Anti-oppressive teaching
theory, practices and reflection
Myu Dawson and Tem McCutcheon
Vancouver Island University
Territory
acknowledgement
Exploration of
and gratitude
theory
Resources and
reflection
Gratitude
Classroom
practices
Warm up activity
We respectfully acknowledge that we are living and learning on the Unceded traditional territory of the K’
òmoks First Nation and the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Gila’kasla and Huy ch q’u.
Warm up activity
Take a few minutes and write down three things that you’re bad at and three things
that you’re good at. We will all share our lists to the group.
1. ________ 1. _________
2. ________ 2. _________
3. ________ 3. _________
How did it feel sharing?
Often people with disabilities are introduced with their bad qualities first (eg. This is
Matthew and he can’t speak and has trouble expressing his emotions). How did it
feel sharing those negative attributes without much of a choice?
Vulnerability is empowering when it is an active choice we make.
*Thank you to Karen Lai for this warm up activity
Anti-oppressive
educational theory
What are the roadblocks that keep your good intentions from becoming actions during these challenging times?
How can theory guide us in the classroom?
➔ Contributes to our understanding of systemic oppression
➔ Heightens self-awareness. Theory enables us to see our place in
the broader system.
➔ Community building. In reading theory and participating in the
larger discussion, we are not alone in seeing the need for change
and in demanding it.
understanding + self-awareness + community = action
What are the shortfalls?
➔ Accessibility - Who is left out of the conversation? Who can access the text?
➔ Academic silo - Does the writer have classroom experience?
➔ Relevancy - Does this make sense to our specific location and classroom?
Just like in schools, academia has actively excluded the voices of many and has
been used as an instrument of domination.
Absorb theory that is feminist and intersectional. Head, heart and hands.
“There’s no such thing as neutral education. Education either functions as an
instrument to bring about conformity or freedom.”
- Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Paulo Freire
Pedagogy of the Oppressed
“Any classroom that employs a holistic model of learning will also be a place where
teachers grow, and are empowered by the process. That empowerment cannot
happen if we refuse to be vulnerable while encouraging students to take risks.
Professors who expect students to share confessional narratives but who are
themselves unwilling to share are exercising power in a manner that could be
coercive. In my classrooms, I do not expect students to take any risks that I would
not take, to share in any way.”
- Teaching to Transgress, p.21
bell hooks
Teaching to Transgress
Teaching Community: A pedagogy of hope
“Like queer activism, teacher education needs to involve challenging both the
institutional practices that perpetuate an oppressive norm and our emotional
responses to and discomfort with things that are queer.”
- Against Common Sense, p. 42
Kevin Kumashiro
Toward a theory of anti-oppressive education
Against Common Sense
Who are you
inspired by?
Classroom Practices
Reflection
● Observe your own teaching practices and see if you have certain
tendencies. For example:
○ do you spend more time helping certain students?
○ do you have students that you normally call on?
○ Students you often call out?
○ What biases contribute to these tendencies?
● In what ways do you have power in the classroom?
● In what ways do you have more power than parents and families?
● What can you do to help students and families feel more empowered?
Alberta Regional Consortia
A teacher with power
● In what ways do we have power?
- Keys to the classroom and school
- Height difference between adults and children
- Life experience
- Legal authority
- Assessment
- Ability to report home
- Higher income than some families
- Higher level of University education
- Having a degree
- Being referred to by last name
- Socially accepted position of authority and control
How can we navigate being a person with power in the classroom?
From power
to
responsibility
Routines and procedures
● Value and celebrate students’ cultural diversity (class parties, music,
lessons, pronouncing names correctly)
● Be sure that student cultures are represented in the classroom (books,
posters, toys, tools etc.) (1)
● Regular class meetings
● Consensus decision-making (students and teacher contribute)
● Circle sharing
● Circle seating
● Universal design for learning
● Participate in activities with students
1. Alberta Regional Consortia
Class management
● Co-create expectations (for students and teachers)
● Student-led management strategies
○ Waterfall, waterfall
○ Students raise hands to indicate quiet
● Consensus to decide consequences for behaviours
● Challenging behaviours are seen as environmental problems as opposed to
personal ones.
● Have high expectations of all students (1)
● Teacher learns to manage self
● Students learn to manage self
● Noise meter
1. Alberta Regional Consortia
Lesson plan
● Support the revival of Indigenous languages through inviting
Knowledge Keepers into the classroom(1)
● Infuse Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum (2)
● Integrate Black Canadian perspectives into the curriculum.
● Choose activities through consensus
● Student-led instruction (ie. presentations)
● Inquiry-based learning (ie. passion projects)
● Draw on student expertise
● Invite family members to share expertise
1. Article: An Education without oppression benefits everyone. 2. Alberta Regional Consortia
Assessment
● Co-create criteria through consensus
● Peer-assessment
● Self-assessment
● Formative assessment
● Strengths-based assessment
● Educator receives feedback from students
● Student “failure” is a reflection of the educator, not student
● Student-led conferences
Politics
● Learn all that you can about the cultures of your students (1)
● Value and respect student knowledge and Traditional Ways of Knowing.
Incorporate this into instruction whenever possible (1)
● Teach current events
○ Sharing both/ multiple perspectives
● Read relevant, appropriate books related to current social justice issues in class
● Education is one way to shift culture and systems
1. Alberta Regional Consortia
Additional considerations
● Be referred to by first name
● Indicate your pronouns when introducing self
● Put keys, expensive-looking accessories and other symbols of power, out of
sight
● Converse at eye level
● Be familiar with current events
● If referencing to a personal, intimate relationship, use the term “partner”
● Be honest, authentic and vulnerable
● Acknowledge and value caregivers experience and insight
● See the child as their own expert
● Remain open to feedback and critique
● Engage in critical self reflection
Resources
Alberta Regional Consortia
Article: An Education without oppression benefits everyone.
Noise meter
Great Lakes Equity Center
In one minute,
write what you
learned from
today’s
presentation.
“Education is about healing and wholeness. It
is about empowerment, liberation,
transcendence, about renewing the vitality of
life. It is about finding and claiming ourselves
and our place in the world.”
Parker Palmer
