Reflection of Against Common Sense: Teaching and Learning Toward Social Justice- Introduction
Kumashiro explains common sense as an idea or perception that everyone knows. Though this is what society would define common sense as, the idea that different cultures and countries have different practices must come into play.
Common is explained as a shared idea that comes from more than one person; for example, the village in which the author was staying in had shared ideas about how to live together (Kumashiro, 2009). Gender is also discussed within the article. Within North America genders are not segregated, but Kumashiro explains that male and female students sat on opposite sides of the classroom in Nepal, rather than together like in North America.
Sense can be explained as one’s perception. In Nepal, the students only know one form of education. Since they are not exposed to any other form of education they believe this is how all students learn. If people are not exposed to other concepts, the have a sheltered or shallow perception of the world (Kumashiro, 2009).
As was mentioned in our class discussion, formal curriculum and common sense are focused on the majority population rather than being applicable to everyone. If a student came from American to Nepal or vice versa, that student’s success might change due to the different learning styles. There are educators that teach the exact content multiple times without change and while it makes perfect sense to the instructor, the students may be struggling if they do not share that same concept.
Common sense is often thoughts and ideas that people agree upon without understanding why they exist. Many of these views are rooted in society and come from colonization. If people don’t think deeper to understand why their society follows those ideas, segregation and discrimination can happen.
“The norms of schooling, like the norms of society, privilege and benefit some groups and identities while marginalizing and subordinating others on the basis of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disabilities, language, age, and other social markers. It has become normal, in other words, for instances of religious intolerance, racial discrimination, gender inequity, economic bias, and other forms of oppression to permeate our educational experiences, as when schools include only certain materials, organize them into only certain disciplines, teach them using only certain methods, and treat students in only certain ways” (Kumashiro, 2009).
As a future educator, I need to become aware of my own common sense and biases, as well as hopefully open my views so all of my students feel accepted within my classroom.
Works Cited
Kumashiro. (2009). Against Common Sense: Teaching and Learning Toward Social Justice,pp. XXIX – XLI
- How does Kumashiro define ‘commonsense?’
- Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘commonsense’?
Sarah Wright 