Seminar #1 Reading Response
Q: How does Kumashiro define ‘common sense’?
Why is it so important to pay attention to ‘common sense’?
A: Kumashiro describes common sense as the accepted behaviours in a given society. He exemplifies this with a story from his time teaching in Nepal and the difficulty he had adjusting to the ‘common sense’ customs of the Nepali people. He reflects on his time training in the Peace Corps and explains that they received very little training on how to teach because their superiors believed that they already knew how to since they had all gone through the education system. Basically, the were expected to mimic exactly how they had been taught and, in turn, reproduce the idea that the “American” way is the best way.
Kumashiro then goes on to explain that the common sense “American” way; while comforting to a large part of the American population, is also oppressive to anyone who doesn’t fall under the “norm” of white, European, and Christian. Through what is believed to be ‘appropriate’ behaviour for teachers in America, the classroom is filled with un-questioned rules and systems that have been accepted as the best. The comforting common sense should be questioned because we need to change the status quo in order to reach anti-oppressive education. A lot of what we do that is believed to be common sense is actually inherently learned behaviour or belief and is not necessarily inclusive. As not to divert from social norms, we often behave in ways in which we feel we “should” or in ways that are comfortably acceptable and appropriate social behaviours. Kumashiro encourages all educators not to conform but instead to integrate social justice and anti-oppressive education into their classroom.
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oliviastasiuk 