December 6...Teaching toward Freedom

Relate this book to anything we’ve discussed so far during this course. I always find this book inspirational and I hope you do, too. That said, as always, feel free to discuss the book in whatever way you see fit. If you found any of his examples of things teachers do in their classrooms useful, please discuss... 

November 29...Privilege, Power and Difference, pt. 2

Johnson provides some ideas about how we can actively work toward a fairer, more equitable and increasingly just society:

•    Talking openly and honestly about privilege and oppression
•     Making others uncomfortable
•     The role and importance of individual action
•     Make small changes and don’t take the “path of least resistance”
•     Actively protest/work against injustice
•     Walk in others’ shoes/learn to see the world from the perspective of others

These are important ideas and hard to argue with in the abstract, but how we negotiate our interest in fighting privilege/oppression with the realities of maintaining our relationships and continuing to live an enjoyable life in our decidedly imperfect world is an interesting question.  How do we decide which battles are “worth fighting”? Finally, how might/should being an educator relate to this discussion?