Evil Pineapples Are Actually Quite Innocent: It's Been A While...

And this is the reason why... been working hard on this assignment. It's a reflective critical change analysis: I was required to consider the significant socio-cultural influences on my professional career, as well as explore the impact of particular theoretical perspectives on my developing philosophy. Below is the result, but be warned - it's not exactly 'easy reading'!

Introduction – Mapping the Past

Cartography is the study and practice of mapping techniques. As a field, it “builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively” (Wikipedia, 2013). Cartographers draw on a distinct range of tools to plan and chart their journeys, record findings and discover entirely new destinations. As an extended metaphor for reflective practice in education, the notion of ‘mapping our past’ is aesthetically rich. As Zeichner (1994, p. 10) says, “the process of understanding and improving one’s own teaching must start from reflection upon one’s own experience”. Rather than communicating spatial information though, it is more useful for educators to reflect on particular temporal, cultural, historical, geographical, social and personal influences on their pedagogic voyages (Lidstone, 2013). This critical change analysis will seek to apply the ‘mapping’ metaphor by employing the ‘tools’ of cartography in the context of my personal educational journey. It is hoped that by reflecting on the events and influences of the past, I’ll gain a greater understanding of myself, and find some clarity for future pathways to explore.

Canvas

The canvas is the landscape that a map is drawn on: it is necessarily broad, and as new information is brought to light, evolves to reflect changing information. In much the same way, society encompasses a broad range of people from many different generational and historical contexts, who meet on the same canvas at particular points in time, bringing a range of experiences, perspectives and beliefs.

It is necessary to position myself on that canvas in order to determine what impact the broader landscape has had on shaping me. At the risk of seeming self-indulgent, I’ve included a short biography to help me identify pertinent points to analyse.

Jeffrey Lewis was born 2^nd October, 1990, in Toowoomba. He was raised in Innisfail, a small town in Far North Queensland, where he lived in the same home from a very young age. Jeffrey comes from a loving and supportive family: his mother and father are happily married, and he has 2 elder sisters and a younger brother. Graduating high school in 2007, Jeffrey immediately commenced study at QUT, completing a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Drama)/Graduate Diploma in Education (Senior Years) in 2011. He is currently employed at an independent single-sex school in Rockhampton, where he teaches in his primary teaching areas of Drama and English, and has enrolled in a Masters of Education course with QUT.

One of the key pieces of information drawn from this biography is my age, and by extension my generational context. According to Rebecca Huntley (2006, p. 14), Generation Y “are described in study after study as optimistic, idealistic, empowered, ambitious, confident, committed and passionate”. While there is no definitive date range to define this generation, many commentators place the birthdates of this ‘Millennial’ generation somewhere between 1980 and 2000 (Pew Research Centre, 2010). It is within this cultural and generational milieu that I entered the world, and it is within this context that I have developed both personally and professionally.

In contrast with previous generations, Millennials from Western countries have grown up in relatively secure and peaceful times, without the pervasive threat of nuclear warfare or the background of World War. This certainly reflects my experiences growing up – looking back, there was a certain innocence and naivety to my worldview. Even in September 2001 when much of the world was in panic over the World Trade Centre attacks, I recall being blissfully unaware of the true gravity of what was going on. Contrary to conventional wisdom, I’d suggest that this undeniably significant event has, apart from causing mild inconvenience when travelling by plane, had very little impact on me personally – this aligns with research that suggests “even the most audacious and terrifying acts of public violence can’t dent the ambition and optimism of [Generation Y]” (Huntley, 2006, p. 4). It’s not yet clear if this is a positive trait, or whether it reflects a generation that doesn’t necessarily face problems in society, but is “more effective at ignoring them” (Huntley, 2006, p. 9).

Another defining generational trend influenced by technological advancements and an increasingly interdependent economic system is the notion of ‘the flat world’ (Friedman, 2006). This paradigm suggests that globalisation has effectively rendered notions of borders and distance redundant, allowing the world to be viewed as a two-dimensional and accessible canvas. Howe and Strauss (2009, p. 16) contend that Millennials are unique in being the first generation to “[think] of itself as global”. Given the hardships facing those living in extreme poverty, or being discriminated against across the globe, the assertion that our younger generations are capable of ignoring problems (Huntley, 2006) that are more visible than before is troubling.

Beyond the influence of generational context, the impact of neoliberal ideology on education is far-reaching and substantial. The rhetorical and policy imperatives to ‘improve standards’, ‘return to basics’, and subject students to high-stakes standardised testing measures such as NAPLAN are driven by an anti-egalitarian political and economic agenda, where responsiveness to the needs of the private sector is seen as the solution to problems facing society (Apple, 2000). Hill and Kumar (2008) suggest that these neoliberal policies have resulted in a crisis in critical thought, as controversial topics are removed from curriculum, and teacher training (nee education) focuses less on critical issues of inequality in race, gender and social class. Perhaps this to some extent accounts for the lack of empathetic thought identified previously: education is being methodically deprived of it’s ability to allow students to question our current circumstances, then hypothesise and imagine a better reality. The apathy of youth that many decry could be the product of systemic changes in education driven not by public conscience, but a search for profit (Hill & Kumar, 2008).

