Hello – Welcome to my personal blog for English 372: Canadian Studies. My name is Laura Metcalfe, my pronouns are she/her, and I am a second year teacher, teaching high school drama, music and English. I am looking forward to learning with all of you in this shared virtual space.
My impression of and hope for English 372 is that this course on Canadian Literature will ask us to think deeply and critically about what we mean by Canadian and what we mean by Literature. We will explore the challenging past and present of colonization and anti-indigenous racism in Canada, examine the power structures of writing and speaking and storytelling, and develop a deeper understanding of the intersections of race, history and story.
I have been very much enjoying both The Truth About Stories by Thomas King and If This is Your Land, Where are Your Stories? by Edward Chamberlin and I wanted to share a connection I’ve made as we begin our blogging journey. I received my Bachelor of Education from a small UBC program called the West Kootenay Rural Teacher Education Program, in Nelson, B.C. This program has a focus in rural and small-school education, as well being centred around Critical Pedagogy of Place. David A. Gruenewald introduced the term Critical Pedagogy of Place as a combining of two educational theories, Place-Based Education and Critical Pedagogy. He argued that these two theories had their merits, and that each had significant gaps. Place Based Education, focusing on connection to the natural environment and the unique local community, is often criticized for lacking a critical lens and omitting the social systems of power and oppression. Critical Pedagogy declares that education is not separate from social justice and systems of oppression and power. The critique is that Critical Pedagogy pays most of its attention to urban culture and omits the influence and importance of the ecological world. So, Gruenewald brought these theories together to create an educational pedagogy that promotes a deep understanding of place and natural environment, with a critical and intersectional social lens.
Though it has been a while since I’ve brushed up on my Gruenewald or my Sobel or my Freire, I am glad to be reminded of these theories as I start the course. It seems like learning about “Canadian Literature” demands that we practice a Critical Pedagogy of Place – fostering a willingness to explore this unique place with a hands-on curiosity, and with a critical eye to power structures, systems of racism and oppression, and histories of colonization.
I’ll be taking Critical Pedagogy of Place with me as we fumble our way through English 372.
Looking forward to it.
LM
Works Cited
França, J., 2019. “Henry Giroux: “Those Arguing That Education Should Be Neutral Are Really Arguing For A Version Of Education In Which Nobody Is Accountable.” CCCB LAB, http://lab.cccb.org/en/henry-giroux-those-arguing-that-education-should-be-neutral-are-really-arguing-for-a-version-of-education-in-which-nobody-is-accountable. Accessed 17 January 2021.
Gruenewald, D., 2003. “The Best of Both Worlds: A Critical Pedagogy of Place.” Educational Researcher, 32(4), pp.3-12, http://web.pdx.edu/~abyron/peace_ed/Wk3/critical_pedagogy_of_place.pdf. Accessed 17 January 2021.
Sobel, D., n.d. “Place Based Education: Connecting Classroom And Community.” Community Works Journal, https://magazine.communityworksinstitute.org/place-based-education-connecting-classroom-and-community. Accessed 17 January 2021.