Critical Pedagogy for Early Childhood and Elementary Educators Lois McFadyen Christensen (cid:129) Jerry Aldridge Critical Pedagogy for Early Childhood and Elementary Educators Lois McFadyen Christensen Jerry Aldridge Ph.D, Professor Ed. D, Professor Emeritus School of Education UAB University of Alabama OMEP Representative to UN/UNICEF Birmingham, AL, USA North American OMEP Representative to OAS New York, NY USA ISBN 978-94-007-5394-5 ISBN 978-94-007-5395-2 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-5395-2 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg New York London Library of Congress Control Number: 2012948710 © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013 This work is subject to copyright. 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Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Preface Introduction How might educators develop a sense of social justice as teachers of young children in elementary schools? A more speci fi c, central question that you might utilize to guide the study of this text would be something like this: How do early and elementary educators and candidates develop, connect to, examine, and enact the tenets of critical pedagogy in their lives and extend critical pedagogy into curriculum and instruction with young children? In order to meet the fundamentals of social justice and the diversities that all young children bring to into classrooms across public educational systems, the study of critical pedagogy assists early childhood and elementary teachers to discern the myriad democratic dynamics involved in K–6 elementary educative settings (Kincheloe, 2008). Not only is the landscape of social and economic life changing in the twenty- fi rst century, now education has the challenge of preparing children for workplaces. Knowledge and skills rapidly become outmoded, and diversity in every sense of the word is commonplace. McLaren (2007) prompts early and elementary educators to openly and critically confront the complexities of our diverse society, to investigate the foundation of and inequality and injustice in our lives, and then help our students to do the same. McLaren (2007) states, “As teachers we must face our own culpability in the reproduction of inequality in our teaching, and that we must strive to develop a pedagogy equipped to provide both intellectual and moral resistance to oppression, one that extends the concept of pedagogy beyond the mere transmission of knowledge and skills and the concept of morality beyond interpersonal relations. Pedagogy in this instance must be linked to class struggle and the politics of liberation. This is what critical pedagogy is all about” (p. 48). The need for citizens who are self-directed, lifelong learners, and who think morally, justly, and democratically is becoming increasingly apparent. When focusing on broad-ranging educational outcomes, there emerges another de fi nitive need. That is a well-informed citizenry that is able to thrive as quickly as social and economic environments change. Teacher educators have as a challenge to assist teachers of v vi Preface young children, candidates, and the young children that they teach to profoundly consider, rethink, accept, promote, and proceed to enact critical pedagogical practice in primary and elementary school settings (Giroux & McLaren, 1992). The Testing Paradox Despite this auspicious endeavor, Al fi e Kohn (1993) illustrates the existing extreme paradox. Schools are still hampered by outmoded practices. Elementary schools are often the least democratic places within the democratic republic of the United States. Grimly, democracy, civic competence, and its involvement are now acknowledged as anecdotal to elementary curriculum and seemingly of limited educational bene fi t. It is seldom if ever taught. In 2007, the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS, 2007) issued a position statement about the neglect of teaching civics and social studies in the primary and elementary grades and overall erosion of the content area due to the No Child Left Behind Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). No Child Left Behind Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2002) is an economic scheme and moves funding from schools to private, for pro fi t institutions (Bracey, 2009; McLaren, 2007; Nichols & Berliner, 2007). Some elementary schools spend an inordinate amount of time in test preparation, like automated plants, with children bubbling in Scantron™ sheets in order to pass tests with items and questions deve loped by noneducators for extreme amounts of money. Literacy, math, and now science, added in 2006, are tested. Yes, and these tests are administered over a 2- or 3-day period. Do you think that an academic year’s worth of young children’s learning can be measured by one half of a week sitting for tests? Where is civics on the mandated test? Social studies and history are not evident on any of the tests. Why are these disciplines eliminated? These are questions for you and your colleagues or class to discuss. This irrational educative legislation and practice in the United States has vast and discordant outcomes. How are young children and youth prepared to comprehend fundamental civics, history, geography, economics, and sociology as fundamental concepts? How will our youngest citizens begin to comprehend enough civic competence to maintain a free and just society for our nation within a global community (NCSS, 2007)? Teachers’ direct and present didactic information for students’ recall are still the methods of choice for many teachers, despite the now wide range of exciting possibilities that have the potential to enrich the educational experience of students and provide teachers with greater levels of professional and personal satisfaction (Aldridge & Goldman, 2007; Fullan, 2007). Elementary Student-Centered Teaching Practice for Democratic Social Justice Elementary youth, teacher candidates, and teachers merit learning in powerful, in- depth fashions, combining their interests alongside teachers who facilitate active, social, cognitive, and affective growth. These are characteristics enacted by humanistic, Preface vii re fl ective primary and elementary teachers in democratic settings. Humanistic teachers offer democratic learning experiences characterized by exploration and inquiry within a challenging and caring environment where students have choices about curriculum, problem solving, and decision-making. There are some primary and elementary schools that are now returning to more humane and child-centered practices shaped from the bygone progressive era (Kohn, 2008; Mitchell, 1934; Young, 1901). Hence, nurturing early educators’ growth is featured toward acceptance of every form of diversity representative of each and every classmate around the world. Through re fl ection, discussion, demonstration, and immersion, about local, community, and global social action topics, enable learners to apply what they have learned. Educators and teacher candidates who read this text, consider the content, re fl ect, connect re fl ections to life and