In Other Words: Counterdiscourses in the Classroom

AbstractAdvocates of socially just pedagogy argue that the relationship between our classrooms and the communities we serve is crucial to quality education, and that we have a responsibility to develop socially responsive and responsible pedagogy that reflects the interests of all members of our communities (e.g. Deleuze & Guattari, 1987; Giroux, 2003). An important part of this task is to include historically underrepresented groups and to construct counterdiscourses aimed at resisting marginalizing forces in dominant mainstream discourses (e.g. Anzaldua, 1987; Shin, 2006). This paper describes two courses designed to integrate “other” voices and perspectives in the classroom and to incorporate “other” knowledge in the existing curriculum. The paper outlines the framework for community-oriented teaching on which the courses were based, and presents strategies for including, and thus legitimizing, a greater variety of identities, perspectives, and knowledge in the classroom and the curriculum. The paper also discusses reactions to the courses from students, teachers, and members of the community, and considers implications for education research and teacher training