Unpacking the… Invisible Knapsack?

Culture has always been a passion of mind, so I am thrilled that it is a topic regularly accompanied by education and teaching. However, in some cases it unfortunately is not discussed in a positive manner. Instead, sometime it is necessary to look at a topic from an oppressed standpoint in order to gain insight into how to improve the situation. The metaphor of an ‘invisible knapsack’ represents the privileges that ‘white’ people have that are taken for granted.

http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/white-privilege-unpacking-invisible-knapsack

Growing up in a small town, I had little opportunity to experience diversity and gain a more concrete understanding of diversity and privilege. Fortunately, my social circle did not have any strong negative attitudes towards anyone. This allowed me to grow up without having strong prejudice beliefs. Coming to university, I learned about so many more cultures, but also gained a stronger understanding of what privileges I had previously taken for granted. These ‘invisible’ privileges had never occurred to me, which is something I am not proud to admit.

This raises the question… if it is invisible, how as teachers can we identify this and take the appropriate steps to promote change? There is no simple answer, talking about oppression can raise many difficult questions, but I think it is an important topic to education children about.

I would suggest the following steps to create a safe and diverse classroom:

·      Identify your own viewpoints and preexisting biases

·      Address issues in the classroom directly

·      Be a good role model to students

·      Provide opportunities for integration

·      Encourage open communication

·      Self-reflect constantly and build on your experiences

A fantastic way to teach students about white privilege in the classroom is through an activity that I have previously learned about. Students are given a list of situations that are examples of the daily effects of white privilege. For instance, ‘I can watch television and my race is usually widely represented’. There are two ways to potentially go about implementing this activity. I would either provide my students with a checklist so they may do this privately. Or, an alternative would be to have the whole class sitting, and get the students who believe each statement applies to them to stand up. It is important to facilitate a class discussion after this is completed in order to build on these ideas and concepts.

Peggy McIntosh shares this great example of sentences that represent privilege.

Privilege Activity

I like this activity because it can be extended to talk about other forms of oppression too. In this case, cultural literacy and critical literacy are being discussed, however I would expand it to include mental health literacy, media literacy, or even financial literacy.

Our life experiences cause us as teachers to naturally have beliefs and values that are ingrained in our minds. In order to move past this, we need to UNLEARN ideas that may contribute to racism and prejudice within the classroom. I strive to make myself a better person, and a better teacher by doing so.

https://andreaamyjackson.wordpress.com/category/positionality-and-privilege/

Topic Based Education... A More Innovative Way of Teaching

‘Topic based education’ is a phenomenon that I have rarely considered or even heard of. In Ontario’s education system, we teach classes by subjects. Think back to high school… classes were organized into periods that specifically focused on one area of expertise. A timetable would often have something like this: biology, mathematics, English, music. Students would attend each of these classes at an allotted time slot, ending one subject and transitioning to focus on the next one. There is no interconnectedness among these subjects. In my opinion, this is such a segregated and limited method of teaching for 21^st century learners. Instead, topic based education would allow for students to consider topics from a variety of lenses.

http://azuki-chan.deviantart.com/art/TMNT-High-School-TimeTable-156062162

For instance, a topic such as environmental literacy and recycling could be applied to multiple subject areas. Therefore, instead of simply discussing this issue in science class, learning opportunities could be expanded by incorporating other subjects such as language, geography or mathematics too. This will enrich students learning, and also assist educators in the process of teaching.

Taking a moment to contemplate the role that the teacher plays in this innovative method of learning, it is vital that they are fully supporting of teaching by topic. Teachers will be given the opportunity to collaborate with fellow employees, drawing from various subject backgrounds. As a future educator, I strongly believe that I would benefit from this. Not only would I be taking on a new style of teaching, but expanding my own knowledge in addition to my student’s knowledge simultaneously.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teacher-collaboration-strategies-ben-johnson

Finland has been an international leader in the development of teaching by topic. The ultimate goal is to create a country that is fully behind topic based teaching by 2020. If countries such as Finland can make these goals, Canada has the potential to do this in the future as well. In my future classroom, I hope to utilize features of topic based education. I strive to connect with fellow employees who may have a stronger grasp on some subjects than me. Also, my students could gain familiarity with topics and concepts from different subject standpoints.

Overall, I support the advancement to stray from traditional teaching in this manner. However, it is important to note that a few negative aspects need to be considered. First off, change is difficult. School boards need to consider the stakeholders that are involved in a drastic change like this. The curriculum would most likely need to be altered. Additionally, educators may have a difficult time grasping the concept of topic based education and getting on board with it. Sometimes, it is easier to say that you want change, rather than to actually apply the abstract concept.

However, in this case I do believe that children and educators could benefit from this style of learning and it should potentially be considered for the schools in Ontario that I as a future teacher will be working at. In order to incorporate as many 21^st century literacy skills as possible into the curriculum, teaching by topic would open many new doors.

21st Century Literacies: Initial Thoughts

Although this is a continuation of my previous blog, I thought I would provide a little bit of information about myself to ease my way back into it. I am currently a 4^th year student at Brock University, taking part in the Concurrent Education Child and Youth Studies program with a kindergarten to grade six teachable area. After I complete my degree in teaching, I would love to specialize in children with learning disabilities. For now, I am just excited to learn about interesting and innovative ways to teach children in the 21^st century.

