Reply to comment

I completely agree that it is important for students to "see themselves" in their curriculum. However, I wonder in what ways this is possible when you have a class of students from such a wide range of backgrounds. Freire's idea of "creating their world" in school is a very interesting concept, yet it is not necessarily grounded in a practical example. One connection I made to this idea was in my field placement, when the students read the book Passing, which addressed issues of white and black identities. While not all the students in the class were white or black, the teacher led a discussion about broader issues of discrimination, racism, and privilege. All the students could relate to this in some way, but they were also encouraged to understand both the similarities and the differences they were bringing to the classroom. The teacher acknowledged that not all students would feel the same way about a topic, but that these differences lead to productive discussions. Like you said, this could extend beyond reading or English and relate to many other subjects.