Bearing the Weight: Discomfort as a Necessary Condition for "Less Violent" and More Equitable Dialogic Learning
2011; Routledge; Volume: 25; Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
1047-8248
Autores Tópico(s)Russian Literature and Bakhtin Studies
ResumoWe should hurry, we should be impatient, but we should confidently obey eternal rhythm. (Kazantzakis, 1953, [paragraph] 3) To teach in a manner that respects and cares for souls of our students is essential if we are provide necessary where learning can most deeply and intimately begin. (hooks, 1994, p. 13) In my home office hangs a framed copy of Nikos Kazantzakis' (1953) short story, The Butterfly. In it Kazantzakis describes in deft detail his experience of stumbling upon a cocoon as a butterfly was making a hole and preparing come out [paragraph] 1). As he watches impatiently for butterfly to force its body through that little hole, anxious witness impending metamorphosis, Kazantzakis bends over tiny cocoon and begins breathe warm air upon it. Slowly, continuing peer with wide eyes conveying curiosity and excitement, Kazantzakis witnesses butterfly emerging, struggling unfold her brittle, crumpled wings. Feeling horrified by this sight, Kazantzakis again breathes warm air upon tiny creature. His attempts save however, are in vain. Unable emerge slowly and deliberately, butterfly dies, and Kazantzakis is left bear the greatest weight have on my conscience [paragraph] 1). Kazantzakis' experience personifies for me trials and tribulations that can emerge as a result of imposing unreflected expectations and hurried agendas on innocent, averting necessary for growth and transformation. Clearly believing that his help was warranted, and even dutiful, Kazantzakis' actions in fact served only arrest emergence and realization of butterfly's unique capacities and integrity. His discomfort with and interference in butterfly's metamorphosis stifled unfolding of butterfly's process become, averting its potential, and ultimately destroying its soul. Drawing on metaphor of the butterfly, imagine dialogic and justice-oriented (2) Foundations of Education classroom be a cocoon of sorts; a respectful and caring place wherein radical change might take place. As instructors in this scenario we hold a great deal of responsibility for establishing and maintaining respect and care for both people and process involved in exploring and bringing about such change. And, certainly, though we may try, we can guarantee that change we seek, for example, will indeed occur. With this in mind, seek here initiate a conversation about discomfort that can emerge and violence that might possibly take place in critical, dialogic, and justice-oriented Foundations of Education classroom between students and instructors when all are invited negotiate the necessary conditions for learning that hooks (1994) suggests in epigraph above. As critical pedagogy generally focuses on revealing issues of power, and dialogically exploring alternatives for addressing and surmounting oppression in education and society, it seems that taking on such a project for those who have never considered that world might indeed be different from their own insular experiences and socialized conceptions can be daunting. Questioning authority of what one has been socialized believe about how behave, what produce and how succeed in education for example, can be incredibly threatening for student who has never been invited or supported consider world in a different light. Consider some of remarks made by several students reacting my invitation at beginning of our semester together not raise our hands in class: I feel so uncomfortable. I don't know how 'not' raise my hand. How will catch myself? This just seems uneducated. In addition students' discomfort, imagine that probing uncover and give voice anxiety that seemingly stifles students' participation in these dialogues can be equally daunting for instructor who has no experience, or even interest, in revealing emotional dynamics at play. …
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