Critical pedagogy is a movement for change in education that has been largely motivated by the emergence of political, social, and economic injustices that have resulted in our lack of trust for public goods and services brought about by the powerful government, financial, and corporate elites “whose strangulating control over politics renders democracy corrupt and dysfunctional.” (Polychroniou). The concept of critical pedagogy, which initially started under the leadership of Paulo Freire, a radical Brazilian educator, philosopher, author, and an advocate of the oppressed, has spread into the North America educational system and across the globe (“Paulo Freire”). While critical pedagogy has been largely addressed as a theoretical concept, its applications and measurement for success among our student populations on all educational tiers—elementary, secondary, and higher education--both in the academic institutions and in programs outside of these institutions--are being closely studied and analyzed. There is widespread belief among scholars that the changing climate of our current educational institutions are not adequately meeting the needs of our student population in a rapidly changing society. Questions are raised about whether these institutions are moving in the right direction with outmoded, traditional practices of standardized education that is meant to produce students who are more like robots rather than critical thinkers. Amidst these concerns is 1) whether the student population will be prepared to take their rightful place as leaders, advocates and activists within a deeply politicized bureaucracy that is increasingly becoming less democratic, and 2) whether Composition studies can be deemed a legitimate space for developing student awareness, literacy, and social consciousness. This paper will assess the merits of critical pedagogy in composition as a transformative approach towards social change. A critical review of literacy applications within a multicultural context, addressing the virtues of critical pedagogy, and providing various frameworks for its integration in and out of the classroom will be provided.

1. Chambers 1
Your Reality is Not My Reality:
Assessing the Merits of Critical Pedagogy in Composition as a Move towards Social Change
By Linda M. Chambers, M.A.
Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana
English 5280
December 5, 2014
Abstract
Critical pedagogyisa movementforchange ineducationthathasbeenlargelymotivatedbythe
emergence of political,social,andeconomicinjusticesthathave resultedinourlackof trust forpublic
goodsand servicesbroughtaboutbythe powerful government,financial,andcorporate elites“whose
strangulatingcontrol overpoliticsrendersdemocracycorruptand dysfunctional.”(Polychroniou).The
conceptof critical pedagogy,whichinitiallystartedunderthe leadershipof PauloFreire,aradical
Brazilianeducator,philosopher,author,andanadvocate of the oppressed,hasspreadintothe North
Americaeducational systemandacrossthe globe (“PauloFreire”).While criticalpedagogyhasbeen
largelyaddressedasatheoretical concept,itsapplicationsandmeasurementforsuccessamongour
studentpopulationsonall educational tiers—elementary,secondary,andhighereducation--bothinthe
academicinstitutionsandinprogramsoutside of these institutions--are beingcloselystudiedand
analyzed.There is widespreadbelief amongscholarsthatthe changingclimate of ourcurrent
educational institutionsare notadequatelymeetingthe needsof ourstudentpopulationinarapidly
changingsociety.Questionsare raisedaboutwhetherthese institutionsare movinginthe rightdirection
withoutmoded,traditional practicesof standardizededucationthatismeanttoproduce studentswho
are more like robotsratherthancritical thinkers.Amidsttheseconcernsis1) whetherthe student
populationwillbe preparedtotake theirrightful place asleaders,advocatesandactivistswithina
deeplypoliticizedbureaucracythatisincreasinglybecominglessdemocratic,and2) whether
Compositionstudiescanbe deemedalegitimatespace fordevelopingstudentawareness,literacy,and
social consciousness.Thispaperwill assessthe meritsof critical pedagogyincompositionasa
transformative approachtowardssocial change.A critical review of literacyapplicationswithina
multicultural context,addressingthe virtuesof critical pedagogy,andprovidingvariousframeworksfor
itsintegrationinandout of the classroomwill be provided.
“...the undeniable fact [is] that in the last forty years, the US has launched an attack not only on the
practice of justice and democracy itself, but on the very idea of justice and democracy.” Henry Giroux
Introduction
It isno secretthat technologyischangingthe waywe live,work,playandlearn.Itisalsono
secretthat technologyhasbrought“…importantdemographicandsocio-political change…occurringin

