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=homeHopeful Pedagogy, by the students of EC&I 808.=

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I am getting more hopeful as I have completed the major project for this class. We are almost there and soon we will travel to a new dimension and become powerful beings with the ability to change the circumstances of those we represent by taking on power postions in education and government. Remember that with great power comes great reponsibility.======

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We literally have the opportunity to bring out of oppression Aboriginal people in northern Saskatchewan. This will not happen overnight but happen it will and must. As we blaze the trail another cohort is begining to study and perhaps will take over or join our projects.======

First an Apology and now Academic success and soon freedom to choose with an informed mind.
Hopeful pedagogy - I am pretty hopeful, I just left Pukatawagan for good, it's always sad when you leave a community but hopeful I can do as much for another community. There was a really good feeling at the graduation ceremonies in Puk, the Chief spoke about the residential school apology and what it meant to her and the people of Puk. I was reflecting on what happened that day, I related this event to my experiences, when ever I was in conflict with someone and I know I wasnt in the wrong and they turn around and say "I apologize, I'm sorry", I have two choices one is to get angry and continue to harbor bad feelings or say, " I forgive you". The latter always feels better. I'm hoping our people will also do the latter. I have always blamed the residential school experience to the dismal condition of failed education for my people. I always said if only the government can say "I'm sorry". Well it finally happened, I am hopeful we can go on from here and resolve our issues.

Pauline, I have heard the same thing from others who have experienced the residental school. Many have reflected on the If only's.... if only we were allowed to learn about the native way of life, if only we didn't have to experience life without having to live away from home. It would certainly would have been a different life experience. My father was in the one in Ile-X and he doesn't say much about his experience. I think that it better to leave well enough alone and hope that he will heal, as I too am hopeful that the apology will help the healing process and allow for some real change for those who have experienced the residental school.

Ronelda
 * ==Possible definitions:==
 * Cheryl M.'s Understanding of Possible Definition:**

According to MoodleDocs, Pedagogy is derived from an ancient Greek word. When literally translated, it means "//leading the child//." [|http://docs.moodle.org/en/Pedagogy Pedagogy from Encarta Dictionary is "the science or profession of teaching."

Taking those two definitions into account and thinking what I believe based on my life time of discovering and learning, I would say that thus far, my understanding of Hopeful pedagogy is as follows:

Hopeful pedagogy could be the sharing of knowledge and ideas in many different ways and the building of opportunities to and for the student so that they can reflect, make sense and meaning and become self aware of it over a period of time in order for it to become part of their everyday conscious experience. It is a hopeful process because it takes into account the teacher's use of power, biases and attitudes, it values the student's primary and secondary experiences, skills,values, beliefs and knowledge, it is a proactive and ongoing transformative process for both teacher and learner. The teacher will have taken into account the "seven intelligences, or distinct ways of learning and knowing" (Gardner,1993) so as to reach the learner in the best possible way. "When you make the finding yourself-even if you're the last person on earth to see the light-you'll never forget it." (Carl Sagan) I think the goal for teachers is to mentor, guide and facilitate opportunities for others so they can become critically aware of the ways and reasons for why they think, act and feel in a particular fashion and then to further make more opportunities for the students to make connections through the utilization of action plans, trying out new roles, building confidence, exploring newer choices, asking questions, making decisions and creating new perspectives and preventative changes in their lives. Maslov says that "growth is incremental" and that the student needs to feel a sense of belonging and safety in order to take learning risks in their environments. Therefore it is crucial to create a warm inviting learning atmosphere. The teacher's (words and behaviours)pedagogy must also consistently include a genuine, positive modelling and encouragment for all of the learners to observe, feel, and incorporate what they are learning."How we walk determines where our children go." (Roy Henry Vickers-artist) References to be posted.

Cheryl Herman's thoughts on Hopeful Pedagogy: Hopeful: Hope is a [|belief] in a positive outcome related to events and [|circumstances] in one's life. Hope implies a certain amount of [|despair], wanting, wishing, [|suffering] or [|perseverance] — i.e., believing that a better or positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary. (Wikipedia) Pedagogy: The Latin-derived word for pedagogy, [|education], is nowadays used in the English-speaking world to refer to the whole context of instruction, learning, and the actual operations involved therein, although both words have roughly the same original meaning. In the English-speaking world the term pedagogy refers to the science or theory of educating. (Wikipedia)

Therefore, hopeful pedagogy can best be defined as a belief that there is the possibility of better or positive outcomes in the world of educational instruction, learning and operations. Hopeful pedagogy then becomes an inspirational idea permeated through the motivational energies of both the educators and students within the educational domain. Teachers do not necessarily always have to be the knowledge keepers, only passing on what they know as circumstances warrant but to be affirming and to stimulate true reflection from the students and themselves. Hopeful pedagogy starts with individuals’ history and continues with the understanding that humans are always in a state of being, that they are unfinished; therefore they are always hopeful.