A Change of Course

In examining my life journey to date, I can easily define the most influential and transformative experience, which has had far-reaching impacts on my personal and professional ‘identities’. Gee (2000, p. 99) defines identities as the “kind of person” you are in any given context. For the purposes of this assignment, I’m most concerned with the effect on the performance of my teaching identity and the resulting impact on my professional self.

At the end of 2010, I found myself incapacitated with a severe case of osteomyelitis, a type of bone infection, in my right femur. While it would be hyperbolic to suggest I was in any mortal danger, I certainly had grave concerns for my future. I was told that amputation may be required if the combination of surgery and antibiotics was not successful. This came just two months before I was due to commence my Graduate Diploma in Education, the culmination of four years of study, and the first opportunity I would have to engage in a teaching practicum. After five surgeries and almost six months of intravenous and oral antibiotic treatment, I was able to successfully complete my first teaching practicum (on crutches!), cementing my passion and desire to teach. This was particularly difficult as a Drama teacher!

Linley and Joseph (2004), in reviewing the research around positive change following trauma, suggest that ‘adversarial growth’ is a concept well-supported through empirical evidence. They propose that traumatic or difficult experiences can lead to changes that “propel the individual to a higher level of functioning than that which existed prior to the event” (Linley & Joseph, 2004, p. 11). I believe my anecdotal experiences, while perhaps not empirically sound evidence, prove this point. Lying in hospital gave me a lot of time to reflect on and consider my philosophy and approach to education, and also gave me a real sense of my fragility and mortality. While I certainly spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself, I also began considering the bigger problems facing society that, typical of my generation, I had ignored thus far. The experience inspired me to broaden my engagement with critical ideas surrounding education, which has enriched me as an intellectual and as a teaching practitioner, and ultimately led me to enroll in this Masters course.

Sextant

A sextant is a navigational device that measures the angle between two objects, and was used particularly for reference with celestial objects (Wikipedia, 2013). I’ve chosen to use this ‘device’ to analyse the influence of particular theoretical or philosophical readings about the purpose and function of education in society that I’ve consumed subsequent to my illness. This choice acknowledges the sextant as a ‘personal lens’ to view various theoretical and philosophical positions (celestial objects), which helps me determine my own position. I also feel the central role of the horizon in providing a baseline for sextant measurements reflects the broader perspective I’ve gained, and acknowledges my desire to seek a greater range of challenging views. In particular, my reading has focused on the ideas espoused by two influential educational theorists interested in democratic and egalitarian outcomes: Paulo Freire and Henry Giroux.

Freire’s ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ is best described as “a pedagogy which must be forged with, not for, the oppressed… in the incessant struggle to regain their humanity” (Freire, 2000, p. 46). This implies a greater purpose in the process and institutions of education, where educators should seek to transform the ‘social reality’ of humankind through the intellectual and empathetic engagement of those who are oppressed. Applying a Foucaultian lens, it could be argued that all children, regardless of their particular socio-economic status, race or gender, would qualify as an oppressed member of society. This is evident in Foucault’s (1999, p. 98) writing on discipline and the institutions which practice and propagate it. He describes school as:

“an architecture that would operate to transform individuals: to act on those it shelters, to provide a hold on their conduct, to carry the effects of power right to them, to make it possible to know them, to alter them.”

Giroux suggests that this corporatised architecture is a genuine criticism of contemporary schooling, and helps to create a “culture of fear and security” (Giroux, 2011, p. 4). His ‘Critical Pedagogy’ places schools and universities as “important sites of struggle” (Giroux, 2011, p. 6) in society that should seek to address or confront the imbalances and injustices facing vulnerable individuals and groups. I find this especially thought-provoking in the context of a supposedly more apathetic or ignorant generation that engages less passionately in public political debate (Cowan, 1997).

The pedagogical frameworks provided by Freire and Giroux reject the paradigm of students being receptacles permitting themselves to be filled (Freire, 2000), as this does not satisfy the needs of students entering a dynamic and rapidly shifting economic and employment landscape (Friedman, 2006). Freire (2000) particularly advocated for education being the practice of freedom rather than domination. More importantly though, Freire and Giroux’s disparate but similar pedagogies encourage teachers to challenge and provoke students: to “awaken students to the surrounding world… simultaneously [giving] them the faith and strength to work to transform the world” (Van Heertum, 2006, p. 46). This explicit framing of education as a potential source of positive change, rather than a site of cultural, social and political reproduction (Giroux, 2011) has been incredibly influential in my developing philosophy of teaching.

