Return-Path: <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id iAKGRe119405; Sat, 20 Nov 2004 11:27:40 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2004 11:27:40 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <41C8A926@webmail.utk.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: jataylor <jataylor@utk.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1752] re: critical literacy and co-learning X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Infinite Mobile Delivery (Hydra) SMTP v3.62.01 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Status: O Content-Length: 5933 Lines: 116 Hi Sally, everyone! I regret this has taken me so long...If I may still jump in here as a participant...Sally, I'm intrigued by what you wrote: "I do believe people like myself have a clear and legitimate role as a partner in efforts to create a equitable and just social organization. But our legitimacy must be based in clear understanding of who we are, and of the lessons we must continue to learn. In ABE we preach a litany that we are 'learning partners' with our learners - we quote Freire's wonderful phrases - that with our learners we create and re-create knowledge together. But we gotta keep ourselves honest. Not easy, but exciting, energizing - my source of hope for the species." In 'keeping ourselves honest', perhaps it's also about getting a clearer picture as to what 'creating knowledge' with teacher as co-learner (or learner as teacher) really‘looks’ like in the first place! Sometimes I struggle with the dichotomy found in the litany to which you refer. I also see a similar phenomenon about collaborative learning. Sometimes what I've seen or heard described as collaborative learning does not necessarily fit my evolving understanding of what it means. I must remind myself how easy it is to slip away from others' experiences, that I gotta stay close. I am curious about the point at which we depart from others' experiences, and how this separates dialogue (also co-learning, collaborative learning) from...everything else. But now I digress...or do I? To resist the idea that one can ‘know’ what one has not experienced, maybe part of the answer lies in letting go of the reigns. In professional development for example, we enter workshops armed with an agenda -- a blending of a state or federal mandate, our funder’s or employer's purpose, our own intentions, beliefs and philosophies. But perhaps the challenge is also to be flexible enough to assume that having the voice of the teachers' problems and questions is enough. The myth is that if one "lets go of the reigns" in this way, that we lose control of the learning experience, or that the goals will not be met. On the contrary. I find that this is when the real learning begins. I'm not sure if this makes any sense. So Sally, back to you, perhaps I've altered the topic, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, and how you see it might relate (or not) to what you described below. Others on the list, I certainly look forward to hearing from you as well. And by the way, when you wrote: "I do believe people like myself have a clear and legitimate role as a partner in efforts to create a equitable and just social organization." Perhaps we all have a legitimate role, but it is not always clear. I'll stop! Jackie >===== Original Message From nifl-aalpd@nifl.gov ===== >Andrea and all ! Thanks to Andrea for the note - I agree with using 'caste' in this way - a designated role in social order that assigns people to a slot through predetermined characteristics. Using 'caste' in this way suggests that despite more and less privileged positions within the caste, there are boundaries for the entire group; I've been reading 'A Fine Balance' - a novel set within the caste system in India by Rohinton Mistry - reading this story of struggles to escape this overt system have reminded me of struggles in our own society against a 'caste' system that is much more subtle - such as being female in the US. > >In my posting, I was referring to my 'privilege' as the comfort and support I enjoyed during my childhood as a member of the white 'Euro-American' middle class. I was basically enclosed within the dominant culture, wearing those cultural/class blinders that reinforce ignorance of the struggles of others. You're right, it took the experiences of adolescence and emerging adulthood to bring me crashing up against the cell walls of the female 'caste'. In addition, as a gay woman I live on the slippery slope that offers safety in invisibility, risk in self identification. Nevertheless, the trappings of class and education still have given me 'escape routes' not available to those not afforded such privilege. My challenge is always to learn and re learn - to resist the idea that I can 'know' those things I have never experienced - poverty and discrimination with no escape route. > >I do believe people like myself have a clear and legitimate role as a partner in efforts to create a equitable and just social organization. But our legitimacy must be based in clear understanding of who we are, and of the lessons we must continue to learn. In ABE we preach a litany that we are 'learning partners' with our learners - we quote Freire's wonderful phrases - that with our learners we create and re create knowledge together. But we gotta keep ourselves honest. Not easy, but exciting, energizing - my source of hope for the species. In dark times I choose to hang on to the positive possibilities that are the gifts of the adult learners I know - who are my teachers.. > >I do tend to go on - but these dialogues challenge me to examine my beliefs and assumptions. Thanks to all. Sal > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: AWilder106@aol.com [mailto:AWilder106@aol.com] > Sent: Tue 11/9/2004 12:22 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Cc: > Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1726] RE: FW: critical literacy > > > > Sally, > > I've got a question. You talked of yourself as "privileged" (though after 33 years in ABE maybe not rich). It seeems to me, and others may dispute this, that women form a caste (Ogbu term). Evidence? Women earn I think it is 77cents/dollar for what men earn--comparable jobs. It's not education--I think there are higher rates of female graduation from both high school and college. So I am tossing in "caste" as a possible descriptor of women's position. What do you think? > > Thanks. > > Andrea
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