 * Another Possible Definition: Loretta Ballantyne**

Pedagogy is also sometimes referred to as the correct use of teaching strategies (see [|instructional theory]). For example, [|Paulo Freire] referred to his method of teaching adults as "[|critical pedagogy]". In correlation with those teaching strategies the instructor's own philosophical beliefs of teaching are harbored and governed by the pupil's background knowledge and experiences, personal situations, and environment, as well as learning goals set by the student and teacher. One example would be the Socratic schools of thought.(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).
 * Pedagogy** ( IPA : [|/ˈpɛdəgoʊdʒi/] ), or **paedagogy** is the [|art] or [|science] of being a [|teacher]. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction.[|[1]]

Hopeful, meaning that a desired outcome is 'hopefully' what will become as a result of this site.

Hopeful Pedagogy is therefore a series of strategies and/or methods that are utilized to transfer certain knowledge to the students we teach, based on our own knowledge, expereinces, and beliefs. The context of where we teach is also very important to consider, we also need to think about the students' own beliefs, experiences, and knowledge.

**Pedagogues** A number of people contributed to the theories of pedagogy, among these are:
 * [|Benjamin Bloom]
 * [|John Dewey]
 * [|Celestin Freinet]
 * [|Paulo Freire]
 * [|Friedrich Froebel]
 * [|Bell Hooks]
 * [|Jan Amos Komensky]
 * [|Janusz Korczak]
 * [|Maria Montessori]
 * [|Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi]
 * [|Jean Piaget]
 * [|Simon Soloveychik]
 * [|Rudolf Steiner]
 * [|Lev Vygotsky]
 * [|Jacob Gogebashvili]

Click on any of these experts and you'll find more information.Example Bloom's Wheel or Rose is very interesting, but I'm sure all of you know what it is. Look below



After reading all the articles for the assigned themes, as well as my chosen theme, I have come to a conclusion that the pedagogy I would like to see unfold is the interwining of both European and Aboriginal knowledge. European knowledge and epistemology is portrayed in a linear or hierarchy model, whereas aboriginal knowledge and ways of knowing is in a 'Circular Logic'. I am investigating European models and frameworks of concepts and idealogies and figuring out how it would work in a circular model, as is in the medicine wheel for example. I believe that I can take the best of two worlds and combining them to make an impact on educators and students. As well I believe that for those that are not familiar with 'Aboriginal Knowledge' it would be an excellent contributor to understanding aboriginal ways and the aboriginal peoples. Therefore promoting acceptance in both cultures, and a relaionship build on Respect.
 * Hopeful Pedagogy: by Loretta Ballantyne**

A bad example gives insight (Stephen) I came home from school yesterday feeling really down because one of our teachers who I was expecting to return in the fall suddenly reversed her decision and resigned. The tearful teacher was in a fragile place when I talked to her and I felt myself consoling her and trying to put her at peace with her decision. As I thought through the discussion we had, I found myself feeling somewhat hopeless. Here was another good teacher leaving and she was leaving because of a number of personal situations that had developed over the last two weeks in her life, but the clincer for her was when she attended a social function and she witnessed colleagues urging friends of hers that belonged to AA to drink. The friends caved in and drank and the teachers (and others who were there) cheered. I felt sick when I heard the story; I still do. Her reason for leaving was she just didn't feel she had enough support to stay sober here and if you read between the lines she sensed that colleagues rather than supporting her decision to be sober would rather see her as being like them as drinkers even though for her it would be career ending. It occurred to me that this story had meaning to what we are doing with this assignment; I realized that part of hopeful pedagogy would have to include something about professional collegiality and how we support each other as teachers and individuals. I read the article, Developing whole school pedagogical values - A case of going through the ethos of "good schooling" by Jukka Husu & Kiri Tirri (theme 6 - Teachers and Students) and was struck on page 393 by the following thought, "Ultimately, teachers control the reproduction of their professional community through the socialization process as well." We have teachers who can contribute positively to our professional community, but we also have teachers who are counterproductive to our professionalism through their socialization processes that bring dishonour to the teaching profession. The weekend actions of some teachers here have put a program on the ropes, a teacher in personal danger, an administrative team in a frustrated mood, and classrooms with a teacher in turmoil. It is a picture of what hopeful pedagogy is not! And it is an example of why we need to include teacher socialization into the definition of hopeful pedagogy.
 * ==Possibles examples:==


