Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Finn: Literacy With An Attitude

Questions for discussion...

  • What does Finn mean by "literacy with an attitude"?
  • What are the four mechanisms contributing to the status quo?
  • What is the "pretend-school model" vs. "real-school model"?
  • How does Delpit's theories compare or contrast with Finn's?
  • Would Kozol agree or disagree with Finn, and in what ways?
  • In what ways would the Freirean model be possible in your classroom? Impossible?
  • Delpit calls the breakdown in communication "the silenced dialogue"... what silences does Finn talk about, what causes it?
  • Have you encountered "oppositional identity" in your classroom and how will you "deal with it" in the future having read Finn?
  • Using Anyon's schools ( or the teachers in chapter 14) as models - which type of school did you attend, which do you teach in, which style do you think your own most closely relates to, and which is your goal now?
  • Do you feel prepared to or how will you try to use dialogue (vs. antidialogue) in your classroom in the future? Would you consider using negotiations, culture circles, cultural journalism, read-around, and /or collective texts.
  • Next January/February, how will you address the topics of civil rights history?

1 comment:

  1. Excellent questions... I am particularly struck by the issue of Delpit's silenced dialogue in relation to this. YOu made me think!

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