Hi Steve, Cynthia, All,

 

Steve, you recently wrote:

 

"3) Social activism

If the goal is not English language instruction, but "educating" the
students in some activist agenda, find a person who speaks their
language to do it. Do not confuse it with English teaching." 

 

I'm sure others may have questions in this regard as I see the
intersection of not only critical thinking and instruction, but a
fundamental difference in instructional philosophy (for lack of a better
phrase at the moment). But I have 2 questions for you:

 

1.      Do you find yourself in agreement or disagreement with what
Cynthia wrote below? In other words, if the content of language
instruction were activism-related (contextual, based on learners'
interests and helped them to think critically to arrive at their own
decisions while achieving their learning goals) would you be opposed to
activism in adult literacy?

 

2.      What are some examples of "educating the students in some
activist agenda?" 

 

Cynthia: Do you have anything to add on the points you or Steve have
made...what is activism, agency, and how do you see it enacted with the
instructor inside or outside of the adult education classroom? Any
examples you might provide on what you've described?

 

--And what do others think?

 

Thanks! Best...Jackie Taylor, jataylor at utk.edu 

 

Cynthia wrote:

 

I think Steve Kaufmann raises an interesting point below about the

relationship between critical thinking and activism. I agree that

teaching critical thinking skills is about helping students come to

their own conclusions, not spoonfeeding a replacement ideology. But I'm

not sure I agree about activism.

 

One aspect of critical thinking, it seems to me, is understanding the

role of human agency, including our own. A teacher shouldn't presume to

tell students which direction to take their activism (or agency), but a

teacher should look for ways to help students see that systems and

institutions come from decisions that people made (not from nature) and

they can be altered by more human decisions/activism.

 

Curious to know what others think about this...

 


> One word of caution. I do not think that critical thinking should be



> confused with any kind of social activism. We cannot promote an



> ideology, however exalted, and at the same time encourage critical



> thinking. Surely critical thinking requires people to form their own



> opinions and to learn how to present them effectively and yet deal


with


> contrary opinions. 


 

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