Andres Lombana 
Notes on Readings 11/1/2010
Difference in the classroom
398T


Identity, race, social class, and gender cannot be ignored in the classroom. They determine the dialogue between teacher and students, the building of a community, and the whole learning experience. However, addressing these issues is complicated. How do we discuss race, racism, elitism, discrimination, religion and social struggle in the classroom? How do we, as teachers with particular identity, gender, race, and social class, negotiate with students ones? 

As Peterson states, being critical pedagogues will allow us to embrace and bring diversity and multiculturalism into the classroom. Using as example United States' literature, she reveals that it is possible to join the struggle portrayed in any given text into the classroom. Even if the teacher is speaking about and something that is different to her identity, race, or gender, she can build bridges between the text meaning and voice, the students, and her own. Along with this idea, we can situate Jones argument on the importance of avoiding a parochial approach to pedagogy in which teachers can only teach histories about their own identities. As Jones illustrates with the own scholarship, all of us are composed of multiple layers of identity and we can teach, discuss, and research about any of those layers that compose us. It is important to address certain groups that have been ignored for a long time, even if they appear at the first time, to be not our outstanding identity. Jones' example of scholarship on black working women, reveals how the "authentic voice" that talks about race, gender, and social class, can be found by authors who have different races. I agree with Jones, race matters less than the argument. In a globalized world, such statement becomes even more important due to the multiple crosses of cultures that happens in a large scale. 


We, as teachers, cannot ignore social struggle and politics. I agree with both Hooks
and Fox, in that we have to confront the contradictions of the society where we live and teach. In the classroom we have to confront the complicated issues of racism, feminism, and classism. As Fox suggests, confronting them, will also help us to embrace multiculturalism and learn about the different cultures and identities that meet in the classroom. In the classroom,  we have to be able to propitiate and facilitate the construction of an open space where the issues of class, race, and gender can be confronted. As Hooks points out, teachers with commitment to feminist politics and black struggle need to engage in classroom dialogue practices that allow all students (including non-feminists, non-black) to engage in open dialogue. I agree with her and believe that critical pedagogy needs to embrace the different struggles that we leave as members of a society. However, I am also aware of the difficulties of confronting these issues. I understand the difficulties, as Hooks reveals, that black female professors face when trying to do feminist scholarship. As critical teachers we are also activists with a certain social struggle, say feminism, black, latino struggle, and we are required to be ready to discuss it openly in the classroom. As Fox stated, “getting real is the only way that healing can begin.”   

There are some strategies and techniques that are useful for embracing multiculturalism and open the space for confronting race, gender, class, and identities in the classroom. First of all we need to be confident about starting the dialogue and do not be scared of loosing control and authority. As Fox says, it is right to open the space for confrontation. Second, we have to be sensititive about inter- and cross-cultural interactions with students and collegues, respect them, affirm human similarities, show students of color you can be trusted, avoid students of color speak for the entire ethnic group.   Van Note Chism provides some tips on who to create a welcoming diverse environment in the classroom such as calling students by their names, engaging in “small talks,” encouraging different perspectives, promoting collaborative learning (focus groups, peer teaching).  Third, we need to create a curriculum that welcomes difference and promote the engagement of students from diverse social and race groups. As Van Note Chisms claims, by varying between several instructional approaches we can provide opportunities for full participation. For instance, teacher can move from simulations, to lecture, to discussion, to small-group work. Fox also points out that there are also certain texts, videos, exercises, and discussion topics that promote conversations about race in the classroom. In order to encourage multiculturalism, we have to learn about each culture and understand them even if they are different to our very own.I certainly agree with Fox,in that the use of audiovisual media is very helpful for talking about race and racism. Because stereotypes are so blatant in films and television, the audiovisual texts provide material that students can recognize and critique more easily. 


All in all, we critical pedagogues have to create a cross-cultural space for confrontation and learning, an open environment that promotes engaging and respectful dialogue between students and teachers.