Literature review 3.
Unsettling deficit views of students ad their communities
Robert Hattam and Brenton Prosser
Hattam and Prosser (2008) explore the possibilities of redesigning pedagogies in the middle years of schooling. They believe that the middle years movement that began around ten years ago is unfinished and has not been sustained across our educational systems. Even though there is evidence of state systems in Australia exploring the notion of identity in its curriculum frameworks, such as the Queensland Productive Pedagogies and the South Australian Curriculum Framework, overall the shift has been difficult, and “schooling is losing its influence on the process of youth identity formation” (p.91).
The didactic mode of teaching has, in most parts and particularly in primary schools, lost favour. However, Hattam and Prosser argue that it can be evident in classrooms where direct instruction and formal teaching are still, to some degree, reminiscent of the banking education referred to by Freire (1972). They allude to systemic structures that have taken place over the last few years and note,
“Unfortunately there is an increasingly loud din being made by those advocating ‘learning by passive absorption’ which we believe undermines decades of educational work that has placed the question: ‘what about the learner?’ in the middle of the frame for educational debate about what’s ‘good’ curriculum and pedagogy” (Hattam & Prosser, 2008, p.91)
Hattam and Prosser (2008) discuss an alternative approach to curriculum development through a, funds of knowledge approach. Understanding the knowledge that the community brings with them to the school environment can help a teacher shape the learning. This knowledge includes social histories of households, family social networks, knowledge skills and labour and even they way generate, obtain and distribute knowledge. However, as the authors note, ethnographic observations and interviews take time, and not many teachers have this amount of time to develop this understanding of their students. This will need to be something to consider in terms of my ability, and the ability of the teachers in the school to be able to arrive a deep understanding of the students and families.
The authors also recognize that students can also create their own funds of knowledge independently from their families. Hattam and Prosser offer the use of a self -narrative or story as a pedagogical approach, that is, learning as a result from living. The narration and re-narration of one’s story as an individual or as a collective can help to dislodge the deficit views of identity, especially in middle years. Linking with popular culture, music and sport can be a way to help student portray their lifeworlds.
This pedagogical approach of self-narrative provides a possible pathway for action research. The use of story to harness and share new positive narratives could help to engage students on a cognitive and affective level and thus, connect them closer to schooling, and making learning more meaningful. Egan (1986) in Johnson and Reed (2008), states the importance of affective meaning, human emotions and intentions, “in providing access to knowledge and engaging us in knowledge” (p.243).
References:
Hattam, R., & Prosser, B. (2008). Unsettling deficit views of students and their communities The Australian Educational Researcher, 35(2), 89 - 106.
Johnston, T. W., & Reed, R. F. (2008). Philosophical Documents in Education (Third Edition ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Hattam and Prosser (2008) explore the possibilities of redesigning pedagogies in the middle years of schooling. They believe that the middle years movement that began around ten years ago is unfinished and has not been sustained across our educational systems. Even though there is evidence of state systems in Australia exploring the notion of identity in its curriculum frameworks, such as the Queensland Productive Pedagogies and the South Australian Curriculum Framework, overall the shift has been difficult, and “schooling is losing its influence on the process of youth identity formation” (p.91).
The didactic mode of teaching has, in most parts and particularly in primary schools, lost favour. However, Hattam and Prosser argue that it can be evident in classrooms where direct instruction and formal teaching are still, to some degree, reminiscent of the banking education referred to by Freire (1972). They allude to systemic structures that have taken place over the last few years and note,
“Unfortunately there is an increasingly loud din being made by those advocating ‘learning by passive absorption’ which we believe undermines decades of educational work that has placed the question: ‘what about the learner?’ in the middle of the frame for educational debate about what’s ‘good’ curriculum and pedagogy” (Hattam & Prosser, 2008, p.91)
Hattam and Prosser (2008) discuss an alternative approach to curriculum development through a, funds of knowledge approach. Understanding the knowledge that the community brings with them to the school environment can help a teacher shape the learning. This knowledge includes social histories of households, family social networks, knowledge skills and labour and even they way generate, obtain and distribute knowledge. However, as the authors note, ethnographic observations and interviews take time, and not many teachers have this amount of time to develop this understanding of their students. This will need to be something to consider in terms of my ability, and the ability of the teachers in the school to be able to arrive a deep understanding of the students and families.
The authors also recognize that students can also create their own funds of knowledge independently from their families. Hattam and Prosser offer the use of a self -narrative or story as a pedagogical approach, that is, learning as a result from living. The narration and re-narration of one’s story as an individual or as a collective can help to dislodge the deficit views of identity, especially in middle years. Linking with popular culture, music and sport can be a way to help student portray their lifeworlds.
This pedagogical approach of self-narrative provides a possible pathway for action research. The use of story to harness and share new positive narratives could help to engage students on a cognitive and affective level and thus, connect them closer to schooling, and making learning more meaningful. Egan (1986) in Johnson and Reed (2008), states the importance of affective meaning, human emotions and intentions, “in providing access to knowledge and engaging us in knowledge” (p.243).
References:
Hattam, R., & Prosser, B. (2008). Unsettling deficit views of students and their communities The Australian Educational Researcher, 35(2), 89 - 106.
Johnston, T. W., & Reed, R. F. (2008). Philosophical Documents in Education (Third Edition ed.). Boston: Pearson.