2. Chambers 2
the UnitedStatesand throughoutthe world”accordingto DouglasKellner,aUCLA professor,inhis
article “Multiple LiteraciesandCritical PedagogyinaMulticultural Society.” Asaresult,the effectsof
technology andlivinginaninformation-exchange society istransformingthe way we thinkabout
educatingourstudentpopulation.
Critical pedagogy,while notanew conceptineducation,isa movement aimedattransforming
students frombeingpassive learners inaneducationsystem merely designedtobe a one-waytransfer
of knowledge,tostudentsof critical thinking,social consciousnessandactivism.The implicationhere is
that inbecominga critical thinker,one mustgobeyondthe abilitytoreadandwrite since “Critical
literacy…isasetof cognitive,emotional andsociopolitical skillswherebyindividualsare able to
understandandarticulate relationsof power,dominance andhegemonyusingmedia,text,artifacts,
oral traditionandexperience thatboth illuminate anddisruptinternalizedoppression.”(Scorza,Mirra,
and Morrell 23). PauloFreire,aradical Brazilianeducatorandfatherof critical pedagogy, assertsthat
critical pedagogycontributestothe achievementof freedom,empowerment,anda sense of identity
(qtd.inScorza, Mirra, and Morrell 26), and the role of the educatoristo act as the facilitator/agentfor
change thereby empoweringstudentswith the toolsof rhetoricaspartof an ongoingstruggle to
“…become critical producersof meaningsandtext,able toresistmanipulationanddomination”
accordingto DouglasKellner(qtd.in 21st
CenturySchool). Thistransformationisdesignedto shift
studentsaway frombeingconsumersof knowledge andassimilation tothatof empowerment.
My seminarpaperwill argue the meritsof critical pedagogy asatool for developingstudent
literacyand awareness.Iintend toprovide acritical review of the general applicationof critical
pedagogy inEnglishStudieswithinamulticultural environmentandmake acase for determiningits
limitations, itsvalue, andinnegotiatingoptions.
Transforming the CompositionClassroom

3. Chambers 3
Studentdevelopmentinsocial activismandthe meansof gettingthemthere hascreatedmuch
debate amongeducationscholars,whofeelthere isaneedtocultivate more critically-orientedand
sociallyconsciousstudents.Assuch,acall byscholarsto create a new EnglishStudiesdiscipline in
postmoderntimesisdue,inpart,because of the widelyheldnotionthat“Englishstudiesisincrisis”
accordingto JamesBerlin’s Rhetorics,Poetics,and Cultures:Refiguring English Studies” (ix).Thusthe
needtorestructure the wayEnglishistaught inthe classroomisaddressed.While scholarswill agree
that reformincompositionstudies isnecessary,the formthischange shouldtake isalsoupfor debate.
Transformingthe compositionclassroompresentsmanychallenges,andmanyquestions
aboundaboutthe practicalityof integratingcritical pedagogiesintothe classroom.Some of these
challengesbeginwithinthe school system,andinlarge measure,impactthe waywe teach.Faculty in
secondaryeducation,forexample, whoare receptive tocritical pedagogy,oftenquestionwhetheritis
“counter-productive”inlightof the “standardizationof schools”(Kress,DegennaroandPaugh).Paulo
Freire haslongbeenanopponentof the “…’banking’model of education,inwhichstudentsare seenas
‘receptacles’waitingtobe filledwiththe teacher’sofficial knowledge…[andthusbecomes] an
instrumentof domination…”(qtd.inGeorge 78). Giroux asserts,“Conservativeswantpublicschoolsand
collegestofocuson‘practical’methodsinorderto prepare teachersforan ‘outcome-based’education
system,whichiscode forpedagogical methodsthatare as anti-intellectual astheyare politically
conservative.This type of pedagogy isuseful forcreatingarmiesof numbercrunchersandfor
downgradingteacherstosupervisingthe administrationof standardizedtests,butnotmuchmore.”
(qtd.inTristan). We are the by-productof a societydominatedby anelite few.Inotherwords,we’re
dealingwithatraditional,outmodededucationsystemthatisinneedof reformif we are to create the
type of literaciesdesignedtoempowerstudentsandpromote multiculturalsensitivitiesinamodernday
democracy. Nevertheless,there are those scholarswhofeel that“…critical pedagogywouldbe greatin
an ideal world,butinthe “…’real world’of schools,itsimplycan’thappenbecause ‘therejustisn’ttime’

