Reparative Pedagogy

• In Event: Learning to Live Well: Developing, Deconstructing, and Sustaining an Aesthetic Way of Life With/in Arts-Based Curricula

Abstract

1. Objectives

Reparative Pedagogy is a pedagogical perspective which conceptually frames support for inspiriting learners, supporting partnerships, and constructing learning exchanges. This pedagogy focuses on redress, balance, and offering. A class project is shared to demonstrate reparative curriculum in action and to describe how love and aesthetics can draw the arts and math desciplines together.

2. Perspectives

In 1958, Hannah Arendt said of individuals in the public, the problem is that the “world between them has lost its power to gather them together, to relate and to separate them” (pp. 52-43). Nancy Travers (2010), a relationship counselor, concludes that social networks move relationship connections quickly, providing snapshots of people’s lives without establishing emotional depth. Jane McGonigal’s book, Reality is Broken (2011), researches the crisis of how video games are being used to satisfy genuine human needs for inspiration, engagement, and working together in collaborative ways. Humans are looking for these connections. Like McGonigal, I promote the need for creativity, to solve world problems collectively, and to develop ways for people to learn to live together well.

3. Methods

Guided by this pedagogy which inherently seeks balance and sustainability, students develop projects and work always for the Other. My notions of the Other are shaped through writings by Ted Aoki (1996), Emmanuel Levinas (1981), and Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (Bethel, 1973). The class projects are based on creation with responsibility, wisdom as love, and community value. This is a learner-empowering pedagogy. The class focus is on learning in order to give back to the community.

4. Data sources

In creating math concept videos, pre-service teachers come to understand how they personally construct meaning when they deconstruct the sequencing of learning needed to teach a particular math concept; they learn how to integrate aesthetics and technology into their teaching; and since their videos are on YouTube, they also create a curriculum tool for their community. Videos collected include three semester cohorts ranging from 35-38 students.

5. Results

The quality of work is improved as student assignments are public. The relationship of teacher/student is also changed because submitted work is no longer for the teacher, but for the community. The video links are listed on the class resources website and are public. Between September 2010 and June 2011, the math class links were accessed 277 times (google analytics, July 18, 2011); however, of the videos left public on YouTube (72 in total), collectively these videos have been accessed 2,505 times (July 18, 2011). These video tools have gone beyond a learning activity in a class. By the comparative difference between the class links views and the total YouTube views, one can surmise that the videos are being viewed by others beyond the class community.

6. Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work

Reparative Pedagogy supports learning exchanges to encourage local and global cross-disciplinarity as well as aesthetic and authentic learning. It is a guiding pedagogy that attends to systems which dynamically develop love, imagination, creativity, flexibility, holistic thinking, interdisciplinary perspectives, and deep mindfulness.

Author

• Pauline Sameshima, Lakehead University