 * Another insight from a negative example: (Loretta)**

I was at a conference where a social issue that affects each community (large or small), the topic: gangs. I have done alot of research and self-education to stay on top of all that might affect the students we teach and come into contact with everyday. I thought that this way I would be prepared with challenges, that we as educators face, when they transpired at the school or community. I also 'share' this information with the professional staff, so that they too are informed and are knowledgeable about techniques and strategies that they might utilize should they be faced with a certain issue. However I wasn't ready with the reaction of the 'professional' staff when it came to doing their part in making the school and community a safer place to work and live. This all came to be at a staff meeting we had ealier in the week. I found alot of backlashing at the leadership (who weren't there) and how it was their (leadership) responsibility to make the school and community a safe place. I was really shocked! For this to come from a professional group of people who are teaching my children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, all my kin, was totally very disappointing for me. I don't know how everybody felt, but I could see that some staff were very uncomfortable by the comments made by certain 'professional' staff, was not what they expected as well. As the posting previous to mine states, it is up to each and everyone of us to make a difference. At the end of all the arguing I said: "Just remember that in each person, young or old, that you come into contact with, there is a spirit within and I know that some of you become uncomfortable when someone starts talking about spirituality. But our belief in this culture is that we are to provide guidance to those children and youth, so that they too can walk on the right path. If we don't then we are just being selfish and if we don't do anything about the problem, then we are part of the problem." The unwillingness of professional staff is always a struggle, I know that they all have alot of responsibilities in classroom instruction, but the fact of the matter is we are to prepare these students to be successful in life not only academically and physically, but spiritually and emotionally, as well. I also think that as educators we can't be ignorant about the world, we have to educate ourselves by any possible means. Therefore the pedagogy or art/science of a being an educator/teacher should include all aspects of a human being. If this is practiced by an educator, it would certainly create successful students. Modeling the behaviors required would assist students in being more productive or simply to do the right thing. 'Professionalism' is a term that is very important in the educational facility, students can pick up 'bad vibes' from what is really going on in the school.

Another possible example: (Cheryl H) Paulo Freire ~ The Banking Concept of Education “…problem – posing method is always cognitive, does not regard objects as his private property, but as the objects of reflection by himself and his students. He constantly reforms his reflections in the reflection of the students. The students are critical co-investigators in dialogue with the teacher. The teacher presents material to the students for their consideration.” Friere’s problem-posing theory develops certain critical characteristics within students which enable them to search for meanings below the surface. Achieving critical consciousness not only helps students realize that they are individuals within a world that is questionable it also helps students see that they can shape the world they are actively involved in.

Yet another story - this one very positive (Stephen) There is a video on youtube that you just have to see about a girl who hits her first homerun of her career but injures herself before she can round the bases. An amazing feat of sportsmanship follows. The video can be found below or at [|http://successfulteaching.blogspot.com/.] I've included it here because it is an example of doing the right thing even when it will not benefit you. It is an example of modelling hopeful human behaviour; I think the idea of modelling should be something that we consider a part of hopeful pedadagogy. I also think that character education is something that belongs in this discussion. The video is worth viewing.media type="youtube" key="wKUaLlK776s&hl=en" height="344" width="425"

A couple of comments from Melva: Stephen, I watched the video and found it very inspiring. I am trying to teach my students to do the right thing because it is the right thing, rather than to get a sticker or other extrinsic reward. It is a slow process, but lasts a little longer than giving a reward for every little thing. I now have tons of stickers from my past, and often forget that they are there. This week I remembered and gave some to the kids. We had been making rainbows with a prism and colouring rainbows so I gave them a rainbow sticker. I placed them on the homework folders. Several students had not brought their folders, so I just put the stickers on their homework pages. The students were watching me do this. One little girl had missed a lot of school and had several papers and a parent newsletter clipped together. I put her sticker on the back page so that it was on the current homework, rather than on the newsletter intended for Mum or Grandma. The other kids told her, your sticker is on the back when she asked one (in Dene) about the stickers. She had been in the washroom when I put the stickers on. She looked at her back page, saw the sticker and smiled. A couple of things are significant about this seemingly trivial incident. First of all, if you teach 3-6 year olds, you will know how much a piece of coloured paper with a sticky back means to a young child. They really like stickers. In the past I would not have given stickers to the children without folders, in the hope of teaching them to be more responsible and bring their folders the next day. When I used that method it did not work. The stickers this day had rainbows on them, a direct connection to what we had been learning. I suggested to the students that they tell their parents about the rainbows and sing the rainbow song at home, hopefully the sticker might remind them. I had to make a split second, but conscious decision between putting the stickers on the homework or on the kids' shirt if they didn't have their folders. I decided to put it on the homework, to keep it the same (more or less) and to eliminate the fussing with stickers on shirts that I had experienced the day before. The stickers were a treat, rather than a reward, a treat for everyone, to remind them of what they learned. By giving a sticker to each child, I was (hopefully) also reinforcing the sense of belonging in the classroom, rather than singling out some students as being "less than" because they hadn't brought their folders. To tie this back to your posting of the video, and mainly your comment about character education, I agree that we need to teach character and values, but not via a fancy canned program with "the value of the week" posted around the school, but through day to day little moments. As teachers we also need to be careful to walk our talk when it comes to teaching character and values. Hopeful pedagogy is attending to the details and small moments because they impact the bigger picture, and sometimes we will never know how much the impact the small moments have. Despite not knowing what the end results will be, we hopefully continue trying to guide these children in positive and productive ways every day.