4. Chambers 4
or ‘itdoesn’talignwiththe standards’ or‘itwouldbe seenasinsubordinationbythe administration’.”
(Kress,Degennaro,Paugh1).
Despite havingtooperate withinastandardizedschool system, however, critical pedagogy
withinthe compositionclassroomprovidesaspace forstudentvoices,andasKress,Degennaroand
Paughsuggests“…teachingcriticallyinanyenvironment…involvestacticandstrategy.It involves
knowingwhen,where,andhowtobe critical.It involvespickingthe rightbattles,carvingoutspacesfor
dialogue,andengagingintoughconversations.”(8). Inshort,it can go “underthe radar and off the grid”
as Kress,DegennaroandPaughso eloquentlyputsit.Afterall,whatgoodisthe developmentof writing
skillstomeetthe standardizationrequirementsof agiveninstitution if studentsare nottrained touse
those skillstoparticipate inthe democraticprocess?
Additional challengesconfrontingthe transformationof the compositionclassroom centers
aroundthe questionof whethercomposition studiesisthe rightvenue forcritical discourse involving
economic,political,orsocial issues. Myanswertothisquestionisanemphaticyes,butitmustbe
handledcarefully.If we view EnglishStudiesasacourse in Humanities,thenclearlytheseissueshave a
place incomposition. However, there are scholarswhoexpressconcernaboutusingthe classroomfor
critical discourse--amongthemisMaxine Hairston.Inherarticle “Diversity,Ideology,andTeaching
Writing”she assertsthat “…everywhereIturnI findcompositionfaculty,bothleadersinthe profession
and newvoices,assertingthattheyhave notonlythe right,but the duty,to put ideologyandradical
politicsatthe centerof theirteaching.”(180). Furthermore, she feels“…convincedthatthe pushto
change freshmancompositionintoapolitical platformforthe teacherhascome aboutprimarilybecause
the course is housedinEnglishdepartments.”(183).Hairston continuesto assertthatfreshmanEnglish
compositionclassesare agreatopportunity for“…a huge captive enrollmentof largelyunsophisticated
students,whatfertilefieldtocultivate tobringaboutpolitical andsocial change.” (185). She feelsthat
thispolitical andsocial change comesatthe expenseof the student, whofallsvictimtothe “radical”

5. Chambers 5
teacher’shiddensocial andpolitical agenda;thus, the move awayfromastudent-centeredclassroom.
She alsoindicatesthatwe mustnot lose sightthatsome facultymaynot be knowledgeableorexpert
enoughtofacilitate critical discourseincertainsubjectmatter.
There isno doubtthat the role of the compositionclass istodevelopstudentwriting about
topicsthat theycare about;there isno doubtthat the role of the compositionclassisto“…create a low-
riskenvironmentthatencouragesstudentstotake chances.”(Hairston189),and there isno doubtthat
the role of a compositionclassshouldgivefacultyandstudentsalike,the freedomof expression,butit
musttake place withinamulticultural contextthatreflectsthe diversityof the groupandan instructor
whovaluesand respectsstudentperspectives;otherwise,discourse thatisconsideredone-sidedcan
hardlybe viewedinthe contextof critical pedagogy since itlimitsthe sharingof others’ perspectives.
At the heartof yetanothervitallysignificantchallenge inthe transformationof the college
compositionclassroomisRussell Durst,whothroughanethnographicstudy, wantedto“…investigate
the connectionbetweenthe ‘social turn’incompositionandthe ‘more traditional’ concerninthe field
withthe teachingof writing…”(qtd.InFulkerson). He hypothesizedthat“…whatstudentswantedand
expectedfromacompositioncourse incollegeconflictedwithwhatteachersusingacritical pedagogy
were mostlyinterestedin…”(qtd.InFulkerson).There were several pointsthatwere bornoutof Durst’s
study,namely:
1) These studentstypicallyenterfirst-yearcompositionwiththe ideathatwhattheyneedtolearn
aboutwritingisdifferentfromthe approach takenby the teacher.
2) These studentsenterintofreshman-college classesas“career-orientedpragmatists.”
3) These studentstendto“…resistpolitically,claiming‘theyare beingforce-fedaliberal ideology’”
(qtd.In Fulkerson).
Since the possibilityexistthatattemptingtoturnfreshmancompositionstudentsintosocial
activistsmayproduce some resistance,critical pedagogycanbe achieved invariousdegrees withinthe

