done. I still hold on to this optimism a bit, however, I am also more aware of the realities of the world. I want to help students to expand not only their voice but their minds. My teaching career is only in its infant stage, but I am hopeful for what it can be.
Ana