What Becomes Official Knowledge in Our Schools? Paying Attention to What and How We Teach (Equity and Women's Services)

As  educators  we  are  skilled, reflective professionals.   Building   knowledge is  our  business.  Ministry  of  Education mandates provide the structured guidelines we follow, yet several questions come to mind when we think about the official curriculum of our schools and the pursuit of equity and inclusion:

• What is the knowledge we seek to build  in our schools and communities?
• How do we select what knowledge is emphasized?
• How do we deliver it?

Educational theorist Michael Apple offers three ways of classifying the kinds of knowledge that  we  want  students to  learn. He  explores the concept of “knowledge” through three key words:  that,  how,  and  to.  Knowledge that  is factual information, such as the capital city of a country. Knowledge  how focuses on building skills, such as knowing how to use a library or how to inquire into a specific topic, such as a country’s history of unionization. Knowledge to is dispositional  knowledge, and often includes norms  and  values  that  guide  our  conduct. Examples of  knowledge to include knowing to be honest, to have pride in one’s racial heritage, to be a life-long learner, or to be intellectually open-minded.

When   processes  of  knowledge-building focus  too  much  on  knowledge that,  what  is taught may be reshaped to be safe and less controversial. In  short,  knowledge takes on a less critical stance, yet we expect critical learners to emerge from our schools.

For over 10 years ETFO members have been coming  together  to  create  a  variety  of  curriculum  support  resources focused  on  social justice, with the goal of broadening the scope of equity in our schools. Members also produce a wide range of workshops that build skills that promote equity and inclusion. The ideas come from members who pay close attention to the lived  experiences of  the  students  they  teach and identify key concepts related to equity and social justice. When members come  together to write curriculum or create workshops, they work to widen the scope of official knowledge by emphasizing Apple’s classification of knowledge how and knowledge to.

Two  ETFO  members  offer  glimpses  into ways in which the official curriculum of  our schools is  strengthened by including their personal  experiential  knowledge  as  well  as  by incorporating diverse learning experiences that support the official curriculum.

Shernett Martin
“I am a desperate seeker of  truth. However, I understand that one person’s truth may differ from another’s. The more I know about a particular topic, historical event, or issue, even the ones that challenge my views, the more extensive is my understanding as well as my ability to act, speak out, organize, and make a difference. When teachers open the vault of critical teaching and  impart  to  their  students permission to  explore, investigate, and think critically, we empower students to deepen their learning."

“I  am  a  community  worker  who  became a  teacher. The work I was doing with young people in the community led me to the classroom where, I felt, I could be a greater agent of change. I take into the classroom my years of community service and my views about equity, and social justice. These views shape not only my  classroom  instruction,  but  my  teaching practice  and  relationships  with  my  students and colleagues. It is these views that I hope are preparing my  students to  question  the  hows and the whys, and to in turn seek their own truth and become unabashed in sharing their knowledge.”

Larry  Beardy
“I have worked with teachers and students from kindergarten to university level.  How  I teach, how I model, and how I encourage others to learn and teach follows a basic principle. I say,
‘Listen to yourself, your teachings, experiences, knowledge and gifts from within  that  are real and true.’ What I mean is that the passion and expertise  for  building   knowledge  lie  within each of us."

“Knowledge comes  from  our  ability to  listen and learn in every sense and  goes  beyond words, visuals, audio, and actions. My greatest strengths as a person, teacher, and team player have been the gifts and skills I was given by others around me, including my elders, friends, colleagues,  family,  and  community.  I  try  to find ways to share my gifts with my students. I teach them about the gift of listening and  the usefulness  of  storytelling  as  a  powerful  and traditional way of teaching and learning. I share the importance of the arts in engaging in challenging issues related  to social justice. I share the relevance of using my Native language in situating my cultural identity. Travel and prior experiences have also contributed to the knowledge I bring to situations. Personal connections we  make  with  our  students  can  enrich  our lives and help us to teach in more meaningful ways. In summary, teaching is learning, learning is building knowledge, and knowledge grows through living.”

Source
_{Apple,  Michael,  with  Susan  Jungck.  “Whose  curriculum is  this  Anyway?”  Official  Knowledge:  Democratic  Education in a Conservative   Age. new York:  Routledge, 1993, 118-42.}