Decolonize the Classroom — Summer Assignment

Apart from inquiry, apart from the praxis, individuals cannot be truly human. Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other.

Paulo Freire

This was the quote I sent out to the staff to say goodbye and have a good summer. Some of these people I will never see again, or on very rare occasions at district meetings; others will be back on campus with me in a few months and even others still will stay in touch over the summer. Nevertheless, I sent them all the quote above accompanied by a challenge: to create a practice(praxis) that centers on allowing students to learn through creating and conversation.

This year, my entire quest was to push the envelope in every educational space I was in to decolonize the classroom. I challenged principals, union presidents, fellow educators, parents, and students. I was unapologetic with my language, and I presented evidence and propaganda from all angles and gave students space to find their truth. Students struggled at times; rejecting the banking method of education and the idea of them not being told the answers to fill in and asking students via zoom school to be engaged in learning about the world in a whole new way presented obvious…