Now however, I feel that CRRP may not be the best pedagogy to make our schools more equitable. As our society changes, our pedagogies have to reflect that.
All of the components CRRP are important and practical however, they do not go far enough into supporting students as they learn and work thought these ideas. For example, Characteristic 1 is only partly helpful. Socio-cultural consciousness is described in the monograph as "an awareness of how social-cultural structures impact individual experiences and opportunities." Essentially, this characteristic asks teachers to recognize that oppression is systemic, and can be a barriers to many students and their education. This is important, but we also need to recognize how these experiences lead to harm and trauma, and to find ways to help emphasize taking care of one's self and well-being.
Click on the image to download the monograph about CRRP by the Ministry of Education Ontario
Absolutely there are elements of CRRP that are very useful and helpful. All the characteristics, are only part-way there interns of supporting students through the changes that CRRP hopes to make in education. It is a good start for sure. There will never be a "one pedagogy" that will solve inequity in all schools. Not even in all Canadian schools, as there are vast differences in the schools of one city, let alone a board, or a province.
But I think we should move past CRRP to an "Engaged Pedagogy." Engaged Pedagogy comes from bell hooks book Teaching to Trangress- it is unabashedly candid about how education is an opportunity to provide societal change for the better.
hooks writes that teaching should be progressive, but holistic and engaged not only by the students, but by the teacher as well. That teachers commit to the process of self-actualization and well being as a means to empower their students and themselves.( hooks, Teaching to Transgress, 1994, 15.) But students aren’t the only ones who share or take risks, I would never ask my students to do something I wouldn’t do. To have an engaged pedagogy also means that I adjust the curriculum to confront biases and erasure in all the subjects I teach. Part of empowering my students is to ensure that they are all represented in the materials I used and the lessons I teach. (Luckily in Ontario, our curricula are open enough to allows educators some flexibility in the topics they teach, provided they are within the perimeters of the expectations.)
Moving to an Engaged Pedagogy is not a huge step away from CRRP, it mainly adds some components that CRRP lack:
Looking at a comparison of CRRP and Engaged Pedagogy, you can see that they have similar components, however an Engaged Pedagogy incorporates the well-being and empowerment as core to the characteristics. The differences that I think are key, is the emphasis on well-being, empowerment and action.
In characteristics 1, that socio-cultural consciousness is important, but so is the emphasis on well-being. Learning about oppression and institutions is often difficult and can lead to a plethora of feelings. We also need to teach students to deal with those feelings. We know as adults ourselves that this type of work can lead to complicated emotion such as vicarious traumatization and compassion fatigue. This is a risk for students too- so embedded in the learning has to be taking care of one's emotional state.
Characteristics 2 emphasizes his expectations for students and teachers. Student do their best when we do our best. And this is not to say teachers' aren't working hard- they are. Maybe too much. We need to model what we want our students to learn. If you are stressed and you need a day, take a day off. Don't come to school sick- if students see us take care of ourselves, they will too.
Characteristics 3 mark the biggest difference between CRRP and Engaged Pedagogy- moving from the "desire for change" to working for it. Engaged Pedagogy emphasizes Paulo Freire's idea of praxis (from Pedagogy of the Oppressed), or more specifically, “action and reflection on the world in order to change it.” (hooks, Teaching to Transgress, 1994, 14.) Teaching students how they can make changes is integral to this learning. How hopeless would it feel to learn about these injustices and not how to help change it?
Another key aspect in Engaged pedagogy is the empowerment of students. We need to recognize and support their agency, and ideas. Which can be difficult in our current educational institutions. Mutual respect and consistent communication has helped me create a class of more empowered students.
Finally, Engaged pedagogy is about being culturally responsive to the students in front of you in your class. Making sure that what you are teaching reflects who they are, and including their histories and identities in your material. Involve them! What do they want to learn? Some of my best units have come out of asking students what they wanted to learn.
If you want to know more about Engaged Pedagogy, pick up a copy of bell hooks' Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. It really did change my teaching for the better.