teaching contexts, and ultimately plan and enact approaches to sound elementary pedagogy while implementing humanistic, innovative, child-focused teaching for social justice are more likely to become critical pedagogues. Elementary Students as a Part of a Global Citizenry Unmistakably, the past enlightens our way into the future. As Kierkegaard reminds us, life can only be understood backward. Yet, life is lived forward. Consequently, opportunities for early and elementary educators to move past re fl ection and enact critical pedagogy establish memories for youngsters to pass through the windows that enlighten the future. To comprehend social action more deeply, it is key that young students develop as responsive learners through circumstances that offer them active, social transformational learning. Having recollections about that involvement creates a personal formative history (Levstik & Barton, 2010). For young students to become fully aware of just situations in the present, and having expe riences with active social action promote and engender the development of personal moral codes as citizens in the local, national, and global society. This is the essence and nature of learning and enacting critical pedagogy for social action with young children (McLaren, 2007). Are there socioeconomic and class issues that enter into where elementary children attend school? This is just a problem-posing question to begin the discussion. Organization of the Text The chapters in this text are arranged in an organized fashion to build on the reader’s knowledge as critical theoretical understandings are systematically considered, accommodated, and enacted. The text encompasses ten chapters. Each builds on the next. Readers consequently should be able to challenge their own thinking and teaching, in order to enact a more just and critical pedagogy for transformational teaching. This in turn has potential to perpetuate social justice ideals with a younger, more malleable citizenry, who will lead us into a more enlightened present and future. viii Preface What Is Critical Pedagogy? Chapter 2 is designed to discuss the de fi nition and nature of critical pedagogy from a practical standpoint for elementary teachers (Vasquez, 2006). This chapter also seeks to defi n e and explain the numerous terms that pervade critical pedagogical literature. Critical pedagogy has its own vocabulary, and we present the most salient and used terms in the fi eld. A brief discussion of conscientization, codi fi cation, cul- tural capital, dialectic, diversity, hegemony, hidden curriculum, patriarchy, and praxis is necessary in order to illuminate critical pedagogy and enter in the dialogue. Being Critical of Critical Pedagogy Critical pedagogy has its critics. There are three major criticisms that permeate the literature. We believe these criticisms have to be addressed. In Chap. 3, we pose solutions to these criticisms that will help elementary teachers move beyond the prob- lems of critical pedagogy and work toward positive solutions. Assumptions: Where Are We? Critical theory is a vast and expansive discipline with multiple points of view. However, most critical theorists share three assumptions (Kessler & Swadener, 1992). These include the following: (cid:129) Certain forms of knowledge are valued over others. (cid:129) School knowledge belongs to a particular group. (cid:129) Those in power use their position to maintain their dominant position in society. This chapter considers each of these assumptions and ways to transcend and transform them. It assists readers to consider where their assumptions lie and what underlies them. Readers begin to deconstruct assumptions constructed through the myriad contexts from familial living to institutional formation. Identity Students begin rudimentary refl ection about experiences of citizenship in action and then move beyond to begin enacting citizenship that is contextually connected to democracy and humankind. Traditional classroom learning is predominantly an autocratic endeavor. Inspiration, creativity, and intelligence of teachers and students Preface ix alike are snuffed out while textbooks the peddlers of scripted behaviorist modes of learning proliferate and make millions. Teachers are “deskilled” rather than profes- sionalized (Aldridge & Goldman, 2007). Educators live and teach in contradiction and paradox! How can society expect learners to describe democracy and graduate from school knowing how to subsist within one with minimal experience? Democracy is the principled ideal in the USA. Except all too often the ideals of democracy are violated. There is a huge chasm between valuing democracy and the reality of how the pluralistic society in the USA lives. Racism and sexism ram- pantly exist. Because of perpetuated stereotypical perceptions, gender discrimina- tion relies on restricted roles and educational and occupational options for women students. So foremost when the present educational situation sounds so dire, how do edu- cators begin to see the contradictions? (Posner, 1992) Subsequently, how do they move into a more democratic approach to teaching and learning that is the experi- ential heart of transformational social action? The fundamental solution is to con- nect teachers and students to people and organizations where their actions can make a difference. Once that is achieved, personal interest and social relationships become “habits of mind,” which do secure social change. Making a difference in a local or global setting is transformational social action, the essence living. Praxis of Critical Pedagogy Praxis is the interplay between theory and practice. As critical theory is applied to pedagogy, classroom practices change. As change occurs, together, elementary teachers and students begin to carefully re fl ect and reexamine cherished belief systems. How to navigate between theory and practice is the focus of this chapter. If learners do not have fi rsthand experience with social action, how will they internalize citizenship or come to understand democracy? Schools in the USA are often the least democratic places. Democracy is seldom the way in which teachers plan, implement lessons, or evaluate learning. And most of the time, the regime of directed learning is expected and ordered by administrators. Kincheloe (2001) describes how education can be civically challenging and result in social action. His conception includes teachers assisting learners to develop enough content knowledge to be able to analyze and construct self and social know- ledge. Consequently, students would have the cognitive tools to knowledgably ques- tion and become self-directed. It is peculiar that so few schools administrators seem unaware that within the walls of learning lies the training ground for democracy. If students are involved in transformational social action, students envision belonging locally and globally. Democracy becomes authentic. Students see how democracy is connected to justice and equality. Social change is possible (Kincheloe, 2001). Schools of today focus on academics to the detriment of personal development and