"Cultural Literacy" irks me. I am interested in what you think about it. I think it's an insidious article because some of what Hirsch says I can agree with...like the idea that literacy is more than just some cookie cutter skills. This explains why, some argue, the SATs are unfair to some minority groups (racial, ethnic, geographic, class-based, etc.) because they cater to the cultural literacy of the upper-middle class predominantly white group. Some Appalachian kid in the area refused to take Ohio standard graduation tests because of that argument...although, it was mostly because of the priniciple (he already was accepted to college). So, basically, Hirsch is saying that if we want kids to have some sort of standard literacy, that literacy is based on cultural/historical knowledge. Do you guys see any problem with that? I'm unfamiliar with the group he refers to as formalists...I have a feeling he is misrepresenting their side. I want to ask Hirsch if we must bend all students of different backgrounds to a specific curriculum of "cultural literacy" (the politics of it scare me) or if it is possible to broaden cultural literacy to make us "common readers" who are able to comprehend other subculture's "schematas" (for example, able to comprehend the essay about the Indian wedding). Think of a couple of good questions for discussion and post them in comment section...
Check out this 4 min video if you feel like it. It's a small video about teaching kids basic literacy.
More formalist or more in line with Hirsch? Also, here's a one hour segment of an NPR show where they talk about the problem of too much homework...it's a whole hour long so only listen if you feel like it...or listen to 10 or 15 minutes of it...
All I got for Freire is a whole lotta questions...
What do you think Freire is talking about when he says 'the banking method of education'? Have you ever experienced this method of education in your experience? What is a "critical consciousness" (298)? Is it the job of education to do what Freire seems to want it to be doing? What is that? Conscientizacao seems to be a Portugese word for critical consciousness. Does anyone see a link between Freire's banking concept and Hirsch's cultural literacy model? Is what Freire is proposing possible? Is Freire's argument relevant to politcal ideals or is it apolitical? I'm not going to claim I understood every word, but I think I have a fair understanding of it. I hope we can talk more about it on Monday...
Respond to a question above or pose your own discussion questions in the comments section...
1 comment:
very thorough response, sweet...just wanted to say that I don't think Hirsch would argue that cultural literacy as he thinks we should teach it in America should be international or take care of those cross-cultural misunderstandings even when they happen in English...he'd say we just need it as representative of some American brand of knowledge or literacy that people are expected to know to become "common readers" in our culture. So, I see his focus as more exclusive (weeding out the stuff that doesn't fit or is considered marginal) rather than inclusive (welcoming in different ideas/cultures that may not be mainstream)...know what I mean? Thanks for being on the ball and doing your response so quickly...
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