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Educating for a Change
Arnold, Rick, Burke, Bev, James, Carl, Martin, D'Arcy, Thomas, Barb
Publisher: Doris Marshalll Institute for Education and Action/Between the Lines, Toronto, CanadaYear Published: 1991 Pages: 206pp ISBN: 0-921284-48-9 Resource Type: Book Cx Number: CX4552 For the authors of Ecuating for a Change, genuine democracy does not happen solely through our political and educational work. Democratic processes and practices are essential elements in achieving a truly participatory society. The books offers theory and practical tools for consciously applying the principles of democratic practice to daily work. Abstract: Educating for a Change is a book written for educators, those interested in how education works and for everyone who believes that "top-down practices" in education should end. Written by critical educators and formed from a series of notes and ideas established in workshops, this book responds to how people avoid taking a position on the role of power within education. The book proposes these two axioms: education must empower all to enact change and education must be based on democratic practice. This democratic practice should ensure conditions in the learning environment which allow for full and equal participation in discussion, debate and decision making. Educating for a Change unearths the political dimension of learning and reveals power relations within society with the hope of offering tools, skills and confidence to those who have a vision of alternative power relations. The authors note that educators for social change fundamentally reflect on "praxis," "theory in action" and how to engage politically as opposed to when one learns only for the sake of knowledge. The goal is for the book to have international applicability beyond its Canadian context. The authors hope to use the book as a vehicle for dialogue with other groups in areas where they lack experience and knowledge in order to gain new insights. The book is structured into five chapters with an additional introduction and a postscript. At the end of the introduction the reader is given important terms and definitions used throughout the book to familiarize him/her with the critical position of the editors. Chapter 1 focuses on the topic of strategy in addressing the following: factors to consider before getting involved in educational programs and the importance of analyzing both your place as a teacher and the broader social context in which learning occurs. In Chapter 2, the writers relate their experiences of designing educational events to show the readers how goals are achieved. Their experiences focus on interactions with international solidarity groups, the trade union movement and anti-racist educators. Chapter 3 discusses educational activities with the use of examples from the past, while Chapter 4 discusses the challenges of group facilitation, such as coordinating conflicting agendas. In Chapter 5 the authors share lessons they have gained from past experiences working as educators for social change. Finally, Chapter 6 predicts the challenges to come for educators and education programs. The Postscript includes two items: a discussion which took place between authors towards the end of the writing process and comments from colleagues who read the manuscript along the way. [Abstract by Amanpreet Dhami] Table of Contents INTRODUCTION THE WRITERS A WORD ABOUT WORDS Words about education Words about people ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 THIS IS OUR CHANCE: EDUCATING STRATEGICALLY PAINTING OURSELVES INTO THE PICTURE Social identity Organizational identity Political identity ASSESSING THE SITUATION The purposes The content The method 2 WORKING BY DESIGN: PUTTING TOGETHER A PROGRAM TAKING OURSELVES SERIOUSLY The politics and economics of planning A note on planning, design, and facilitation The planning phase The design phase: the model matters Why we find the spiral model useful THE BUILDING BLOCKS Steering around our nightmares: who's coming and why Getting the objectives straight PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER Getting started Getting out people's experience or knowledge of a theme Looking for patterns in our experience Adding theory/new information Practising skills, forming strategies, and planning for action Reflection and evaluation A twist in the spiral Documenting the process A DESIGNING CHECKLIST 3 SHAPING OUR TOOLS: DEVELOPING AND USING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES AND HOW TO CHOOSE THEM What is an activity? Steps or moments in an activity Deciding on an activity Reshaping an activity GETTING STARTED Buses or lifeboats: an introductory exercise Paired interviews Starter puzzle Three paired skirmish and round robin DRAWING OUT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND LOOKING FOR PATTERNS Helps/hinders Nightmares The power flower: reflection on our social identities Drawing "When I see, hear, feel these things..." ADDING THEORY OR NEW INFORMATION Triangle tool Facilitator presentations Sculpturing an analysis PRACTISING SKILLS, FORMING STRATEGIES, AND PLANNING FOR ACTION Using video Case studies Stop drama, or "take two" REFLECTION AND EVALUATION Quick and dirty: reconstructing an activity Quick and dirty: line-up Fly on the ceiling Process observers Head, heart, feet ENERGIZING PARTICIPANTS AND FACILITATORS The people say Post office Sentence reconstruction Person to person A FINAL WORD 4 WORKING ON OUR FEET: THE PRACTICE OF DEMOCRATIC FACILITATION USING SPACE: THE POLITICS OF FURNITURE A story So what's going on? Tips on using space democratically MAKING THE MOST OF WHO WE ARE A story So what's going on? Tips on making the most of who we are ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY/SHARING THE EXPERT ROLE A story So what's going on? Tips on establishing credibility/sharing the expert role GIVING AND GETTING FEEDBACK A story So what's going on? Tips on giving and getting feedback CHALLENGING AND ENCOURAGING RESISTANCE A Story So what's going on? Tips on challenging and encouraging resistance WORKING WITH DISCOMFORT A story So what's going on? Tips on working with discomfort CONFLICT: HEADING INTO THE WIND A story So what's going on? Tips on handling conflict TIMING: EXIT LINES A story So what's going on? Tips on timing THE FACILITATOR'S ROLL 5 LOOKING BACK: ISSUES EMERGING FROM OUR PRACTICE THE BASIS OF OUR PRACTICE What is education for anyway? What if you're educating for a change? Whose agenda? Connecting with learners Educators as consultants: who are they? POWER RELATIONS Power and social change educators Power and social identities The benefits of recognizing the role of social identities Sharing power The educator as facilitator and learner INCREASING OUR IMPACT Assess the situation Grab the free space Acknowledge the contradictions in the work Work collectively Help to give voice to others and promote their presence A VITAL BRIDGE 6 LOOKING AHEAD: IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR WORK IN THE 1990s ECONOMIC CHALLENGES Canada's economic future at stake Lifting the last frontiers: capital and resistance go global The "human resources" talk back POLITICAL CHALLENGES First Nations on the move Sovereignty and association SOCIAL CHALLENGES Deeds not words: feminizing our practice Confronting White privilege Taking back the Grey Agenda A matter of planetary survival Humanizing the workplace CULTURAL AND IDEOLOGICAL CHALLENGES Democracy: the threat of a good example Arts and media: freeing the imagination BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, BUILDING LINKS POSTSCRIPT THIS BOOK AND US: A CONVERSATION READERS RESPOND: SOME QUOTES EDUCATING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE: A BIBLIOGRAPHY Subject Headings |