6. Chambers 6
construct of a traditional compositioncourse. Igoback, again,to whatscholarsKress,Degenarro,and
Paughhave stressed--thatteachingcriticallywill involve tactic,strategyandknowingwhen,where and
howto be critical as well aspickingthe rightbattles (8),butitalsomeanslettingstudentvoicescome
through.
Literacy Issueswithina Multicultural Context
Because the Americanandglobal social structuresare changingsorapidly,the questionof
whetherstudentsare beingadequatelypreparedforparticipatinginamulticultural democracyhave
surfaced,andif theyare not beingadequatelyprepared, how dowe approachit?
Dr. RebeccaHoward,in herKeynote Addressata ConnectConference inMassachusetts,
articulatedwhatmostEnglishStudiesscholarsseemto widelyacceptandthat is“Writinghas changed.”
For those scholarswhoremaincommittedtowriting,she begsthe question“How dowe make our
studentscare aboutwriting?We needtodevise pedagogy.”Withthatbeingsaid,the opportunityto
engage studentsindiscourse throughwritingactivitiesabout“hot”topicsor issuesthatare importantto
themispart of developingcritical education.
Amongsome of the literacy challengesare those havingtodowithmarginalizedstudents,who
don’talwaysunderstandthe issuesand maynothave the literacyskillstoengage incritical discourse.
Theyare oftenthe students comingfromcommunitiesthatare deemedunimportant, whoare likelyto
be the mostaffected byliteracyissues,andthey make upa large segmentof the oppressed population.
Scorza, Mirra, and Morrell make a case for thisintheirarticle “It ShouldJustBe Education:Critical
PedagogyNormalizedasAcademicExcellence,”byasserting,“Neoliberalism, withitsemphasison
accountability,hasparticularlydetrimentalimpactsonstudentsof color, astraditionallymarginalized
and oppressedcommunitiescontinue toexperience the negative effectsof cultural dominationthrough
schooling.”Unlessstudents—particularlythose whoare considered marginalized--areinspiredtorise to

7. Chambers 7
the occasion,theywill remainafixture in“…asubmissive workforce,aneo-slavepopulationin
twentieth-centuryAmerica”(Schuster41) bythe dominantculture.
The most significantissueof literacy thatplagues marginalizedstudents, however, revolves
aroundlanguage.“…educationtodayneedstofosteravarietyof new typesof multiple literaciesto
empowerstudentsandtomake educationrelevanttothe demandsof the presentandfuture.”
(Kellner). The notionhereisthatwithoutadequate theoryof language,educatorshave nostandards
withwhichto addressnewliteracyapproaches,andstudentswillcontinuetostruggle “…withthe
prestige language intoanewprescriptivism, charginginabilitytouse the prestige languageresultsfrom
uninformedpolitical views.”(Stygall).Thusitisnotedthatthe strategiesteachersemploymustconsider
cultural and linguisticapproaches.AccordingtoScorza,Mirra, and Morrell,thiscan be done as a
framework“…toteachingandlearningbyempoweringstudentstoactivelygenerateandprivilegetheir
ownhistorical traditionthroughproblemposingactivityandthe practice of reflection.Thistype of
pedagogyisbothanti-oppressiveandcounterhegemonicandleadstothe developmentof critical
literacyaffordingurbanyouththe opportunitytorecognizesociallyconstructedknowledgeinorderto
informtheirexperience.”
Scorza, Mirra, and Morrell ultimatelydemonstratedtwodifferentwaysthatcritical pedagogy
can be usedwithurbanyouthusinga model thatputscritical pedagogytheoryandpractice to the test.
One model involvedThe BlackMale YouthAcademy(BMYA) inthe southLos AngelesVernonHigh
School districtandthe other wasThe Council of YouthResearch(CYR) involvingLatino/Latinaand
African-AmericanstudentsfromEastLos Angeles,SouthLosAngeles,andWattscommunitieswhere
studentswere productsof “…concentratedpoverty,systemicracismandunderperformingschools,but
alsodraw strengthfromdeephistorical traditionsof protestandresistance.”(Scorza,Mirra,and Morrell
22). A summaryof the critical pedagogyapplicationsthatwere usedinbothprogramsare provided
below.

