OPINION

Published Monday, April 19, 2004
SIT: A New Space for Critical Reflection
By Liz Sepúlveda and Rhonda Henderson
APPIAN GUEST COMMENTATORS

May, 2003. Excited about the HGSE adventure, but quite without a clue of what to expect, a letter reaches us, prompting the incoming class to read Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire among other summer tasks.

The news surprised Liz and led her to think this upcoming year would be better than she thought.
Once in Cambridge, the situation was different.

Deep discussion about critical pedagogy was nowhere to be seen at the HGSE community. What was Freire talking about? What did “banking education” meant? What, if any, could we learn and apply in classrooms?

In an attempt to get deeper into these questions, a critical pedagogy study group was formed but the weight of classes at HGSE crushed the time for readings outside classrooms.

Then, during winter break, an e-mail. Some folks got together during vacation and, out of their discussion of critical pedagogy issues, crafted what would become the Student Initiated Teaching Series (SIT).

Their proposal was simple and challenging: to explore critical pedagogy and democratic education through a student taught independent course.

In the course of this semester, SIT has become a space in which curriculum and classroom environments have been looked at from a more critical perspective. Professor John Comings jumped on board as counselor, and we were on our way of having a 3-hour class per week in which these topics would be covered from the perspectives of authors such as Gramsci, Mclaren, Biko and Ivan Illich, among others.

For each of these classes, two students take the role of facilitators guiding our conversations. This dialogue has illuminated what each individual brings to the class and how their contribution interplays with school and society.

A central tenet of the SIT model rests in Paulo Freire’s critique of traditional “banking” education: schooling that creates a relationship where the teacher is the “all-knowing” keeper of knowledge and students are situated as passive, empty receptacles to be filled with facts and information.

The SIT teaching model is rooted in the Freirean construction of knowledge, which is based on the experiences of students brought out through problem posing pedagogy.

One of Rhonda’s goals at HUGSE was to simplify, complicate, and deconstruct her engagement in the classroom as a teacher, as a role model, as a member of a learning community. And as much as any class, SIT has facilitated thoughtful reflection for conscientious action. As our syllabus guides us through critical pedagogy and democratic education, Rhonda has had numerous flashbacks from her classroom.

Specific readings may note and condemn a particular classroom practice that she implemented on a regular basis.

For example, she relied on the textbook to plan lessons more often than her students probably enjoyed. It was a crutch for her as she worked her way through a curriculum and discipline she had not mastered, American Government.

Instead of turning to the textbook for the answer, thanks to Antonia Darder, now she would turn to her students and their experiences with the government as material for lessons, and use the textbook as a resource to investigate and comprehend their encounter.

SIT readings made clear effective instruction cannot separate a student’s daily life from their daily study. Their life must be the focus of their study.

This subject has come up in other classes at HGSE, sure, but the setting of SIT focuses discussion and inquiry on a particular style of engaging in one’s professional experience, and experience as a learner. Unlike many classes that aim to distill knowledge through a specific theory, in our inexperienced way SIT weaves theory with experience to create organic knowledge of one’s life.

It is in understanding and gaining ownership of these experiences that we are able to change our modes of operating in educational settings.

The SIT classroom has provided for us with a space to share those changes and voice our growth critically. We believe this is vital for the educational process.

The safe space within SIT allows Rhonda to say, “Wow, guys, I used to do that.”

She doesn’t think she would have made this admission in another class. She felt comfortable doing so because she trusts her colleagues to question, not condemn.

Similarly, the readings and discussions have reaffirmed what we hold as a crucial belief in education; that it must be culturally relevant to students, and must reinforce their humanity and value to the larger community.

Knowing that, I can accept my mistakes, and be assured that I am learning how to be better.

SIT has hosted two workshops for the HGSE community. “Power, Privilege and Hegemony in the Classroom” welcomed around 35 people on Jan. 15th and talked about “Society and Schooling” on April 7th. The third and last workshop will be on April 28th.

Rhonda Henderson is a masters student in Learning and Teaching, and Liz Sepulveda is a masters student in Mind, Brain and Education.