Loosening the bonds of conventionalism: problems and possibilities of a transformative pedagogy

Abstract

As two teacher-educators, the authors advocate for democratic practices in classrooms. They describe how, in their Masters programme for veteran teachers, they have grappled to undercut conventions of schooling, which thwart teacher activism. They look critically at how market-driven notions such as efficiency, clarity and outside expertise constrain how teachers think and go about their work, entrenching generic, rather than tailored responses to individual students. The writers describe how they attempt to undermine these forces and they trace the difficulties they encounter along the way. They offer a description of an arts-based curriculum that challenges teachers to surface, revisit, and rethink the ideologies and assumptions that guide their thinking and practices. Such an approach to curriculum, the authors claim, can awaken the critical consciousness of teachers, and motivate them to more creative and empowering practices, practices that provide a freeing context for students to pursue their own unique identities and projects. Despite claiming considerable potential in their approach, the authors also analyse forms of teacher resistance and their own struggles as professors. Finally, they consider whether or not their approach simply replaces one dominating agenda with another, concluding that when their arts-integrated curriculum succeeds in generating heightened consciousness and serious dialogue, teachers in their programme are more likely to resist outside agendas uncritically.