8. Chambers 8
Literacy Applicationswith the Black Male Youth Academy (BMYA)
Thisparticularprogram focusedon20-25 African-Americanmale youthingradesnine through
twelve, duringthe 2010-2011 academicschool year.Its purpose wasto cultivate critical literacythrough
critical pedagogyasit relatestotheirsense of history,identity,communityandpower. Itwasan elective
course designedtouse “…critical race theorywiththe intenttodevelopcritical consciousnessand
critical literacyskills.”(Scorza,Miraand Morrell 21). Withgrade pointaveragesrangingbetween1.2and
3.6, these studentswereexpectedtoassessthe conditionsof theircommunitybasedontheirlearning
experience andthendevelopaplanforchange.Theywere taughthow to use researchmethodologies
throughinterviewsandsurveys,howtododocumentaryfilmmaking,andpropose solutionsthrough
PowerPointpresentations.Theywere expectedtouse theirnewfoundknowledge asleaders withinthe
community,whichhelpedthemdevelopasthinkersandindevelopingtheirwritingskills (Scorza,Mirra
and Morrell 21).
Literacy Applicationswith the Council ofYouth Research (CYR)
Thisprogram consistedof African-AmericanandLatino/Latinastudentsfromacommunityof
highschoolswithinimpoverishedareasinLosAngeles. Thesestudentswere selectedbyteachersof
each school whofelttheycouldbenefitfromcritical pedagogyandworkwell inacollaborative effort.
The purpose of thisprogram was to effectchange inthe urbanschool systemthroughthe voicesof the
students.Duringthe year1999, two professorsbegantheirjourneytoresearchstudentperspectives
abouttheirschools. Itwas a longitudinalstudydone overaperiodof a decade andinvolvedstudents
and teacherswhometduringthe summermonthsafterschool toexpose the inequalitiesof their
education.Studentswereinvolvedininterviewswiththeirclassmates,politicians,andothereducators
and usedpowerpointpresentations,blogs,documentaries,andverbal discoursetogetthe wordout
(Scorza,Mirra, and Morrell 21-22).

9. Chambers 9
What theyfoundineach programwas “…an overarchingtheme forresearchconductedbythe
students….[and]…involvedexplorationof questionsthatwere centeredontopicschosenbythe
students.”(Scorza,Mirra,and Morrell 22). Basedon the collaborative effortsbythese highschool
studentsalongwiththeirteachers,andthe universityprofessorsalongwiththeirgraduate students,
theyamassed“…hundredsof surveys,interviews,fieldnotes,andcreatedworkproductssuchas essays,
reflections,blogs,PowerPointpresentationsanddocumentaryfilms.”(Scorza,Mirra,and Morrell 22-23).
Giventhistransformative experience, educatorswere ableto demonstrate theorywithpractice notonly
withinthe classroombutoutside of the school settings(Scorza,Mirra,andMorrell 23). It wasthe model
of critical pedagogy.
Virtuesof Critical Pedagogies
Developingskillsinliteracyandrhetoricsothat studentscan have a voice as citizens isa vitally
importantfunctionindemocracy,andcritical pedagogyinthe compositionclassroomis one meansof
gettingstudentstothatplace. The perceptionsandrealitiesof otherstudentsinamulticultural
environmentcanleadtoa powerful andtransformative educationalexperiencesince itenablesthemto
see eachotherthrougha differentsetof lenses. There isacritical needto push studentstowards
meaningful discourse sothatthey canbecome fullyengagedinthe democraticprocess.Studentsmust
learnto be aware of, attendto,be inspiredby,andtake on positionsaboutissuesaffectingthematthe
local,national, andglobal level. Inthissection,Iintendtoaddressthe manyvirtuesof critical
pedagogiesastheyare presentedbyauthorsScorza,Mirra, andMorrell in “It ShouldJustBe Education:
Critical PedagogyNormalizedasAcademicExcellence.”Theyassert:
1) These studentsare describingtransformative educationalexperiences—Experiencesthat
demonstrate powerful changesinstudents’learning, identitydevelopment,andviewsof the
world. These experiencesare notinspiredbystandardizedtestpreparationsorthrough
instruction inbasicskills;instead,theyarise fromenrichinglearningspacesthatpush

