As I
read this article, I thought that something that is important to remember while
teaching is to try and be as unbiased as possible. The author’s reflection
about how he favored some students over others, despite not intending to, illustrated
to me how one can allow factors to affect their teaching that really shouldn't
do so. For example, McLaren tells of how he connected with students whose “cultural
capital” was similar to his and how these students received better instruction
from him (81). Obviously, teachers should remember that students all should
receive proper instruction, regardless of their situations (such as class,
gender, etc.).
Another
point I thought was intriguing was when McLaren discussed dialectal understanding
of schools and how it “permits us to see schools as sites of both domination and liberation” (62). I primarily
found this interesting because of Freire’s ideas about how instruction is
either oppressive or not, whereas this dialectal
understanding offers less of a black-and-white approach to the situation. In
my opinion, it would seem that certain practices would perpetuate current
relations more so than others, but having some such practices does not mean
that the institution or instruction is wholly oppressive or founded in
domination.
The
section on hegemony was particularly interesting because it seemed like it
would be a difficult situation to alter, particularly when the majority of
people are working for it, despite whether the situation benefits them or not.
Overall, I thought that, while I read this section, people should pay greater
attention to the practices they support, idealize, or participate in. Also,
when McLaren discussed oppositional ideologies that have been manipulated by
the dominant culture, I could not help but think of the “false generosity” that
Freire spoke of because both seem to be providing the populace with a sort of
false sense of goodwill.
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