Comments on: Stirring Up Justice

By: A. Mercer

A. Mercer — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 15:49:36 +0000

This helped inspire some of my own reflections on teaching justice. Thank you once again for a thoughtful, and thought provoking post.

By: Doug Noon

Doug Noon — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 04:55:53 +0000

Marco's statement, "Simply being worked up about a particular theme...is not enough. It needs to be exploited as a means to developing intellectual skills," is very much the way I see it. Critical pedagogy has to first be applied at home, to ourselves, or we do risk preaching, instead of teaching. Advocacy for issues is different than open inquiry. Piet Hut sees Socratic questioning as a "...quest for freedom. In this quest, he [Socrates] cheerfully investigated any type of limitation inherent in any type of belief, only to show the lack of solidity of these limitations and fixed conclusions. I see his quest for definitions more as a tool to unearth our unquestioned identifications," which is how I think of critical pedagogy. Matthew, thanks for your comment. I like your blog title, "Unscripted Learning," I'll check it out.

By: Matthew Lundquist

Matthew Lundquist — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 06:38:53 +0000

I couldn’t agree more. I recently was turned on to Radical Math and am looking forward to attending their conference next year. I think the thing for progressives to keep in mind is that their simply isn’t neutral way to teach (or to do anything). Everything we do is political. As Thomas Nagel puts it, there is no view from nowhere. The notion that trying to “stay out of the way” and “just teach what you’re told” as a way of stearing clear of politics is a myth. Our students are always learning politics from us.

Been visiting your blog for a while. I’m new to the bloggospher, so I’d love it if you’d check mine out and give me some pointers.

By: Sarah Puglisi

Sarah Puglisi — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:44:16 +0000

The ending of your post was very helpful.
As always.

My mind right now, heart is so burnt anything I’d say would enflame another. I can only say thanks for such thoughtful work. It’s appreciated.

By: Marco Polo

Marco Polo — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:04:39 +0000

(Oops, hit the send button too early). Having said that (above), I do think teaching social justice or about social problems is problematical, and needs a great deal of thought, care and preparation. Simply being worked up about a particular theme (like plastic bag pollution, for instance), is not enough. It needs to be exploited as a means to developing intellectual skills, otherwise it risks becoming either indoctrination or being regarded as such. The activism should be done outside of school, otherwise you're just asking for trouble.