Reading Response 1

Prompt:
¹⁾How does Kumashiro define ‘common sense?’ ²⁾Why is it so important to pay attention to the ‘common sense’? ³⁾What common sense understandings of curriculum and pedagogy do you bring with you into this course?

¹⁾ Although Kumashiro dose not define common sense outright, a definite definition is eluded to throughout this piece. Common sense is understood to be a collection of beliefs and ideals surrounding a subject that have been held long enough to become viewed as traditional and unquestionable. Kumashiro also goes on to explain that the common sense held by and individual or society is tied to the expectaitons, assumptions, and beliefs of that individual or society.
Immediately after expressing their beliefs about what common sense is, and how different it can look when going from one area of the world to another, Kumashiro moves on to explain how damaging common sense can be. Nothing brings this point to light better than when Kumoshiro (2009) states “oppression is masked by or couched in concepts that make us think that this is the way things are supposed to be.” (p. XXVIII)

²⁾ One of the major themes, and a compelling reason to pay attention to common sense, that gleaned from this article was that ultimately common sense is a gateway to complacency. If we go our entire carreers striving to stay within the bounds of common sense then we are doomed to remain ignorant to changes happening around us. This doesnt neccesarily have to be negative though. If you use this as an opportunity to reflect, common sense ideals give you a way of guaging whether you are being complacent, or challenging that status quo.
Common sense also offers up questions that we have to ask ourselves. When we encounter something that is common sense, being aware of that allows us the opportuity to ask ourselves “why?”, and “to what advatage?”. As educators we have to not only be able to answer these questions but justify our answers to ourselves and others.
Lastly I feel that common sense can be extremely useful. If we look at it as a starting point, and something to try improving, common sense can be the starting point to build from. As stated by Kumashiro (2009) this “does not mean that we regect everything” (p. XXXIX) but instead I feel this offers educators a starting point that can be evaluated and built off of or changed if need be.

³⁾ My common sense understanding of curriculum and pedagogy is something that has been in a constant state of change since I started university. Before I started studying education I honestly had no idea what pedagogy meant, and the only idea I had of curriculum was the thick stack of pages that instruct teachers on areas of study. At that time, some of the beliefs I held were: teaching is simply following the prescribed instructions laid out by the Ministry of Education, all teachers have the same end goal in mind for students, as well as a general lack of knowledge when it comes to anything other that written curriculum. I have since realized that my common sense understanding was way off base.
After two full years of study, as well as two years working as a math and science tutor, I have come to understand what the meaning of pedagogy is, but also how integral the less talked about parts of curriculum are. At the moment I would say that I am carrying common sense narratives such as: students are on average less excited about subjects than the teacher (making it the teacher’s job to create that excitement), a teacher’s role is to prepare their students for the next step in life (regardless of what that next step may be), and teachers need to both maintain an unbiased atmosphere while still providing equitable opportunities to all students.

References
Kumushiro, K. (2009). Against common sense: Teaching and learning toward social justice. Taylor and Francis.