S E S S I O N FOR ks3 - ks4

1. NO ONE LEFT OUT 2. GOOD ATMOSPHERE 3. NO ONE TELLS YOU WHAT YOU SHOULD THINK!

STAYING FOCUSED THINKING HARD WORKING AS A TEAM STAYING FOCUSED THINKING HARD WORKING AS A TEAM

1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned 1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned

First World=capitalist Second World=communist Third World=neither capitalist nor communist

‘North’ 21% of the world’s population 84% of the world’s wealth ‘South’ 79% of the world’s population 16% of the world’s wealth 80% of this wealth stays with 20% of the people 20% of this wealth is shared amongst 80% of the people 50% of this wealth stays with 20% of the people 50% of this wealth is shared amongst 80% of the people

We are rich because we are superior. We have worked harder, we are more civilised, we are more educated, we know better. You are rich because you colonised us in the past. You invaded our land, stole our resources and enslaved and killed our people. And you continue to do that in a different way.

We colonised you, but we also taught you important things, like progress. We educated you. You are still poor because you do not work very hard and because your culture is backwards. This is outrageous! We work extremely hard, but you continue to steal from us. You don’t pay a fair wage for our work or a fair price for our products and you make us pay you a lot of money in debt interests too.

We still give you a lot of money in AID. We are very charitable people. You are poor because your leaders are corrupt and you keep fighting one another. For every pound of charitable money you give us, you take away at least 10, not to mention what you have stolen in the past! We do have problems, but you sell the guns to the people who are fighting and you also participate in the corruption here. The fights and the corruption make you even richer and most of us poorer!

This is nonsense. What you need is proper instruction and a proper attitude, like we have. If only you were educated like us… Look at the attitude of your people! They are only happy when they compete, or buy things or consume. They don’t respect one another, or the environment. They are very selfish. And look at what you are doing to the world! You consume most resources, you produce most waste, you are destroying everything. YOU need to stop thinking you are superior and LISTEN!

Meanwhile…

Hey! What are you talking about? That North stickman was right! We are behind and we need to catch up. If we listen to them, if we work harder and if we buy what they sell, one day we will be even better than they are! You are crazy! They will never allow us to catch up! It is their game – they make the rules. Why would they want to lose? We have to change the game, so that it becomes fair for all and for the environment. I don’t think we can change the game. There is no hope for negotiation. They don’t care about us. We should destroy this game and make them pay for what they have done! In the South…

Hey! What are you talking about? The South stickman was right. In order to be rich, we have kept them poor. We need to find a solution together to change this situation or we will all perish! You are crazy! We have the answers! We have nothing to learn from them! We need to teach them to be like us! We have tried to teach them. We have tried to help. It has not worked. They are hopeless. And we have our own problems here. We should leave them to sort out their own problems. In the North…

1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned 1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned

1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned 1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned

1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned 1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned

1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned 1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned

1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned 1.Looking at PERSPECTIVES: image, film, cartoon, song, story 2.Drawing or writing your FIRST THOUGHTS and sharing it 3. Making QUESTIONS in pairs 4. VOTING on a question 5. TALKING about it 6. SHARING what we have learned

Preliminary Findings (Year 7): A different approach? Yes, because we are allowed to disagree. Yes, because we don’t have to find only one answer. Yes, because even the teacher doesn’t know all the answers! Yes, because I can think about my thoughts and say what I want to say. Yes. I learned that my perspective counts. Yes. We talk about different things and we think about reasons and consequences. Yes. We have to listen to what each other has to say. Yes, because we learn that everyone has different thoughts. I don’t know. It is confusing. I cannot figure out what the teacher wants me to say. Preliminary Findings (Year 7): A different approach? Yes, because we are allowed to disagree. Yes, because we don’t have to find only one answer. Yes, because even the teacher doesn’t know all the answers! Yes, because I can think about my thoughts and say what I want to say. Yes. I learned that my perspective counts. Yes. We talk about different things and we think about reasons and consequences. Yes. We have to listen to what each other has to say. Yes, because we learn that everyone has different thoughts. I don’t know. It is confusing. I cannot figure out what the teacher wants me to say.