A Practitioner Profile by Lily McKay-Carriere for the wiki When I stand on the educational landscape to examine who I am, what I am doing here and what I hope to do, Action Research helps me reflect on pedagogy of hope. As a ‘new paradigm’, Action Research is an approach to research that seeks to simultaneously create valid social knowledge and contribute to processes of democratic social change by including local stakeholders as co-researchers, weaving together ‘local ‘ and ‘professional’ perspectives to produce knowledge and action directly useful to a community, testing and a validating knowledge through in iterative cycles of reflection and action, increasing people’s capacities to act on their own behalf to improve their lives, and seeking to create a more just, more democratic world (Greenwood and Levin, 1998; Kemmis and McTaggart, 2000). “Hope, as an ontological need, demands and anchoring in practice.” -Paulo Freire I do not understand human existence and the struggle needed to improve it, apart from hope and dream. Hope is an ontological need. Hopelessness is but hope that has lost its bearings, and become a distortion of that ontological need. When it becomes a program, hopelessness paralyzes us, immobilizes us. We succumb to fatalism, and then it becomes impossible to muster the strength we absolutely need for a fierce struggle that will re-create the world. I am hopeful, not out of mere stubbornness, but out of an existential, concrete imperative. I do not mean that, because I am hopeful, I attribute this hope of mine the power to transform reality all by itself, so that I set out for the fray without taking account of concrete, material data, declaring, “My hope is enough! No, my hope is necessary, but it is not enough. Alone, it does not win, but without it my struggle will be weak and wobbly. We need critical hope the way a fish needs unpolluted water. (Freire) Source: Reynolds and Vince, eds. Organizing Reflection, 2004. Chapter 12

