Introduction
Critical pedagogy is a method of teaching that is used to encourage students to challenge domination and attitudes and beliefs that are prevalent in the society. It can also be said that this form of teaching helps students to gain critical consciousness. There are various people who have come with different definitions of this term. (Toress, 2003) Ira Shor defined it as the habits of speaking, reading, thinking which have more meaning than their face value.
This kind of teaching involves a teacher leading his/her students to question beliefs and practices that the students consider tyrannical and encourage them to come up with strategies and ideologies that they will employ in liberating themselves from the oppressive beliefs and ideas. Gender issues have always been the key factor in critical pedagogy. Sexuality on the other hand has been the most discussed issue in schools; and issues such as lesbianism and homosexuality need to be addressed in sexual education. Gender issues have been incorporated in sexual issues addressed in critical pedagogy. (Crooks, 1996)
Critical pedagogy
This paper aims to address critical pedagogy with particular interest in educators, teachers and parents associated with bilingual/bicultural students. Teachers who take care of bilingual /bicultural students need to ensure that they are well catered for physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. Teachers determine the development of their students in all sectors and thus should work towards making sure that their needs are met. Parents have to support teachers in their efforts in equipping bilingual/bicultural students with sex education. The bilingual/bicultural students are special in the sense that they have to learn two languages in order for them to communicate effectively in the society. They are said to be bicultural since they have the ability to both access the hearing and the deaf world. (Hakuta, 1990)
Paulo Freire is among the first people to come up with critical education and most of his works have had a huge impact on critical pedagogy. Feminist, Post-modern, race, social class, sexuality, ethnicity, nationality and gender theories try to explain Freire’s ideas of critical pedagogy. In simple terms, Critical pedagogy aims at offering individuals means of bettering themselves by strengthening democracy to come up with a society which is just. (Toress, et al. 2003). The people who go through critical pedagogy are able to resist any kind of manipulation and domination. It enhances the relationship that exists between power, knowledge and authority. Female students have been shown to benefit more from this kind of education as they have been targets to sexual manipulation and violence in schools.
Gender critical pedagogy
When talking about critical pedagogy issues of gender and its effects on critical pedagogy cannot be ignored. This is a factor because both boys and girls have their own unique and special needs which need to be addressed in provision of services to them. This is found mainly in the field of academics where gender issues take the fore front when it comes to issues of educating, teaching and provision of services to both boys and girls in school. Hence the definition of gender responsive pedagogy in this context as a teaching and learning process which pays attention to specific learning needs of both boys and girls. This calls for teachers to embrace gender approaches in the process of planning lessons, teaching, classroom management, and performance evaluation.
For example when planning a practical lesson, the teacher should ensure that he/she takes the needs of boys and girls into account. The boys should not dominate the learning processes in an effort to maintain their superiority in the presence of girls. The language used by the teachers while in classroom should be well thought out to eliminate negative gender attitudes. The learning equipment should also be scrutinized to eliminate gender stereotypes.
Most females in foreign countries who are either bicultural or bilingual have not had much of a choice but to be adversarial, especially in a feminized field of composition and rhetoric. Educators should confront students as equals rather than adversaries, thus opening themselves to re-examination and learning about themselves and their pedagogical methods. In essence, improvement in the quality of education cannot be achieved without looking at it from the gender perspective.
Majority of the schools in the world, especially in Africa are not gender responsive. This permeates from the school environment right into the classrooms. Sexual harassment and maturation are just but some of the issues that affect gender relations in the classrooms. What are gender responsive institutions? These can be described as institutions where the academic, social and physical environment takes into account the specific needs of both boys and girls. In addition, the academic delivery, teaching methodologies, and learning materials, classroom interaction and management of academic process should also be gender responsive. This to a finer detail includes the buildings, furniture, and equipment which should also be gender friendly.
