> Bryson and de Castell have failed to note that their very subject
>of study, the public high school, finds itself in relationship to its
>community, highly marginalized.
>So, Bryson and de Castell are going to keep teachers from doing what they
>believe they should be doing. This in an atmosphere of public
>controversy where teachers are being told that they're mnot_ doing what
>they should be doing.
In my experience, I can't see high schools as "marginalized communities".
They get the best their respective districts have to offer by way of
resources, and lots of community support. Maybe Canada is different from
the US in this (and other) respect/s. We don't want to <keep teachers from
doing what they
>believe they should be doing>, but, rather, to insist on the significance of
acting on rhetorical committments to "equity".
>
> Bryson and de Castell, "two dykes wearing matching Gap pants, Doc
>martins and jackets(pg. 130)" may be marginalized within a larger world of
>academia, but within the public school community of practice, they are
>members of a community which has historically marginalized the public
>school teacher, erased her/his voice, and conducted research for an
>agenda that usually was of no use for the public school teacher...
Again-- identities are complex entities, and one doesn't want to claim "I
am more marginalized than you", but it is defintely the case that there are
few if any "out" lesbians doing gender equity work in schools, and we are
no better placed in ourt respective institutions, where we are also
marginalized. We are both inside and outside of "the university"
> Also, Gordon Wells is going to be a huge resource of strategies
>in involving teachers within teacher research, which is what B. & de C.
>are in the final analysis, most definately involved in. I suggest that
>he be used as a sounding board for working-with-teachers-strategies.
With utmost respect--- we are very differently positioned from Gordon Wells.
Would that we could invoke a virtual identity of a Gordon WElls, or a
Gaalen Ericksen upon entering "the school". We have profited immensely as
intellectuals (s0-called) from reading Gordon;s work
with great interest over the years, but our challenge is by nature
or contra-naturam of a different sort. We cannot be "Gordon Wells"
as we cross the threshold of the school and his insights do not
function for us as they do in his case. School-based research is
vwery much about identity-confirming kinds of interactions and
we do not have that as an offering.
We want teachers to work against the grain by takin on equity as a priorioty in
curriculm restructuring--- and it appears very personal in our case. Women
are "marked" for gender, and suffer all manner of attacks on "objectivity"
in pursuing this goal.
.
>
> And, it would be wonderful if there were on-going bulletins about
>your journey in their fundamentally extremely difficult terrain that is
>being traversed by Bryson and de Castell.
Yes--- bulletins. Well I have only just returned from a fascinating meeting
with the department head of Technology Studies (Industrial Education). He
heard me speaking about these issues atr a local community forum, and
invited me to speak with his colleagues. Full of fear and trembling I
entered the domain of automobile grease and welders and grinders
and the like and found committed teachers wanting to make
their workplace more conducive to girls. We are now working on
an integrated mechanics/auto shop course for girls. Success comes in the
most unlikely places from time to time. The department head is
really excited, and so am I.
Mary