Dialogue and Enquiry What is necessary? UNCERTAINTY: suspension of the belief that our beliefs are universal (acknowledgement that our perspectives are constructed in our contexts, and therefore always partial) RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING: in relation to the thoughts and experiences of those who think differently OPENNESS: willingness to listen and to learn with one another OPEN-ENDEDNESS: as opposed to prescribed outcomes Dialogue and Enquiry What is necessary? UNCERTAINTY: suspension of the belief that our beliefs are universal (acknowledgement that our perspectives are constructed in our contexts, and therefore always partial) RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING: in relation to the thoughts and experiences of those who think differently OPENNESS: willingness to listen and to learn with one another OPEN-ENDEDNESS: as opposed to prescribed outcomes

UNIVERSALISM RELATIVISM My perspective is universally right, others are simply wrong, everyone should think like me All perspectives are relative, therefore I cannot question of criticise any culture ABSOLUTISM FUNDAMENTALISM EUROCENTRISM EVERYTHING GOES PARALYSIS NO ONE CAN INTERVENE CRITICAL LITERACY: critical engagement with own perspectives and the perspectives of others

Not the search for one absolute (non-biased/neutral) interpretation of reality, but… Critical Literacy Where is this coming from? Where is this leading to? …the examination of origins and implications of assumptions (perspectives/lenses/discourses) Pedagogical implications

Comparison: ‘Traditional’ Reading Does the text represent the truth? Is it fact or opinion? Is it biased or neutral? Is it well written/clear? Who is the author and what level of authority/legitimacy does he/she represent? What does the author say? Focus on the ‘quality’ and ‘authority’ of the content

Comparison: ‘Critical’ Reading What is the context? To whom is the text addressed? What is the intention of the author? What is the position of the author (his/her political agenda)? What is the author trying to say and how is he/she trying to convince/manipulate the reader? What claims are not substantiated? Focus on context, intentions, communication and ‘reflection’

Comparison: ‘Critical’ Literacy What are the assumptions behind the statements? How does the author understand reality? What is shaping his/her understanding? Who decides (what is real, can be known or needs to be done) in whose name and for whose benefit? What are the implications of his/her claims (past/present/future: social, environmental, economic, etc…)? What are the sanctioned ignorances (blind spots) and contradictions? Focus on knowledge production, power, representation, implications and reflexivity

Comparison: ‘Critical’ Literacy What are the assumptions behind the statements? How does the author understand reality? What is shaping his/her understanding? Who decides (what is real, can be known or needs to be done) in whose name and for whose benefit? What are the implications of his/her claims (past/present/future: social, environmental, economic, etc…)? What are the sanctioned ignorances (blind spots) and contradictions? Teacher to a student in a school: YOU ARE HERE TO BE SOMEBODY IN LIFE!

Comparison: ‘Critical’ Literacy What are the assumptions behind the statements? How does the author understand reality? What is shaping his/her understanding? Who decides (what is real, can be known or needs to be done) in whose name and for whose benefit? What are the implications of his/her claims (past/present/future: social, environmental, economic, etc…)? What are the sanctioned ignorances (blind spots) and contradictions? EDUCATION FOR ALL IS THE SOLUTION TO ALL PROBLEMS!

Comparison: ‘Critical’ Literacy What are the assumptions behind the statements? How does the author understand reality? What is shaping his/her understanding? Who decides (what is real, can be known or needs to be done) in whose name and for whose benefit? What are the implications of his/her claims (past/present/future: social, environmental, economic, etc…)? What are the sanctioned ignorances (blind spots) and contradictions? MAKE A DIFFERENCE! MAKE HISTORY! DONATE £1 NOW!

VANESSA ANDREOTTI EDUCATION/OUTREACH COORDINATOR & RESEARCH FELLOW To receive a link to this presentation, please fill in the contact form!