Coming into graduate school, I would not have labeled myself as a reflective person. I would take things at face value and make a judgment on them without much thought except about what was most rational. I found value in making rational and logical decisions without inundating myself with the process of reflection and analysis. As I read chapters three and four in Pedagogy of the Oppressed, two things really stuck out to me - the need for dialogue and the need for reflection coupled with action (praxis). I think these are two of the most important things that I have learned both personally and for my classroom through the course of my journey at Georgia State. They are two things that we have been hit with over and over again - sometimes completely unwilling - that have had a profound effect.
"To speak a true word is to transform the world (Freire, 1970, p.87)." Through my TICC project, I have been encouraging my students to use true words. I want them to say what they mean and express themselves in a way that is both reflective and informed. I want those words to hold value that they can make a change. The need for dialogue about things is present in this. Both myself and my students need to be allowed the space to talk through problems and work with others to formulate solutions. Isn't this how adults solve problems? They reach out to trusted family members, friends, and coworkers when there is a problem that they need to solve. Freire reminded me that there has to be a space for this - not just with my TICC project but in my classroom as a whole.
Students who are able to "name their world" automatically take a sense of ownership in that world. They become "masters of their thinking by discussing the thinking and views of the world explicitly or implicitly manifest in their own suggestions and those of their comrades" (p.124). This says it all. The investigation process through the students' projects has created a forum where they can ask in depth research questions about things that are close to their hearts and a huge part of their lives. Through discussion in their groups, research, and problem-solving based inquiry, they are inundating themselves in HOW to come to a solution with their own ideas and voices in unison with their like-minded classmates. They are practicing the use of dialogue through self-advocacy and giving a voice to problems in their school and community that need to be talked about instead of continually being swept under the rug.
The other part the Freire pointed out that was related to my work was the connection between reflection and action. I do not want to turn my students in complainers or talkers. I want them to be full of action and ready and willing to not only stand up for what they believe in but do something about it. Praxis eliminates passivity. Freire calls for reflection. THE REFLECTION HAS TO BE A PART OF IT. That is something that I have learned over and over again through teaching. Without the reflection and processing and the thought, the action can often be misguided or totally wrong. I will admit that some of my project has turned into rants between my students about the problems that they see that are not solution-based. I think that one of my downfalls in this project is letting that get too far in some cases instead of redirecting the discussions into ways that we can make changes.
For that reason, reflection is so important but action must come next because there is "no transformation without action" (p.87). Transformation comes when the voices move from the hushed tones of teachers and students in their classrooms out into the building where they are expressed and solutions are created. Transformation comes when the students believe what they have to say is valuable and that someone is listening to them. Transformation comes when the reflection behind the scenes in met with the action in the forefront. Freire holds that both dialogue guided by reflection and reflection that leads to action must be a part of releasing the oppressed from their current situation. This applies strongly to the voices of my students that are growing through their explorations in my TICC project.
These are some great thoughts, Kelsey! I know that we are very different in that I have always been a reflective (sometimes overly reflective) person. Sometimes I am so preoccupied with my reflection that I don't spend enough time actually trying to change myself and take action. I am inspired to become a critical educator, but critical educators don't merely talk about injustices. I think that is such an important step, though, especially because we teach young children. I know that I don't want to simplify the injustices of the world by painting them black and white. So that is why I have justified spending a lot of time talking about problems to better understand them. I go back & forth on this, because I personally know that dialogue has helped me become the person I am. But obviously the point of these projects is not just to talk about community problems. It's not that my students are not taking action, but I think that they have trouble connecting their action to the problem. I would love to hear about how you're helping your students really feel connected to the purpose of why they are working on a specific project. Some of my students are getting lost in the actual project that they don't even remember why they started it in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you focused so much on reflection in this blog post. I almost forgot that reflection is actually a stage in the service-learning process (well, the last stage is technically celebration/reflection). This is important because in a way, I don't think that my students are doing enough MEANINGFUL reflection on their action and their project. I think that I have been trying to get them to act, act, act, that I have not stressed the reflection as much as I usually do. Thanks for reminding me of this incredibly important step.
Kelsey,
ReplyDeleteI think you bring up a valid connection between reflection and action. Without thoughtful reflection action would be misguided and without action reflection would never create change. I think that's the purpose of our TICC projects. It allows us to support our students in meaningful reflection and encourage them to be change agents of their world.
Dialogue helps in the process in that students are able to share their reflections with each other and express how they see their world.
Equally as important is our own ability to reflect and create action. To create meaningful ways we can create change in our practice and with our relationships to our kids is a very powerful thing.
Kels,
ReplyDeleteI really relate to the two things you have taken away, as we all know I would not have considered myself a reflective person (and I still struggle with reflecting at times) but I realize that in order to make change it has to happen. I do however consider myself one to engage in dialogue frequently and I agree that dialogue must happen in order for things to get accomplished as well.
I really like what you said "Both myself and my students need to be allowed the space to talk through problems and work with others to formulate solutions. Isn't this how adults solve problems?" I too have tried really hard to remind myself that my students need the space and opportunity to have dialogue in the classroom. I realize that when they have a space to be heard they feel more relaxed and included which is the type of atmosphere I want to have inside my classroom.
I think you are dead on with the idea that reflection has to be followed by practice and action. It is impossible to make a change to something when you don't reflect and then act - reflecting is only part of the battle. It is really important to not only practice this ourselves but to provide our students with an opportunity to do this routinely as well (not just occasionally).
KM
Kelsey, I like that you focused on how your thinking and reflection of these chapters have impacted your project with your students and the space you are creating for them in your classroom.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important to be able to put reflection into action and you highlighted that throughout your blog. Teaching children how to be change agents of their own situations is quite powerful and I am blown away by the values you are instilling in them through this kind of critical teaching and exploration of one's thinking.
The group work and collaboration that your students are doing also stuck out to me as I work with my own first graders, trying to encourage them to consider other's opinions and concerns. It was very inspiring to read how you are giving them the tools to be collaborative learners working together to solve a common problem.
Kelsey,
ReplyDeleteI always love reading your entries because I know the kiddies you're talking about! I really agree with your section regarding reflection. I, too, can't believe the amount of reflection we have become accustomed to and have recently realized the importance of sharing the value of reflection with our students in our classroom. I think that the types of projects you're students are engaged in now are so powerful for them at the age they are at and their immediate future- leaving the small SLES community and heading to a larger middle school. The value in facilitating them working in small, problem-solving groups is immense. They are engaging in dialogue with each other and you. Awesome!
I love this post, Kelsey. Although I am different from you in the sense that my strength is in reflection, I can really relate to that struggle of finding a balance between the two. I need to be more ACTION based than I am. I very often get stuck in the reflection phase--I can reflect for long periods of time over an array of different things. It's healthy and beneficial in a lot of ways, but I hate that I am so much slower to move. I can see how this impacts my students. They, too, think deeply about things, but I have not pushed them to move on their thoughts. I appreciate the way your post helps me to think more about edging my students towards meaningful actions to address their thoughts.
ReplyDelete