**Gail Gardiner - Hopeful Pedagogy**
=Taken from the Western Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Basic Education, The Common Curriculum Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Culture. In the above statement from the elders letter, it is their hope that we develop full, responsible and healthful lives, this is also my hope, my dream, especially for Aboriginal youth in Canada. I hope that they can connect to their community but at the same time be productive in Canadian Society. As a teacher, of Aboriginal ancestry my hopeful pedagogy, support our youth, guide and create resource networks in the community and deliver culturally relevant pedagogy wherever I may choose to teach. My hope is that we develop Northern Curriculum and locally devloped couses to meet the needs of our diverse communities but also address our commonalities. We are all pathmakers, who choose our own destinations, guided by our past, transmitted by our elders and demonstrated for the well being of our future.= = __“ekawina ceskwa pagicik” or “ (all of you) don’t give up yet”__ __ Lily’s definition of a hopeful pedagogy: A hopeful pedagogy is a frame of mind and of choosing positivity over negativity. It’s like being a fish amidst polluted waters attempting to swim to clearer waters. In the academic world we inhabit, Brookfield (Critical Reflection, 2000), speaks of the waters polluted by ‘radical pessimism’ and how we long to get out of those waters and long to practice pedagogy of hope. In the process of swimming toward clearer waters, hope is the greatest source of strength (Freire suggests that people need critical hope as a motivating and sustaining force for realizing deeply felt ideals and aims). It means that we shape or reshape our educational landscape in order to make positive change in hopes of a better life. It means finding possibilities where there is disparity and salvaging what needs to be reshaped. Lawrence –Lightfoot and Hoffman Davis (1997) the one who asks first, ‘what good is here’ is like to absorb a very different reality than the one who is on a mission to discover the sources of failure.’ Having said that, educators must also remain critically mindful of the barriers (structural, cultural, historical, etc.) that stand in the way of realizing the possibilities of more democratic educational practices. It is suggested that change is more likely to occur when we help magnify a hopeful pedagogy of ‘promise and potential’ rather than being pessimistic and seeing only failure. In terms of our practice, a hopeful pedagogy helps us reflect on questions such as ‘What for?’ and ‘Who benefits?’ Cervo et al. (2001) stress the importance of asking such questions to help practitioners critically reflect in order to be ‘explicitly attentive to the questions of power and interests at individual, interpersonal, organizational, structural and cultural levels’. A pedagogy of hope, is a formation of thought that will help me carve out the educational landscape through the actions I carry out as a practitioner. I always remember the words of a local Cree Elder (Buck/McKay-Carriere interview, March 2008) who advised me, “ekawina ceskwa pagicik” or “ (all of you) don’t give up yet”; it was her way of telling me not give up hope but to salvage what can be repaired (of Cree language loss) and to give it life. It was her generalized way of telling me to be part of as the ongoing cycle of life that ultimately has to be filled with hope. As an educational practitioner, I simply can’t think of any other way. ____ **tanisi.... What an emotional day it has been...I joined in the group of people that we listening in to the Prime Minister's apology for the residential school victims at the PAGC grounds in the Allen Bird Memorial Building. It was so powerful and at times quite emotional. Sometimes where things take me because of my work amazes me. It was so rewarding and ...... I still don't know what the word is to describe being there. I still have to reflect and think about what just occured as I sure was not expecting to be there and to feel the way I felt. At times I was angry, sad, lonely and happy....it was a strange experience if I can put it that way. It gave me a much more clearer picture as to understanding how it is that we can still see so much generational damage among aboriginal people. This is still evident in many of the students we presently teach. It is so important to have teachers who have a good understanding of what happened in their students' lives. Their students probably did not go through the residential school but their parents and or grandparents did and the negative effect is still very evident among many of the students in our schools. I came to PA with a group of people as part of a Reference Committee to review our curriculum documents to validate our work that we do with the Gift of Language and Culture. We were told this event was happening in the next building and decided to check it out. The presentation was so empowering that none of the group left until it was over. Every time I heard the word hope I thought of hopeful pedagogy. How will this day change my way of thinkin? I know it will as it will be one of the days during my lifetime that I will always think about. I heard Chief Phil Fontaine and other people from the visiting gallery use the word. HOPE......I will need to reflect on some of the things I heard and observed to really get a good grasp of my interpretation of hopeful pedagogy. We need to know our students, we need to know the community, we need to understand ourselves, we need to realize our own biasis and prejudices. As an Aboriginal woman, I have my own thoughts and biases that I need to find answers for myself. Will I still be on the right track? Probably not in someone else's eyes, but I need to make an effort to improve and care about the person beside me and the stranger I meet. I was glad to hear the committment from the government to move ahead and to try to work towards reconcilitation although I understand it is hard for many people to move on. To sum it all up, it was an emotional roller coaster type of day.....but strangely at the end, I sort of had the same feeling I expereince when you leave church after a Sunday service....a sense of rejuevenation? Back in the hotel room, I had to pry myself off the tv listening to different people's responses to take time to write. I don't think I would be able to write about what I am feeling if I put it off until tomorrow. ekosi ....Leda** Hopeful Pedagogy is being a gentle teacher who collaborates with others to find solutions that meet the needs of the students. I agree the student is the hope in a hopeful pedagogy. Therefore, I believe pedagogy is an integral act of gentleness where the values of the students, families, and teachers coalesce to find solutions and opportunities, so the student’s desires can be fulfilled. The student may always be smiling when they see someone, but this does not mean they are truly fulfilled. Hopeful pedagogy is being relentlessly positive when aiding in the development of lives where students feel they are safe and loved (BELONGING), so they can demonstrate a loving persona to engage in opportunities as problem solvers within their community (MASTERY). Then students feel they can honestly and openly attempt to express their feelings to advocate for themselves (INDEPENDENCE). This new found self advocacy opens further opportunities where they are able to assist others in their community (GENEROSITY). A smile is an act of generosity as it expresses our present thoughts, so why are students not always smiling? Do we need to continually smile or should we be looking for contented expressions? I would not say I am relentlessly positive; although I try to be while I demonstrate relentlessly excellence while teaching the ideals I feel comfortable mentoring. Furthermore, I have found my life experiences have been of a great benefit to me in my teaching practice when I am developing a positive relationship with students. Everyone’s ideals are different. Can there be a balance struck between students, families and schools to create harmony in society for everyone? How do you feel about teaching ideals you are not an expert of such as, grief, managing instant wealth, and/or total loss of any opportunity? When is your confidence jeopardized? I am still a student who hopes my mentors pay attention to thoughts, so I find contentment I can model to my students. I hope students will someday somehow have the liberty to expresses themselves in a constructive way, so they find true contentment. Then conceptual violations will be a thing of the past. The more I learn the less I know; even so I am contributing in hopes of creating a Hopeful Pedagogy. Gentle Teaching __** __What is it? Gentle Teaching is a way of responding which is relentlessly positive, and helps people to build relationships through unconditional acceptance and tolerance of an individual with challenging behaviour. It is about a relationship between a 'teacher' and another individual, where the role of the teacher is to search for opportunities to show warmth and appreciation, and help the individual have greater involvement in life and more openness to other people. Gentle teaching has as an objective, the teaching of others to feel safe, loved, loving, and engaged. The values underpinning gentle teaching are: · a person isn't to be judged for what he does, but valued for who he is  ·  everybody needs to feel safe, loved, loving and connected to others  ·  trust is more important than obedience  ·  interdependence is more important than independence   ____Gentle teaching also suggests that the focus of the intervention should not be the behaviour but the problem the person has and on how he/she can be helped to overcome that problem.__ ****http://www.library.nhs.uk/learningdisabilities/ViewResource.aspx?resID** = ____Gentle Teaching__ focuses on four primary goals of care-giving: <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51);"> <span style="display: block; text-align: center; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Teaching the person **//to// //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">feel safe //**<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">with us; <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Teaching the person **//to// //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">feel unconditionally loved //**<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">by us; <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Teaching the person **//to// //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">feel loving //**<span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">towards us; <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Teaching the person **//to// //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">feel engaged //**<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">with us. <span style="color: rgb(51,51,51); font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(51,51,51); line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"> **Gentle Teaching **is based on a psychology of human interdependence. It asks us, as caregivers, to find ways to express warmth and unconditional love toward those we serve without expectation of reciprocation. It forces us to examine our desires to form feelings of companionship and community with those who’ve been pushed to the furthest edge of society.** <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">[|**http://gteducators.blogspot.com/2006/10/register-now-for-instruction-in-gentle.html**] **<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Tim Jones and Connie Jones were inspired by Dr. John McGee author of Mending Broken Hearts and Feeling at Home is Where the Heart Must Be. For more information go to http://www.gentleteaching.nl/mentoring.pdf this paper will aid all educators in developing mentorship qualities so students diverse needs are met. Then if you are interested you may want to explore the critical views of the Gentle Teaching philosophy find critiques at http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1279769. Enjoy exploring the qualities of improving our mentorship as educators and take care. Pam
 * 28862 = __ Incorporating gentle teaching in our schools is a lifelong endeavour.

