Power Shmower

I love this article! It raises all kinds of good points about established power in the classroom. As for my part, I keep the power with the position as teacher. As someone once put it, "you are the expert in your area, and you need to keep the control in order to teach. As another person once put it, " students need and appreciate discipline." Both of these statements can be easily challenged.

I was thinking from the standpoint of a parent and laughing out loud at the differences with which my wife and I approach parenting. She, more often than not, does the "White teacher" approach with the suggestions, while I take the "Black teacher" approach and simply state the directive. I like my approach since it leaves no room for doubt or interpretation. We get into little conflicts about this, and it makes for interesting dynamics at home. I approach my class in the same way. I don't give suggestions unless it is terms of approaching literature interpretation, strategies for studying, or content in writing; otherwise, I am that "benevolent dictator" that is direct, tough, "pushy", etc. Don't get me wrong, I am not always this way, and I do look at the class and give a variety of approaches as the time and situation allows. You can't always be simply black or white, there needs to be a grey/gray area in which to play.

I appreciated the commentary of the author and the examples he gave. What disturbs me at times, when considering this democratic classroom where authority and power are shared, is that idea that we might be hamstringing our students and sending them out into the world unprepared for the realities, the "Real World."

If we send a student out into the world unprepared, then we risk sending her out, "as a representative of her cultural group" (292). So, why do this to her and to an entire people. It is bad enough that we are categorized because of our race/ethnicity/color/economic status/etc.

Too many feathers get ruffled when we address the "poor me" and the "guilt" syndrome. Yes, we should respect our students and foster that respect. Yes, we should recognize their contributions to their education. We should do everything possible to ensure their success without going overboard with the "liberal bleeding heart" approach to education. Pragmatism and Compassion can be used in conjunction.

Prescriptive and Process oriented teaching of writing can be used equally effectively. Three words: BALANCE, BALANCE, BALANCE, okay, one word.