10. Chambers 10
studentstotheirintellectual limitsandconnectthemtomeaningful,authenticwaysto
expresstheirideas.
2) Critical pedagogyhelpsusrethinkthe waywe engage studentsandanalyze formsof
learninginnon-dominantcommunitiessothateffective approachestolearningand
teachingcan be appliedandunderstood.
3) As a framework,critical pedagogycanalsoserve asbothan educator’sphilosophical and
methodological approachtoteachingandlearningbyempoweringstudentstoactively
generate andprivilege theirownhistorical traditionthroughproblemposingactivityandthe
practice of reflection.
4) Critical literacycanbe linkedtocultural identityandcaninformattemptstocreate
structuredlearningenvironments,situatedlearningandbasicliteracydevelopment.
5) … [It] engagesstudentsinacademicactivitiessuchasinterviewing,transcribing,writingand
teachingamongothers.Itallowsa communityof learnerstobecome teachersandalterthe
educational discourseinandbeyondtheirenvironment. We believe thiscreatesanenviable
hungerforchange andacts as a vehicle toengage studentsinalearningprocessthatisboth
relevantandhighlyinstructive bychallengingthe traditional educational moldthatcritical
pedagogyintendstosubvert.
6) Critical pedagogyintendstoteachstudentsinhumanizingandempoweringways,yetitalso
seekstoencourage empoweredcollectivestocreate change inthe worldand to challenge
inequitable treatment.(16-20;29)
Recommendations
It wouldbe virtuallyimpossibletodevelopaframeworkforcritical pedagogythatwouldfitall
classroomstructures;however,Iprovide suggestionsforitsintegrationintocompositionstudies both

11. Chambers 11
inside andoutside of the classroom.Isee three placesforintegratingcritical pedagogies without
resistance incompositionstudies.
One place is withthe traditional composition course where studentscanbe exposed tocritical
thinkingeven atthe mostbasiclevel—givingthemaplace for dialogue andintroducingthemto rhetoric.
Usingthis approach,the instructorwouldnotneedtobe expertinthe subjectmatter,perse, but merely
a vehicle forthe exchange andsharingof ideas toengage students.Indoingso,the teacherputshimor
herself inapositiontore-learn“…the objecttobe known…”withthe students.“Theymeetaroundit
and throughitfor mutual inquiry.”(ShorandFreire). Inthisscenario,the SocraticMethod,whichisa
line of questioningdesignedtocreate open rationale dialogue, isintroducedtoillustratethe need for
students tolearnmore aboutthings theymay presumablyclaimtoknow.
Anotherapproachto integratingcritical pedagogy intothe traditionalclassroom involves what
Freire andShor describe asthe “dialogical methodof liberatoryeducation,”whichinvolvesusing
dialogue inthe classroomtoraise awarenessof issuesandindevelopingknowledge.Inthisapproach,
the teacherdoesnot lecture;instead,he orshe poses “…critical problemsforinquiry”thatis “…shaped
by the subjectmatterandtrainingof the teacher,whoissimultaneouslyaclassroomresearcher,a
politician,andanartist.”(Shorand Freire). Duringthiscollaborative process,studentsare giventhe
freedomtoexpresstheirthoughts ontheirownterms—usinglanguagetheyunderstandandina way
that speakstothe “…aspirations,andconditions of the students.”(ShorandFreire). Bearinmindthat
withinthe contextof atraditional classroom, especially inastandardized school system,facultywould
needtolookfor opportunitiestoengage studentsin critical discourse.
However,tofullydelveintocritical pedagogy,school systemscancreate andimplementan
elective compositioncourse dedicatedtoresearchandrhetoricof “hot” topicsfordevelopmentof
literacyawarenessandinnourishingaswell asarousingstudentinterestsinsocial activismwithout
interference of eithermeetingthe standardrequirementsof aschool system, forexample,orwithout