Hopeful Pedagogy - Early Childhood Education some thoughts from Melva Early childhood education is hopeful in the very act of teaching young children, and in the underlying belief that young children are capable and can learn. Many (but not all) approaches to ece are based on this underlying belief. Maria Montessori demonstrated a pedagogy of hope in her first Casa Dei Bambini (children's houses) which she established to educate and care for the children of the working poor in Italy. The following, from wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori, gives the basic premises of Montessori education, comments in parentheses are my thoughts on the premises The premises of a Montessori approach to teaching and learning include the following:**


 * That children are capable of self-directed learning. (this underlying belief is a hopeful belief)
 * That it is critically important for the teacher to be an [|"observer"] of the child instead of a lecturer. This observation of the child interacting with his or her environment is the basis for the ongoing presentation of new material and avenues of learning. Presentation of subsequent exercises for skill development and information accumulation are based on the teacher's observation that the child has mastered the current exercise(s). (this involves a rethinking of the teacher's role, and a retraining of habits. It is not as easy as it sounds, but it is part of a hopeful pedagogy since it involves the child learning through involvement and the teacher being very much in tune with the child as an individual)
 * That there are numerous [|"sensitive periods"] of development (periods of a few months or even weeks), during which a child's mind is particularly open to learning specific skills or knowledge such as crawling, sitting, walking, talking, reading, counting, and various levels of social interaction. These skills are learned effortlessly and joyfully. Learning one of these skills outside of its corresponding sensitive period is certainly possible, but always difficult and frustrating. (children learn when they are ready, and build on what they have already learned, appropriate materials are made available and children are shown how to use them, then entrusted to learn)
 * That children have an [|"absorbent mind"] from birth to around age 6, possessing limitless motivation to achieve competence within their environment and to perfect skills and understandings. This phenomenon is characterized by the young child's capacity for repetition of activities within sensitive period categories, such as exhaustive babbling as language practice leading to language competence. (I have observed children in my own classroom repeat activities many times over until they have achieved mastery, and not just mastery according to my definition, but until they are personally satisfied that they have mastered the task)
 * That children are masters of their school room environment, which has been specifically prepared for them to be academic, comfortable, and to encourage independence by giving them the tools and responsibility to manage its upkeep. (for the most part children do take good care of classroom materials, when they are show how and understand the reasons for taking care of materials)
 * That children learn through discovery, so [|didactic] materials with a [|control for error] are used. Through the use of these materials (specifically designed toys, blocks, sets of letters, science experiments, etc.) children learn to instinctually correct their own mistakes instead of rely on a teacher to give them the correct answer. (this teaches self reliance and thinking for oneself, too often as a teacher I jump in & tell the answer rather than letting the child discover it for him/herself)
 * That children most often learn alone during periods of intense concentration. During these self-chosen and spontaneous periods, the child is not to be interrupted by the teacher. (this does not take responsibility away from the teacher, the teacher must observe carefully, but allow the child to learn in his/her own way - hopeful pedagogy based on the underlying belief that children are capable)
 * That the hand is intimately connected to the developing brain in children. Children must actually touch the shapes, letters, temperatures, etc. that they are learning about--not just watch a teacher or TV screen tell them about these discoveries. (hands on learning is basic to nearly all ece, but the definite connections between the hand and the brain that are developed through the use of Montessori materials and approaches are a very powerful way to teach. One of the ways this is done is through a very strong emphasis on working from left to right in doing practical life and sensory activities, in order to train the brain, eyes and hands in left to right movement for reading and writing that will come later)

The Montessori approach can be summed up in this quote, attributed to Dr. Maria Montessori, and quoted in promotional materials of many Montessori schools, "Help me do it for myself." I see this as hopeful pedagogy for young children because it implies helping the child but encouraging independence - and strong independent well educated children will hopefully grow up to be strong, independent, well educated adults who can lead their communities into the future.

Hopeful pedagogy is being able facilitate the students’ learning so that they can start to explore a world of life long learning. I would like to be able to help and guide me my students so that they can become confident and responsible adults. It is my hope that I can be of some positive influence in their lives. I believe I can continue to be a positive influence and a role model by providing them with learning strategies that will build a strong identity. I can only teach them how to open the door to opportunities it will be up to them to choose the path that leads them out the door. My personal hopeful pedagogy is to be able to be a part of a language shift and to instil a desire among community members to want to know their language and learn more about their identity, no matter how significant my contribution may be. I listened to a presenter today who mentioned they first thing we should try to teach the students is to learn to answer who they are…..Who am I?...awina oma niya? They need to get to know who they are, their roots and community history. I hope that they become believers in themselves. This to me is hopeful pedagogy. I want them to feel confident and be able to ask questions. I want to be able to develop and inquiring mind so that they can be on their way to becoming self assured life long learners. Leda

