S E S S I O N FOR ks2 – ks3

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

Adaptation of Geckos and Dinosaurs, a Brazilian story written by Rubem Alves

Small, multi-coloured geckos lived together. There was no lack of food, there was no lack of shelter. They needed very little to survive.

A fairy friend warned them: “be careful with the serpent in the oak tree – geckos are her favourite food!” But the white geckos were very very curious...

And one day they realise that the serpent is not scary at all! She is actually very friendly! She calls the geckos ‘little creatures’ and invites them to taste the magic fruit from the tree which will make them more beautiful and more powerful...

She told them that they would grow bigger and that the other geckos would respect, fear and obey them. They would be at the top for their beauty and their strength! The white geckos thought that they deserved to rule over the others, after all, they were much cleverer...So, they ate it and the transformation started.

You do as we say little geckos! We are superior and we need more food! The bigger, the better! But there was one small problem...

The forests were becoming smaller and smaller...

And their poo polluted the air, the earth, the rivers and the sea...

But they were very proud of their achievements, their size, their beauty and their strength, until...

They died – not because they were too weak, but because they were too strong! The small geckos survived, as they needed very little...

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!