Bilingual/ Bicultural Students have always been victims of sexual experimentations in schools. It is so difficult to make youths less curious of finding out more about sexuality issues. Critical pedagogy should address this matter by making students to be more informed and responsible in dealing with their sexuality. (Hakuta, 1990). There is a school of thought that assumes that when students are exposed to sexual education, they become more promiscuous. (Kosmin, et al.2003). But this has been proven not to be the case and that when this matter is incorporated into school curriculums; there would be a decrease in sexual irresponsibility. Teachers are also called upon to analyze the way in which schools combine power and knowledge and how this will eventually work to stop or encourage critical thinking of active students in schools on sexual issues. (Toress, et al. 2003)
Bicultural/ bilingual pedagogy should work towards encouraging students especially the female students to be modest, and chaste till when they get married. This kind of education should focus on teaching students the importance of abstinence. Immorality has its own consequences which could be prevented if only people would abstain from irresponsible sexual behavior. (Hakuta, 1990)
In today’s’ society, women who openly talk about their sexual desires are considered to be immoral. Such issues are only expected to be discussed by men. This is why the education system should be able to enlighten women on their rights on sexual issues. Teachers should be prepared to listen and understand the sexuality problems expressed by the female students. This kind of education allows students to have an atmosphere where they can openly express their fears, beliefs and experience without the fear of being victimized.
Educators of the bilinguals/bicultural students have a responsibility of creating a learning environment that will foster the exchange of new ideas and discussions regarding sexual matters. There should be a forum for explanation of various issues and criticism of some aspects that are unfavorable to the sexual health of students. Many adolescents have been noted to consider sex education as a topic which they can derive humor and pleasure in. Many male students normally acquire certain lines and phrases from sex education sessions which they use to taunt and ridicule the female students with. (Crooks, 1996). Teachers should find it as their responsibility to counsel the male students on the importance of this kind of education and inform them on how their contribution to the success of the education is of great importance. Parents and students relationships go a long way in helping to internalize sexual education. The parents should also be encouraged by teachers to be able to support sexual education offered to their children. (Kosmin, et al.2003).
Teachers have a role to play in explaining to the bilingual/bicultural students of ways they can tell whether they are sexually healthy or not. The female students normally grow in the fear that they might be sterile or may not have children in future. Most of them are usually unsure of their sexual health and whether they arte going to lead normal lives in the future. Critical pedagogy that talks about sexual education would help in trying to assure them about their health and make them concentrate on their studies in school. (Toress, et al. 2003)
According to research carried out by Short, it was found that sex education has a direct relationship with the intellectual capacity of bilingual/bicultural students. Educators should be able to enlighten families on the values of sexual education so that the students would feel free to discuss sexual matters in their homes. It has been proved that not only does sexual education play a role in helping bilingual/bicultural students know about their sexuality but it has also helped in the preservation of the family and its values. (Waites, 2005)
Sexual education is facing great opposition from all corners. Such kind of education is really challenged outside the class room. Therefore, it mainly depends on teachers to be able to make other people aware of the benefits of sexual education and even go an extra mile in educating the bilingual/bicultural students on sexual issues.
School-based health clinics (SBCHs) have been though to provide a solution concerning sexual health to students. Teachers are meant to encourage their students to attend these clinics and get expert opinion, health counseling and examinations which cannot be obtained in the classrooms. Schools should be encouraged to welcome SBHCs services so that students can have access to information concerning birth control and contraceptives. (Waites, 2005). Since we are living in a world where many people have become perverts it is only proper to introduce sexual education in school to be able to enlighten students of ways to take care of themselves. It does not help to be conservative and strict about sex and sexuality in a society which has become very pervasive. Students will eventually come to know about sex through wrong channels. Therefore, it is recommended that teachers should let their students learn about their sexuality in the class rooms. It has been proven that sexual education does not serve to introduce students into sexual activities early but it serves to postpone it. (Kosmin, et al.2003).
Female adolescent students who are silent about their sexual feelings due to fear of victimization should be provided with real life options which will help them in making decisions concerning their sexuality. Their empowerment is very vital in the quest of educating them on the consequences of experimenting and exploring irresponsible sexual behaviors. Critical pedagogy should be a means through which female students can gain knowledge on how to protect themselves from early pregnancies. (Ponton, 2000).
