Monday, February 14, 2011
No more "tourist" readers
Multiculturalism... what is it? Is it something you teach? No not really. Do you study it? No. According to Hade, we need to think of multiculturalism as a perspective, a stance, an awareness as we interpret stories and also, as we choose what stories we will teach our students. The point of a multiculturalistic approach is not to just "fill a gap," a gap in knowledge or experience because of lack of association because of knowledge and experience and differences... Instead, it is a perspective and awareness in reading that enables us to learn about justice and expose injustice (according to Hade). Hade's article further informs me of the importance of choosing texts and encouraging dialogue about texts that enable us to yes, suspend disbelief as we are encouraged to do by Tolkein/Coleridge, etc, but it also highlights that all readers weave in knowledge, experience, "baggage" that informs their creation of meaning. The interactions that take place in the classroom which enable students to identify race, gender, class issues and discuss them facilitate a much more elevated function, as Hade highlights, of "critiquing the world." This is why teachers have such awesome responsibility and why the "canons" must exist in flux if they exist at all. At times I admit, I am conflicted in this pursuit as I read books and watch movies. Can't I just relax and enjoy The Lion King as it is and not worry about assumptions about gender? I guess the point is that I can, really, and students can too...and will... but, according to Hade, that's "tourist" mode and/or is exists because of different perpectives on what constitutes symbols of gender, race, and class. As teachers we need to try and elevate students' reading and interest in reading to "a pedagogy of critique, change, and justice." Freakin' heavy duty stuff and responsibility for us all. And so I delve further into the world of Mango Street and Maycomb County for Wednesday...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree that discussing race and gender issues in the classroom definitely facilitate a higher level of learning. By asking these questions students will learning to develop their critical analysis skills. Which is so important to success in life. But like you said.. as teachers we must try to elevate student interest in reading. We should try to facilitate higher learning through multicultural literature because these novels ask very important questions.
ReplyDelete"'As teachers we need to try and elevate students' reading and interest in reading to "a pedagogy of critique, change, and justice.'"
ReplyDeleteYes, we do have a heavy load. This is part of what makes our job amazing too! We are put into a position in which we are able to influence and greatly impact our students, partially through the novels that we choose and the way that we present them. I also agree that these issues need to be addressed, and after reading the article "A Lesson" that we have coming up in two weeks, I feel even more strongly about this.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your honesty in saying that you just like to read/watch things for the shear entertainment aspect of life....don't we all?
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to Hade was, geez this guy is really fetching for things. On the flipside however, it is important to be aware of hidden agendas that can easily assimilate themselves into our lives even when we are just being entertained. I guess "awareness" is a tricky thing. Even though we want our students to view literature more critically, I think that sometimes it is best just to leave certain "unnoticed" things alone for the shear fact that sometimes they promote more bad than good once they are actually pointed out. It's a tough balance of wanting students to read critically while also still promoting an environment of appreciation for all people. I think that if we get too stuck on these issues, we are promoting racial prejudices rather than fighting them because we are choosing to recognize them. I think their is a lot of power in not turning a blind eye, but refusal to accept something that an author has put into their text to "ruin" its great story or meaning. This is such a tough topic, one that I know I will wrestle with for a long time. Like you said, Overload it is!
"Can't I just relax and enjoy The Lion King as it is and not worry about assumptions about gender?"
ReplyDeleteAfter class on Wednesday, all I wanted to do was watch The Lion King (of course, one of the Disney movies that I don't have yet!). Instead, I decided to watch The Little Mermaid. Even when watching that, I noticed all these things that I didn't before. Sometimes I just want to turn my brain off and enjoy a movie for what it initially was -- entertainment.
I found Hade's article troublesome in a couple ways. First i too sometimes just want to appreciate art for art, entertainment for entertainment... though i suppose you should always on the look out for hidden images and meanings. The second are i found troubling was the concept of the "tourist", requiring us to think outside the box... like the example of whether the work of a white author about a young black boy is valid as african-american literature. Part of me feels like this guy is just messing with our heads, however i will try and see his point.
ReplyDeleteThe mention of The Lion King caught me off guard because of the simple request to watch a movie without perception of symbols. But I like that you made that connection of relaxing as not realizing the gender and sex differential, we don't see it wrong, it's just not something that we point out and are aware of on a daily basis. As teachers, I agree, we need to make it aware to our students.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to hear that I'm not the only one who wants to sit back and watch a good old Disney movie without having to worry whether or not Walt Disney was a sexist pig or a racist bigot. You clearly have a very open mind and a passion for making some change in your students lives so I am really excited to read more of your posts and see the awesome ways you relate the text to your career!
ReplyDelete