Allison’s Anecdotes

Wow… I really said a lot today… sorry guys!  I feel the need now to clarify some things I said (or didn’t say) in class in reference to censorship.

I appreciated Pearl’s comment as it made us realize that this isn’t a one-size-fits-all-rule.  As with all the issues presented in class, there are multiple ways of looking at the situation.  And it is from this multi-faceted standpoint that I make the case that censorship is something that doesn’t belong in public schools in reference to textbooks, literature, or the like.  Now, 3 weeks ago, I know that my views would be totally different and I would have agreed whole-heartedly that parents/government should censor the material brought into the classroom.  However, my views are different now.  In order to maintain a degree of social justice, educating our children to think critically, and challenge the status quo, one must be willing to consider varying ideas and different view points.  Literature is an amazing medium by which we are able to investigate, educate, and discover new opportunities.  I didn’t read Harry Potter until last December — I originally took the viewpoint of most conservatives.  Now, I love it.  Censorship though isn’t about one book — it’s an ideology.  It’s an ideology that stems from the desire to control what is deemed acceptable by society.  How can we as educators embrace an ideology that exists to control when we rally for social justice and equality? 

Speaking in reference to parents — parents are the primary teacher of the child.  A teacher must forge a positive partnership with the parents throughout the entire year.  A teacher should take the parent’s perspective into consideration and seek to embrace the culture and collaborate for the good of the child.  However, if a teacher is going to provide an equal educational experience for all students, then the teacher must present varied topics and opinions.  There is not one right way for every child.  Because multiple ways of learning exist, I think the teacher should structure the classroom in a way that is age-appropriate, of course, but poses questions to children allowing them to see different viewpoints and ideas and discover their own beliefs.  Parents should absolutely dialogue with their children and ascertain their thoughts and feelings.  A parent should be able to help the child weed through the multiple options and assist the child in formulating his own beliefs.  With parent’s guiding the development of the child, and teachers facilitating exposure and offering challenges, a child will gain the best from both perspectives and be able to make informed, critical decisions as an adult.

It truly takes many voices, experiences, and perspectives to provide a child with an effective education.  I hope that an open environment, where questions are welcomed and opinions are raised, will characterize my classroom.