What Has Changed Since the Previous Edition?
The world has changed. Pedagogy has changed. Language has changed. The world is more frightening, and the response has been controlled pedagogy and controlled language; all of which leads to controlled thought. In this edition, I will write critically and honestly of my perspective on some of the changes. Specifically, new passages have been added throughout the text on high stakes testing, teacher accountability, and mandatory curriculum, and bilingual education.
Ideology now trumps thought in many pockets of pedagogy. My goal is to pick these pockets apart. In spite of my deep concern for the path we are now walking, I will close this edition with another challenge from Freire as he called us to a “pedagogy of hope.”
The Preface is shorter than the previous two editions The previous editions had 5 chapters; this edition has 8. Each chapter concludes with a new section, Practicing Pedagogy Patiently, with suggestions for turning theory to practice.
Chapter 1 tells of my real world. The Jonathan story of literacy has been replaced with a new story of my grandson, Harry Potter, Pokemon, and Captain Underpants. As with previous editions, the purpose of this is to challenge our assumptions about literacy.
Chapter 2 tells the story of students and teachers who taught me that much of critical pedagogy is discovered in that enlightened, and often uncomfortable, space of relearning and unlearning. This chapter includes stories of some of my own recent relearning and unlearning.
Chapter 3 deconstructs the language of critical pedagogy by demonstrating the language in real classroom experiences. My goal is to respond to a consistent request by readers: show me what it means. A few new stories on comments have been added about Dr. Phil, Annie Lamott, and NCLB.
Chapter 4 is new and responds to the consistent request by readers: What do I (Joan) think critical pedagogy is?
Chapter 5 traces the roots of critical pedagogy through Latin America, Europe, and North America. A new section is a transcription of Freire’s own words in a presentation on teaching and learning. In addition, one of Tove Skutnabb-Kangas doctoral students writes of critical pedagogy from the Eastern perspective. Thank you, Lava.
Chapter 6 focuses on classroom activities. It begins with activities, which are new to this edition. In the latter half of this chapter, I will revisit some of the methods, which were included previously; however, they have been greatly condensed.
Chapter 7 is new and focuses on critically engaging families in critical pedagogy.
Chapter 8 offers a glimpse of some of my own emerging answers and offers the readers the opportunity to discover critical pedagogy in the context of their own lives. This edition concludes in a new manner with a visual look at the way in which one secondary teacher turned critical pedagogy into action through her art. Thank you, Dayna.