I had previously heard about 21^st century literacy, but was never sure of what it entailed. Thus far, I better understand that literacy is not just reading and writing, it is so much more than that. Literacy provides meaning into different contexts. To me, this definition appears to be slightly vague. However, when I consider what literacy means to me I realize that it most likely means something different to others. Taking the perspective of a future educator, I believe that it is my responsibility to teach my students by being conscious of the different literacies that should be acquired in today’s society. I could incorporate this into group work, classroom lessons or encouraging communication skills in a stimulating environment.

I would love to see my classroom being as interactive as possible, promoting group work and giving options for the children to make their own assumptions and decisions based on critiquing skills. It would be extremely important to provide opportunities for critical analysis skills to be developed, by encouraging children to question, and stimulate their own learning based on their interests. Although these characteristics may have been encouraged when I was in elementary school, I do not recall classrooms being so highly interactive and critical. I think that unfortunately my educational experience may have suffered slightly because even now I sometimes struggle with critical analysis.

What I find most interesting about 21^st century literacies are the links that can be drawn between the many different forms of literacies. A single lesson can draw from multiple literacies at once, creating an environment of critically engaged students. For instance, I considered the example of a child bringing in food to school that could be donated to families in need. In order to buy this food to donate, they need financial skills, moral skills and perhaps global literacy. Other forms of literacy could be incorporated into this example as well. Children could learn for themselves the good that comes as a result of helping others.

I am excited to learn more about 21^st century skills and more importantly how I can use these to my advantage in the classroom. I hope to learn how to effectively adapt based on the needs of my students and provide meaningful lessons and incorporate many of the different types of literacy. The benefits are limitless in my opinion. Children will be able to learn from each other, communicate effectively, and be able to critically engage with the world in which they live in.

https://www.aea267.k12.ia.us/techintegration/iowa-core-21st-century-skills-technology-literacy/

Overall I recognize how vital it is how be open to new ideas due to the fact that literacies are constantly changing and expanding. As 21^st century literacy skills become more dynamic, I as an educator will need to constantly remind myself to reflect on my own learning to provide direction for my students’ learning in the future. I strive to assess my learning as I become more engaged in my teaching, particularly in the 21^st century literacy course I am currently taking by connecting with past material and re-reading blogs as I complete the course. 

The 21st Century Teacher

The 21^st century teacher... this is a seemingly simple phrase that in fact represents the most innovative and complicated idea of education. These days, teaching means so much more than pouring knowledge into students’ heads. An incredible amount of additional skills and qualifications are imperative to making classrooms successful and education meaningful. In addition to fulfilling curriculum expectations, educators need to incorporate skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, project-based learning and more (Palmer, 2015). An overarching theme of technological advances is also included. Being a 21^st century teacher seems like an impossible task… so how can we ensure that we are successfully navigating this journey as educators?

I love that this video describes a few of the many necessary skills that an educator must include in a 21^st century classroom. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwJIhZcAd0I

Being a 21^st century teacher is not without challenges (Rotherham & Willingham, 2009). Many adjustments need to be made to the current education system; including teacher education and curriculum reforms, and this will take time. Currently, I think that our university education is catering towards introducing student-centered learning skills, however I believe that the program needs to be developed to further implement these ideas. For example, my placement classes (8P15 and 8P17) have done a phenomenal job of introducing new methods of teaching. In order to be a ‘cutting-edge’ representation of a 21^st century teacher, I need to incorporate all these ideas that I’ve learned into my classroom dynamics. I wish for my classroom to positively reflect my teaching philosophy. For instance, I think community involvement is important, and therefore desire for my students to learn about how to be good citizens and be of assistance in the community. Additionally, I want to create a highly interactive learning environment, where students can be seen collaborating with others and a love of learning is instilled in children.

It will be a difficult but rewarding journey to becoming a 21^st century teacher. This chart provides a great example of how truly dynamic an educator must be. It takes an incredible amount of ability to integrate ideas such as inquiry-based learning and student community involvement into the classroom. I strive to be a role model for not only my students but also other teachers. Expert teachers may have more difficulty becoming a 21^st century teacher because they are accustomed to their regular teaching style that may be considered outdated. The image below showcases just a few of the many complex ideas that are associated with the 21^st century teacher characteristics.

http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/insights/259-21st-century-educator-skills

I have faith in this student-centered innovative approach and some school boards have already shared this faith as well. The Peel District School Board dedicates a page to sharing their beliefs about 21^st century teaching and the technological components. I love this because it is a strategic way for parents and community members to be involved in schools as well.

The 21^st century teacher ultimately will develop overtime as new knowledge is discovered and in turn alter their teaching methods. To me, this is an expected process for the life of a teacher. Our education should not stop when we graduate, but rather continue throughout our career. Overall I think that the ability to adapt based on new information is a vital skill that teachers should possess. If we expect our students to have the initiative to learn, we should have the same expectations for ourselves. Now is the time to establish what characteristics of the classroom and of ourselves as teachers we have already established, and the skills we wish to strive for. I cannot wait to see how my knowledge as a 21^st century teacher can make a difference in the world of education!

References

M MacMeekin (2013, April 3) More on being a 21^st century educator: Morphing into a 21^st century teacher. Retreived from: https://anethicalisland.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/more-on-being-a-21st-century-educator/

Ministry of Education. (2015). Vision for 21^st century teaching and learning. Mississauga, ON. Peel District School Board.

Rotherham, A. J., & Willingham, D. (2009). 21^st century skills: The challenges ahead. Educational Leadership 67 (1), pages 16-21.

T Palmer (2015, June 6). 15 characteristics of a 21^st century teacher. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/15-characteristics-21st-century-teacher