12. Chambers 12
the possibilityof studentresistance becausestudentswill have the opportunitytochoose toenroll in
the course. Thistype of course is likelytobe implemented atthe college-level,andthe instructorwho
teachesit,inmy assessment,will needtopossessahigherlevel of literacyawarenesstonavigate
studentsthroughdiscussion.
Finally,critical pedagogycanbe integratedintoafter-school programssuchasthe one described
inthe Council of YouthResearchProgram.Whenusingthismodel,there isnoneedtobe concerned
aboutstudentresistance because studentsare carefullyselectedbytheirteachers, andthere isnoneed
to go “underthe radar and off the grid.”Developmentof these special programscaneasilybe enacted
at the secondarylevelorat the college-level ascommunity-service projects,forexample.
Ultimately,itis the critical educator’sresponsibilitytoprovide ameaningful curriculum,
“…teachers[must] searchforopeningswithinofficial curriculato‘teachinthe cracks,’ connecting
studentswithissuesrelevanttotheirlives.”(Schultz,McSurley,andSalguero).A perfectexample of this
model istakenfromthe StudentActionCurriculumProjects(SACP) whereby “Inthe classroom
experiencesof aSACPthe innate curiositiesandchallengesthatyoungpeople face intheirlivesfuel
continuouslearning….[this] approachrequiresthatstudentsinthe classroomsimmerse themselvesin
the practice of democraticengagement.”(Schultz,McSurley,andSalguero).Studentsare allowedto
identifythe issuesorproblemsthroughdeliberation andrelate ittoreal life astheyworktowards
identifyingsolutions. Studentsare thenexpectedtouse ademocraticprocessof gaininginsightsto
multiple sidesof the issue,whichcallsforcritical thinkingskills.
Regardlessof which model isused,instructorswillneedto encourage tolerance forother
students’ideasandperspectivesandact as facilitator inmovingthe discoursealong.Whatisnotan
optionisignoringthe implementationof critical pedagogy onsome level.
ConcludingRemarks

13. Chambers 13
As Giroux indicates “…academicshave adutyto enterintothe publicsphere unafraidtotake
positionsandgenerate controversy,functioningasmoral witnesses,raisingpolitical awarenessand
makingconnectionstothose elementsof powerandthe politicsoftenhiddenfrompublicview.”(qtdin
Polychroniou). Giroux furtherassertsthatthe pushand needforcritical pedagogyis“…motivatedbya
faithinthe willingnessof youngpeople tofightprincipallyforafuture inwhichdignity,equality,and
justice matterandat the same time recognizesthe forcesthatare preventingsucha struggle.”(qtd.in
Polychroniou). He insists thatcritical pedagogyasa“collective action”canrendernew hope forthe
struggle (qtd.inPolychroniou).Whatbetterwaytore-indoctrinate ourstudentstoresistthe control and
manipulationof the majoritybythe elitefew thanthroughacollaborative processof dialogue and
inquirywithinthe classroom.
Advocatesof critical pedagogyare ona mission—toteachstudents“…toresistoppression,
improve theirlives,andstrengthenthe democraticprocessforeveryone,thusensuringprogressive
social change and social justice.”(“Curriculum&Schooling:Multiculturalism,Critical Multiculturalism,
and Critical Pedagogy”).Sincethe classroom more often becomesthe space forprovidingavoice for
studentsandinsharingconcernsabout racial/ethnic,gender,cultural andsocioeconomicinequitiesand
domination,compositionstudiesisinitsrightful place forprovidingthe toolsforrhetoricandincreati ng
multicultural sensitivities.

14. Chambers 14
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