Hopeful Pedagogy - Melissa At the Stirling-McDowell Foundation presentations, someone at our table referred to “at-risk youth” as “youth with potential.” That simple reframing can be very powerful and help with hopeful pedagogy. Instead of trying to prevent the youth from making mistakes and bad choices (a deficit-based model), teachers are working to help youth reach their potential (a skill-based model). So often, I get hung up on the struggles a youth has, and all the challenges that need to be overcome. Instead I need to look at things from a more positive frame of reference: what they’re doing right, and where their potential could take them with the right supports and programming. "As Lawrence-Lightfoot and Hoffmann Davis (1997) have noted, the one 'who asks first 'what is good here?' is likely to absorb a very different reality than the one who is on a mission to discover the sources of failure.' They continue: //'The relentless scrutiny of failure has many unfortunate and distorting results. First, we begin to get a view of our social world that magnifies what is wrong and neglects evidence of promise and potential. Second, this focus on failure can often lead to a kind of cynicsm and inaction. If things are really this bad and there is no hope for change, then why try to do anything about it? Third, the documentation of pathology often bleeds into a blaming of the victim. Rather than a complicated analysis of the coexistence of strengths and vulnerabilities (usually evident in any person, institution, or society), the locus of blame tends to rest on the shoulders of those most victmized and least powerful in defining their identity or shaping their fate. Fourth, the focus on pathology seems to encourage facile inquiry. It is, after all, much easier to identify a disease and count its victims than it is to characterize and document health (pp. 8-9)."// (Organizing Reflection. M. Reynolds and R. Vince, eds. 2004. Chapter 12, pp. 4-5)

The value of hope has been brought home to me several times. In one instance, I spoke to a youth addictions counsellor about what we could do to help a struggling youth and about possibly bringing group activities to help the rest of my class to avoid the pitfalls of alcohol. I was told that there wasn’t really much that could be done for the struggling youth, as his current home environment was not good, and that there wasn’t any point in working with this other student because that student was against using alcohol. I know that student had stated that, but I also knew that she had a boyfriend who was into drinking and had a lot of family members who were alcoholics, and I didn’t think saying that she’d never drink meant she was safe from those pressures. That conversation with the youth worker really gave me a feeling of hopelessness – thoughts of “What’s the use? There’s nothing we can do that will work.” Up until then, although I didn’t have the skills to personally help this student tackle his addiction, I was willing to do whatever I could to support the process. That 2 minute conversation drained my energy and brought feelings of despair. Hope is so vital to continuing to try to improve our own and others’ situations. Without it, we don’t have the strength and drive to go on in the face of numerous barriers and negativity and failure. This is expressed in Sherick A. Hughes //Toward a Critical Race Pedagogy of Hope: A Rejoinder to Brian Schultz.// (Journal of Educational Controversy) (www.wce.wwu.edu/Resources/CEP/eJournal/v002n001/r001.shtml) “Freire (1996) understood that teachers and students must struggle for school improvement, but we must do as our ancestors did so ardently – cling to hope with each daily accomplishment. There is no life to the struggle without hope, from Freire’s viewpoint.” “Without a minimum of hope, we cannot so much as begin the arduous struggle and relentless criticism of oppression.” … “Hope sustains actions, and people must act or the hope turns against them – empty [Oakes and Lipton, p. 32].” “Without hope, we are hopeless and cannot begin the struggle to change.” … “Hope must be rooted in practice, in the struggle. If not, if there is inaction, you get hopelessness and despair.” (Rage and Hope – Paulo Freire – Pedagogy of Hope. www.edb.utexas.edu/faculty/scheurich/proj3/freire5.html) So not only do you need to have hope and see the possibilities, but you must be taking steps to realize that potential. As Freire lays out the his story, he also discusses what he sees the role of the progressive educator to be. He does this with one caution, that educators should not turn Freirian pedagogy into //Freirian methodology//__. His work is meant to be a framework for others, and as such, he asks that educators //reinvent Freire// within their context, within the context of the learners. The tasks for progressive educators in Freirian theory are:
 * What does this mean for educators?
 * 1) "...to unveil opportunities for hope, regardless of the obstacles" (p. 9).
 * 2) to accept the political and directive nature of education.
 * 3) to express respect for differences in ideas and positions.
 * 4) to respect the educands, never manipulating them.
 * 5) to be tolerant, open, forthright, and critical, teaching is not simply the "transmission of knowledge concerning the object or concerning the topic" (p. 81).
 * 6) to teach so that educands can learn to learn "...the reason-for, the "why" of the object or the content."
 * 7) to challenge educands with a regard to their certitudes so that they seek convincing arguments in defense of the //why//.
 * 8) to respect popular knowledge, cultural content...this is the point of "departure for the knowledge (that educands) create of the world.
 * 9) to understand that the "perception of the why of the facts...lead us to //transcend the narrow horizons of the neighborhood// or //even the immediate geographical area,// to gain (the) //global// view of reality..." (pp.87)

