Being Critical About Literacy

Throughout this blog I have questioned what literacy is and what different literacies mean to different people. Literacy has gone from the simple definition of being able to read and write, to one that entails the knowledge of facts and culture. In my readings I have come across another perspective of literacy called “critical literacy”.

Critical literacy does not simply mean being more aware of literacy, but it is the ability to separate ourselves from the mainstream culture that tells us to think or act in a certain way. According to Ernest Morrell in his book, Critical Literacy and Urban Youth, he defines becoming critically literate as, “having the skills and sensibilities to ask demanding questions of the ideas, concepts, and ideologies that are presented to us as fact” (38). This same idea is present in Kevin K. Kumashiro’s book, The Seduction of Common Sense: How the Right Has Framed the Debate on American Schools. His book brings into light multiple examples of how we are presented ideas of fact through multiple mediums, and how we are unable to distinguish these ideas from the reality. To listen to Kumashiro speak, watch the following video:



In a similar way, both Morrell and Kumashiro are telling us that if we become more critically literate than we will hold the power to be mentally independent. We will be able to not be controlled and know what to do in order to control our own destiny. This is a big concept for educators to get across to students, especially as students are looking for ways to define themselves in a very complex world.

From Morrell we see that students are engaging themselves in literacy practices outside school that allows themselves to define who they are. According to Morrell, “Their [students] lives were saturated with sophisticated literacy practices: and this was true for even the more underperforming students” (92). He has continues to say that adults tend to label underperforming students as illiterate and lazy, but this is just irresponsible of that adult. What educators have to do is find ways that engage in students out-of-school and bring them in school. In the same way, educators need to bring awareness of these literacies so that students can be critical of them and know that the decisions they are making come from themselves, not from outside influences.

Morrell offers some examples of how he brought popular out-of-school literacies in school by making connections between the Odyssey and the movie The Godfather. Both works were epics and they showed students themes of the larger world (95). Also the students were able to engage in literacy practices that they may of otherwise felt uninterested and grown negative towards. To me this makes complete sense: engage students in something they enjoy so that when they are faced with a similar challenge with an out-of-school literacy they can approach it with the same critical awareness.

This approach to teaching becomes even more important in urban situations. At North High, where Morrell has taught, he states that every year that he taught, “at least on student was murdered”. Therefore it was natural and important that Morrell teaches a unit that address this violence. Students engaged in discussion that questioned violence in school. This is a topic that is probably avoided by educators because, like racism, some feel if you discuss it then it will occur more. In contract, students have a direct moral connection to this violence, if it is there friends and family that are being taken away by this violence. Morrell offers an excerpt from Samantha, one of his students. She says, “The end to violence has to start with us”. In this way she is searching for a solution to end the violence.

As a future math teacher I look at this and say, “How can I incorporate this into my classroom”? I need to search for ways that math is connected to student’s out-of-school literacies. One thing for math teachers that makes it hard for them to deviate from the core curriculum is that hard standards. Therefore, I must say, “how can students learn math from this but it is fun for them”. On February 18th, I posted a blog about low-riders. I can incorporate how math can be used in the construction of low riders. In addition I can look at rap music and look at the financial aspect of the music industry. Regardless of the specific lesson, what is important is that I need to constantly be seeking new ways to engage students on their level, that way they can see how the information is important to them.