In Episode 21: activating our students’ stories – the power of language – and critically ‘playing the game’ of education
CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN TO MY CONVERSATION WITH – SILVIA GONZALEZ
Show Guest – Silvia Gonzalez
Silvia is a teacher artist who works primarily with black and Latino young people in Chicago, USA.
Episode Summary
In this episode:
- Finding and understanding ourselves through our stories;
- the links between language and autonomy;
- re-framing assessment in ways that work for our students;
- and playing the game – or at least critically playing it.
BUT that’s not all, we also have the Lightning Round where we’re pushing the edges of criticality, research, story, visibility and language.
Episode Run-Down
- How Silvia pushes the edge
- Empowerment and identity
- Centering our students’ stories | Finding a place to be who you are
- Visibility and Invisibility – Toning down in the classroom
- Sharing our stories
- Critical interrogation and diverse perspectives
- Continually learning as a teacher – Getting to know our students and their communities
- Negotiating the pull towards standards whilst meaningfully engaging with the real issues in students’ lives
- The power of language and systems of power
- Comfort, discomfort and accountability
- Transparency and critically ‘playing the game’
- The Lightning Round
- Being open to our students’ stories: 2 examples
Links for People and Issues Mentioned in this Episode
- Silvia Gonzalez – Website – Instagram
- Cherri Moraga and Gloria Anzaldua – ‘This Bridge Called My Back’, ‘Making Face, Making Soul -Haciendo Caras (books)
- Favianna Rodriguez – ‘Migration is Beautiful‘
Related Pushing The Edge Podcasts
For more social-justice themed episodes, listen to:
- Episode 3: Shake up your beliefs and values with Erin Stevenson
- Episode 7: Find your voice and really connect with Jenny Moes
- Episode 13: How to navigate social justice issues in the classroom with Rusul Alrubail
- Episode 15: Shaking up our mindsets about Indigenous Students with Surin McGrory
- Episodes 17 and 18: Making a Difference by Not Playing it Safe with Greg Curran (Part 1 and Part 2)