Back on the early childhood soapbox (Melva - who else?) I recently attended a curriculum implementation workshop for the new Early Learning Program Guide, which is designed for pre-kindergarten programs in Saskatchewan. The vision statement for the guide states: "Early learning programs are holistic, responsive, and developmentally appropriate. They focus on the healthy development of the whole child - social, emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual development. Children, family members and early childhood educators collaborate in enriching children's learning and growth." If we combined that vision, and included community members between family members and early childhood educators, with the following statement from the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum: "The early childhood curriculum builds on the child's own experiences, knowledge, skills, attitudes, needs interests and views of the world within each particular setting. Children will have the opportunity to create and act on their own ideas, to develop nowledge and skills in areas that interest them, and to make an increasing number of their own decisions and judgments." we would have good definition for hopeful pedagogy. If we view our students (at all levels) as competent and capable, and teach in a holistic, responsive and developmentally appropriate way no matter what age of students we are teaching, attending to the whole person and to the collaboration of students, family, community and teachers we would have a very hopeful and powerful framework for learning. As the New Zealand curriculum states, we would start with the child's own experiences and world view, and build on it, we would not be limiting ourselves or our students to staying in one place, but using the place that they are at as a launch pad to the world. It is crucial to respect our students' beginnings and history, but we must not use that respect to limit our teaching or their learning. Our students are strong and capable people, as are their parents and communities. This strength is evident in the many survivors of the residential school system and other negative effects of colonization, our hopeful pedagogy must see our students as products of that strength and build on that strength in order to prepare them to continue to survive as powerful and competent people. references: Saskatchewan Ministry of Education: Play and Exploration, Early Learning Program Guide, April 2008, p. 4 New Zealand Ministry of Education: Te Whariki: Early Childhood Curriculum, 1996 (quoted in Play and Exploration, p. 10)

A poem for hopeful pedagogy. // HOPEFUL PEDAGOGY // H onoring relationships, O pening minds,
 * P ** reparing children,
 * E ** ncouraging knowledge,
 * F ** ulfilling dreams,
 * U ** nconditionally loving,
 * L ** istening reverently.
 * P ** ossessing hope,
 * E ** nding poverty,
 * D ** eveloping abilities,
 * A ** ccepting all,
 * G ** iving time,
 * O ** ffering support,
 * G ** athering together for
 * Y ** outh.

DebG-D, 08/06/18 ** My Vision of Hopeful Pedagogy

By: Arlene Hansen **

My vision of “hopeful pedagogy”involves appreciative inquiry, participatory practice, community based and life long learning. My hopeful pedagogy also includes the following ways of knowing and sharing knowledge. It is holistic, transformative, hope filled, restorative, generative, democratic, solution seeking, and enjoyable. It is learner and learning centered.

An example of this is a story written by Jean Briggs called “Never in Anger”. Jean was surprised when she was ostracized by a Northern Indigenous community for openly demonstrating hostility towards American tourists who destroyed the boats they borrowed from them. Despite the fact that their very livelihood was dependent on these boats, the local people have adopted a survival strategy that avoids open hostility towards each other. In its place, they practice an appreciative, positive means of interaction.

My hopeful pedagogy is solution seeking rather than problem solving. It reflects traditional Indigenous ways of learning and sharing knowledge. The story-telling component of appreciative inquiry is reflective of traditional ways of sharing knowledge and makes learning enjoyable. It is also essential to understand that Appreciative inquiry can guide critical reflection and collaborative learning.

By celebrating the best in all people, appreciative inquiry recognizes and respects the fact that all students can contribute significantly to a quality learning experience in the classroom and beyond.

Hopeful Pedagogy wikki #2 Arlene Hansen

This is the way I interpret “hopeful pedagogy”: It is being hopeful in the way I teach students and other learners around me. The idea of “hopeful pedagogy” is an integral part of my spiritual belief system and in my ministry. My ministry extends beyond pedagogy for it includes being hopeful regarding all living beings and everything in our environment. There is a positive relationship between my pedagogical practices, my spiritual beliefs and my traditional Métis way of living. These are all built upon the foundation of faith and hope.

I have applied both my faith and hope to the challenges that I face as educator and administrator in a Northern Indigenous community. This is where faith and hope intersect with transformative, collaborative and co reflective learning.

If I did not have hope, I would have already been too discouraged to go on. I see a tremendous amount of suffering people through my work in the ministry, as a justice of the peace officer, teacher and administrator. I cannot even imagine going through what I see happening to people in all of these areas without keeping positive and looking forward. I do however have a great opportunity to offer hope to these people.

In the Bible, there is a story in Acts16: 16-34 about two men, Peter and Silas who were put into the dungeon and imprisoned for their faith. These two believers could have let their circumstances bring them down but because of the hope they had in Jesus, they started singing hymns to God. All of a sudden, the prison doors flew open, their shackles were loosened, and they walked right out of the prison doors. This is a powerful example of what hope can accomplish. Wikki entry #3 Arlene Hansen

I really enjoyed reading some of the wikki entries by other students through these readings. I have gained a better understanding of the actual meaning of pedagogy as a term and how it was derived. I chose appreciative inquiry as my third theme and discovered just how much it reflects my hopeful pedagogy and my best practice. By discovering and encouraging the best in people, I can foster a more hopeful environment and future for my students. I am also more conscious of the importance of being an appreciative role model. As a teacher and administrator, I have a tremendous potential to influence my students and staff in being more hopeful and remaining positive. This is exceptionally challenging due to the challenges we face everyday.