Week 5 & 6
"Critical systems framework analysis" development and preparation for democratic action will be the emphasis of the closing two weeks.
The first step in building critical student framework will utilize the film, The Matrix, to highlight Plato's, "Simile of the Cave". The notion that we are prisoners in the service of the ruling order, will be flushed out using both the text as well as well as the film, to encourage students to understand the concept of "hegemony", "oppression", and "exploitation".
The second step in building critical student framework will be done by identifying and defining the economic, political and social systems under which the United States was founded and operates. Each student will be given a tool he/she can use to analyze his/her interests based on his/her relationship to the existing economic/political/social order. The following are the definitions and guiding questions that will be used to facilitate student understanding:
Defining the economic system as "the organized way that goods and services are produced and distributed" leads students to answer the following questions: How are goods produced? How are goods distributed? How is this determined? Their answers are guided to incorporate the following key points: 1. Under capitalism, goods/services are produced by the workers in factories/service sector owned by the businessman, aka, capitalist. 2. Goods are distributed according to how much money you have. 3. How much money you have is determined by a number of factors like education, training, gender, race, etc., but for the most part, how much money you have is determined by how much capital you own.
Defining the political system, as "the system by which decisions are made." And clarifying that "Politics is the exercise of power to get what you want or need, done" leads students to answer the following questions: Who has power? How is this distributed and maintained? Their answers are guided to incorporate the following points: 1. In society, decisions that impact many people, are made by those who have power. 2. We live in a type of democracy that allows for people to vote for representatives in government, to vote for new legislation, to petition our public officials and have our grievances addressed, to protest in the streets, freedom of speech, among others, 3. However, power is distributed in relation to how much wealth one owns. Elections are funded by big special interests that seek to maintain its influence over our elected officials, 4. The system overall is maintained in part by the participation of the people during elections, but for the most part, it is maintained by a huge bureaucracy that deals with the everyday operations of the government.
Defining social values as "guidelines for an individual's behavior" lead students to answer the following questions: From where do these values come? How do they shape people's everyday lives? Their answers are guided to incorporate the following points: 1. These values come from one's culture, religion, neighborhood, etc. 2. they act as a set of instructions for people to conduct themselves both in public, as well as within the private aspects/places of life, ie. home, family gatherings, etc.
Economics, politics and social values all shape a person's behavior. However, depending upon the circumstance, they shape them in varying degrees. In some instances, social values may move people to action. For example, as a Catholic, I am supposed to be opposed to abortion. In other instances, political views may be the dominant aspect. As a registered democrat, I would be expected to support strong unions. I would share that in my experience, economics has been the main force that has shaped my values. In other words, how much I have been struggling as a teacher (to pay the bills, to buy food, pay for healthcare, paying for rent, etc) has highly influenced, if not determined how open I have been to change.
The class activity that will be conducted is entitled, "Where do you stand?" In this activity, students will be asked a list of questions highlighting existing beliefs/positions around various economic, social and political issues. The exercise will emphasize class, gender, race, religion, culture and social questions where students will identify their own positions.
To further highlight the issue of power in relation to interests, students will then
engage in an activity called "If you were me, and I were you." In this exercise, we will compare and contrast the varying experiences of students based on race, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, immigrant status. Here, students will read/act out scenarios. Following will be a discussion where we explore our previously held positions in comparison to insights from the activity.
Lastly, the application component of this unit will embody the social justice oriented and oft-cited Quaker concept of, "speaking truth to power." This culminating part of the unit follows their study of the history of the struggle for democracy as well as the foundational principles of democratic theory and practice. With their critical systems framework analysis, our students, individually and collectively will organize and engage in three activities that will allow them to air their concerns about issues affecting them and their communities, to various economic and political seats of power. The following will be three activities they will engage in.
"The Economy and Our Communties" - addressing corporate power and its impact upon our people. A letter writing campaign will allow students to identify a company that has had or is having an impact, either positive or negative, and address them with their concerns about that companies practice.
"Balboa HS/OMI neighborhood Townhall" - speaking truth to the state. Students will organize a public meeting and invite candidates for local office as well as community leaders to discuss current issues facing District 11. Students will have the opportunity to question, confront and/or support these individuals and further their understanding. Following the townhall experience, students will then conduct a "deliberative poll" as a means of informing the larger student body of the issues. In an effort to disrupting the phenomenon of "segmented democracy" students will lead the conduct of balanced education to deepen our understanding of various issues.
"We the people" - speaking truth to the people; speaking truth to ourselves. Students will utilize their new knowledge of American democratic practice to help create a popular media piece that their communities can access. In groups, students will create the "Facebook of Change" and "Myspace for Democracy". Using technology and popular culture and media in the classroom, each group will be accountable to having their families participate in their project.
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