Only through “restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry” (Freire, 2000, p. 72) can we hope to critique and improve systems, institutions and ultimately realities. This requires an approach to teaching that promotes dialectic, dialogic engagement with students over didactic methods drawn from industrial systems of education: a symbiotic exchange of ideas and knowledge rather than a transmission of narrow facts and processes. The use of more democratic pedagogical practices would, according to Giroux (2011, p. 1), “[create] the conditions for producing citizens who are critical, self-reflective, knowledgeable, and willing to make moral judgments and act in a socially responsible way”. The ultimate goal is to encourage a love of learning in students, and an appreciation that “the unfinished character of human beings and the transformational character of reality necessitate that education be an ongoing activity” (Freire, 2000, p. 84).

Finally, reflecting back on my own experiences as a student has enlightened me to some startling realisations. Freire sums up the configuration of most of my lessons in rather horrifying terms:

“The teacher talks about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable. Or else he expounds on a topic completely alien to the existential experience of the students. His task is to "fill" the students with the contents of his narration— contents which are detached from reality, disconnected from the totality that engendered them and could give them significance. Words are emptied of their concreteness and become a hollow, alienated, and alienating verbosity”(Freire, 2000, p. 71).

Thinking back, it was the teachers and the lessons that broke from this rigid model that challenged, inspired and influenced me most. It’s why I enjoyed Drama as a subject so much, and consequently chose to major in Drama education. It wasn’t until I began Curriculum Studies units in Drama though that I discovered the metalanguage and theoretical understandings to describe what I intrinsically knew about the power of experiential, aesthetic learning (Abbs, 1989).

Compass

Rather than using the more trendy and technologically based GPS to help chart future directions, I’ve leant towards the traditional compass. This choice is influenced by aesthetic considerations, as well as the implication that my future is not necessarily following a predetermined or prescribed path. A compass allows variation in the form of degrees, and suggests that new directions may be ‘discovered’ and followed along the way.

Indeed, the process of reflecting on my educational journey through this task has in many ways provided more confusion about my future directions than I previously had. I can unequivocally state my desire to engage more strongly with pedagogies promoting critical thought and issues of social justice has been cemented. That general guiding principle will serve as my ‘Northern Star’, so to speak. I now realise that this interest is largely a reaction against the perceived prevalence of apathy amongst today’s youth. My desire to disrupt accepted power and discipline structures engendered by a powerful neoliberal agenda, and promote critical and empathetic thought in young people, is also a result of a greater sense of purpose that I’ve derived from a serious medical condition. I have a belief that Drama pedagogy is a powerful tool in achieving that goal, and in my current role as a classroom teacher am endeavoring to embed meaningful, experiential learning experiences as much as possible to achieve these goals.

However, I’m not quite sure what lies along the path laid out for me. For now my goal is to see the impact of this intellectual awakening on my immediate classroom practice. Moving forward, it’s conceivable that I may perceive my greatest impact can be had in a classroom setting: however, I’d like to better understand the scope available to enact meaningful change at various levels within the educational field. This could lead me to pursue positions in areas such as school leadership, research and academia, pre-service teacher training, curriculum development or policy positions. I hope my engagement with assessment two will provide greater insight into the best path for me.

Reference List:

Abbs, P. (1989). A is for aesthetic: Essays on creative and aesthetic education: Psychology Press.

Apple, M.W. (2000). Between neoliberalism and neoconservatism: Education and conservatism in a global context. Globalization and education: Critical perspectives, 57, 77.

Pew Research Centre. (2010). Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change. Retrieved 8 April 2013, from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2010/02/24/millennials-confident-connected-open-to-change/

Cowan, J.J. (1997). The war against apathy: Four lessons from the front lines of youth advocacy. National Civic Review, 86(3), 193-202.

Foucault, M. (1999). The Means of Correct Training. In A. Elliot (Ed.), The Blackwell reader in contemporary social theory (pp. 97-106). Oxford: Blackwell. Retrieved from http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed (M. B. Ramos, Trans. 30th Anniversary ed.). New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.

Friedman, T.L. (2006). The Right Stuff: Tubas and Test TubesThe world is flat: a brief history of the twenty-first century (pp. 301-322). New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux. Retrieved from http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp.

Gee, J.P. (2000). Identity as an analytic lens for research in education. Review of research in education, 25, 99-125.

Giroux, H. (2011). On Critical Pedagogy (S. R. Steinberg & A. M. A. Freire Eds.). New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.

Hill, D., & Kumar, R. (2008). Global neoliberalism and education and its consequences (Vol. 3). Routledge.

Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2009). Millennials rising: The next great generation. USA: Vintage.