A pedagogical grey crayon: Dewey’s habit, assumption analysis, and thoughtful practice

ABSTRACT

In this conceptual essay, I ask, what might happen when educators default to unexamined habits in their classrooms? How might we be ignoring the more creative pedagogical options, not for lack of good intentions but simply out of routine and tradition? I utilize John Dewey’s (‘Habit.’ In John Dewey: The Later works, edited by J. A. Boydston, Vol. 17, 298–309. Southern Illinois University Press, 1902/1990) exploration of habit as it provides a constructive lens through which we can think about our own pedagogy as I explore the negative role that habit can play for a thoughtful and creative practitioner. I then turn to assumption analysis (Brookfield, Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, 2nd ed.; eBook edition, Jossey-Bass, 2017, https://www.wiley.com/enus/Becoming+a+Critically+Reflective+Teacher%2C+2nd+Edition-p-9781119050711) as a method to uncover hidden habits and argue that in an era of standardization, when so much might be recommended or even dictated to us, we need to continue to be vigilant about critically questioning our own approaches. To illustrate my assertions, I include examples from my own practice as a teacher educator.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher education
• Dewey studies
• literacy education
• teacher reflection
• pedagogy

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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JuliAnna Ávila

JuliAnna Ávila, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is editor of Critical Digital Literacies: Boundary-Crossing Practices and co-editor of The Contemporary Relevance of John Dewey’s Theories on Teaching and Learning: Deweyan Perspectives on Standardization, Accountability, and Assessment in Education. She has also published in Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Literacy, Teaching Education, English Journal, Theory into Practice, Teachers College Record, and Pedagogies. Her current research focuses on the intersection of horsemanship, literacies, and philosophy.