In Sweden, the government has allowed sexual education to be incorporated in schools’ curriculum. The government hopes that this education will serve to educate the youth on the importance of abstaining from pre-marital sex. The students who have had earlier sexual contacts are also accepted in the education system. Secondary virginity is recommended for these kinds of students so that they do not continue to endanger themselves by participating in irresponsible sexual behaviors. The bilingual/bicultural students are encouraged to wait upon the right partners in marriage with whom they will be able to experience the joys of sex together. The kind of education offered even goes ahead to allow parent with bilingual/ bicultural children to take time off work to attend these classes. Teachers are advised to adopt teaching methods that will be able to enable the students acquire sex knowledge which will make them better equipped when experiencing in the future. (Waites, 2005)
French feminists have always been on the move to ensure that the female body, voice, concern and feelings are openly expressed. Women have always lived in the fear of victimization. They should have a forum where they can openly express themselves. There has been a question as to whether students should confide in their parents and teachers about having sex. (Ponton, 2000). Various views came up in that there is a group of students who thought that this would ruin their relationships with their parents and teachers. The other group found no fault in being very open with their parents. Male students have been proven to be very frank and outspoken about their sexual contacts and involvements. This has really helped in them being understood and counseled before engaging in irresponsible sexual behaviors. The most interesting group thought that it would be wise to open up to their parent after engaging in sex. Therefore, sexual education would help to stem out such kind of mentality. (Hakuta, 1990)
Most public schools fail to recognize the importance of sexual education. They fail to recognize the need for the enlightenment of bilingual/bicultural students to sexual issues. The female anatomy has been treated as some mixed reactions ranging from embarrassment to distaste. (Ponton, 2000) There are times where female students would be separated from the male students when sexual matters were being discussed. But it has been established that it is more effective when the two groups are taught together because then they get to understand each other really well.
Abortion is one issue that needs to be addressed in sexual education. Female students have been in the dark on the consequences associated with abortion. Some governments have legalized abortion due to many reasons which include rape, unsafe pregnancy just mention a few. The bicultural/bilingual students should be warned against procuring unsafe education. The teachers should educate them well and inform them on the circumstances where carrying out abortion would be considered just. (Hakuta, 1990)
Conclusion
The bilingual/bicultural students should be treated with respect just like any other person. It should not be assumed that they are any different from an ordinary person. The many sexual issues that arise in the society also affect them. Teachers should be in the fore front towards ensuring that these students are well equipped concerning sex and their sexualities. The female students should be enlightened on various issues affecting them like contraceptives and birth control information. Sexual education is not only for female students, but the male students can also benefit from it. In this era where AIDS scourge has become prevalent, the bilingual/bicultural students have a right to be informed on the ways of protecting themselves from this deadly disease. Finally, teachers and parents should know that sexual education plays a role in creasing the intelligent capacity of bilingual/bicultural students. Hence they should come out strongly in supporting sexual education for their children. (Toress, et al. 2003)
References
Crooks R. (1996): Our sexuality; 9th Edition; Thomson Brooks
Darder, A., Baltodano, M. & Toress, R. (2003): The critical pedagogy reader. Routledge. New York
Hakuta, K. (1990): Bilingualism and bilingual education. A research perspective; Occasional Papers in Bilingual Education; Washington, DC
Ponton, L (2000): The Sex Lives of Teenagers. New York: Dutton,
Swan, C. and Kosmin, M. (2003): Teenage pregnancy and parenthood: A review of reviews: Evidence briefing. London: Health Development Agency
Waites, M (2005): The Age of Consent: Young People, Sexuality and Citizenship. Palgrave Macmillan.
Williams, Suzanne (1994): The Oxfam Gender Training Manual
REVISION set on 2007-11-29 10:17 :
Please add gender issue in critical pedagogy and make one model gender issue in critical pedagogy
Not separate this part.
You have to pretend that you are presenting such information in a conference or to teachers.
Remove Bilingual/bicultural deaf education paragraph
From: Customer to Writer Date: 2007-11-29 10:19
Subject: fully 8pages Status: New
you have to write fully 8pages.