Freedom and Control, Discussion 2

Freedom and Control, Discussion 2

Team 1: San Francisco Giants

Reading:

Pace, J.L., & Hemmings, A. (2007). Understanding Authority in Classrooms: A Review of Theory, Ideology, and Research. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 8-13.

Roles:

Discussion Leader: Else Trefts

Time Keeper/ Summarizer: Jessika Reil

Twitter Monitor: Ashley Fernandez

Note Taker: Katie Stetler

Devil’s Advocate Twitter: Sean Hagen

Discussion Starter/ warm up:

What part of the reading did you find most interesting?

Discussion Questions:

1) “Feminists such as Maher and Tetreault (1994) argued that teachers

should facilitate consciousness raising to heighten awareness of how patriarchal

authority structures and sustains gender, racial, ethnic, class, and other social inequalities”(pg.11). Do you agree that teacher should facilitate the learning of social inequalities?

2) Hurn said that legal changes caused the classroom environment to be more free and relaxed. What kind of environment do you think is best for the classroom? A relaxed setting or more professional and strict setting?

3) “The progressives rejected traditional authority because it inhibited the “intellectual and moral autonomy” of students and perpetrated discrimination against students different from the mainstream.” (Pg. 9). Do you agree that traditional authority can be discriminatory toward students who are not upper middle class of Caucasian descent?

4) What do you feel is the most important point to take away from this section of the reading? Why?

Discussion Ender:

“Giroux’s (1986) own recommendation was for public school teachers to

become transformative intellectuals who possess the emancipatory capacity to

engage in “a form of intellectual practice” that effectively transforms classroom

conventions that have silenced and disempowered them and their students”(pg.12).