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Source: http://www.doksinet Guide for Educators KWIC is a global education and resource that has promoted education, analysis and action on world issues and their local connections in Peterborough and the Kawartha region since 1989. We are located in Environmental Sciences Centre at Trent University (East Bank) in room B101. Email: kwic@trentu.ca / youth@kwicinfo Phone: 705-748-1680 Web: www.kwicinfo Table of Contents What is Popular Education? A Brief History of Popular Education Characteristics of Popular Education What’s my role as a Popular Educator? The Spiral Model of Popular Education What is Global Education? Principles of Effective Adult Education Practice Principles of Education for Social Change Facilitation in Popular Education Facilitation: Problem Solving Hart’s Model for Youth Engagement KWIC Seeds for Justice Research Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack Consensus Decision-Making Source: http://www.doksinet What is Popular Education? Popular education is a

collective effort in which a high degree of participation is expected from everybody. Teachers and learners arent two distinct groups; rather, everyone teaches and everyone learns! Learners should be able to make decisions about what they are learning, and how the learning process takes place. A facilitator is needed to make sure that new ideas arise, progress is made, and learning doesn’t get repetitive, but this isnt at all the same thing as a teacher. In popular education, then, we cant teach another person, but we can facilitate anothers learning and help each other as we learn. (from The Popular Education News: www.popednewsorg) A Brief History of Popular Education Popular education traces its roots back to Brazil in the 1960s with the literacy training program of an educator named Paulo Freire. In contrast to the traditional educational system, which dated back to colonial times and tended to portray the existing norms and values of a small elite. Freire’s students learned

to read and write through discussions of basic problems that they were experiencing– such as the lack of access to agricultural land. As the causes of their problems became clear, the students discussed which joint actions could be taken to change their situation. The term used for this process of action/reflection/action was conscientization! During the 1970s, popular education was shaped by the growth of mass-based movements for social change in South America, leading to the expansion and enrichment of the methodology developed by Freire. During these years, popular education evolved as an educational approach especially designed to help the poor develop the skills needed to organize and take more control over their own lives. In the 1980s, popular education again made new strides– this time in Central America, especially Nicaragua. In a massive literacy crusade modeled on the popular education approach, 100,000 Nicaraguan volunteers taught 400,000 people how to read and write,

thus reducing the rate of illiteracy from 51% to 12% in just 6 months. The continuing adult education program, which consists of 24,000 former literacy students as the teachers, ensures that literacy skills will not be lost. As another example, the popular health campaign trained thousands of Nicaraguans to develop education and action programs designed to eliminate lethal diseases such as malaria. Canada has its own history of popular education One example is the National Farm Radio Forum which was broadcast by the CBC in the 1940s. At one point in 1949/50, the program reached 1,600 forums with almost 21,000 rural participants. The participants were encouraged to discuss the causes of some of their problems and to take action to remedy them. The radio forums died out, partially in response to corporate lobbying with claimed that “controversial” topics should not be presented in the forums. Today, educators working in a range of community organizations in Canada are drawing from

our own rich history of educating for social change and combining this with adaptations of the popular education methodology, to meet their specific educational and organizing needs. (Written for the Proceeding by Rick Arnold). CheckOut. For more information about popular education consider checking out: 1. Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Friere (1970). 2. Theatre of the Oppressed Source: http://www.doksinet by Augusto Boal (1993). Characteristics of Popular Education • • • • • • • • • • • Everyone teaches; everyone learns Respect for the learner The starting point is the concrete experience of the learner Involves a high level of participation Represents a collective effort Consists of an ongoing process, not limited to a workshop Leads to action for change Stresses the creation of new knowledge Causes us to reflect on what we’ve done to improve what we are going to do Strengthens the ability of people to organize themselves Links local experiences to

historical and global processes What is My Role as a Popular Educator? As you might expect, the role of the popular education coordinator or facilitator differs dramatically from the role of ‘teacher’ in traditional education programs. The coordinator’s role is different in the following ways, which reflect the main characteristics of popular education we identified earlier: • Everyone teaches and learns– so leadership is shared • The experience of the participants is the starting point– so there is joint creation of knowledge • There is no ‘expert’- but rather mutual respect for the knowledge and experience all participants bring to the process • With participants, the coordinator helps develop ideas and skills for action– and there is a commitment to action on the part of the educator. However, the coordinator is not just a participant and the process of the program is not spontaneous. The coordinator’s role is to ensure that the process– what happens

and how it happens– encourages learning and the development of leadership in the group. How and audio-visual is discussed is important; how a technique is de-coded is crucial for the learning of the group. The coordinator must investigate the theme of the workshop beforehand and know a good deal about it him/herself to assist the participants in working to change the reality which is being examined. How the process is handled will determine what role participants can play in shaping the content and design of the program as it develops. (from the Popular Education Handbook; Arnold and Burke) Source: http://www.doksinet The Spiral Model of Popular Education What is Global Education? Global education is an education perspective which arises from the fact that contemporary people live and interact in an increasingly globalized world. This makes it crucial for education to give learners the opportunity and competences to reflect and share their own point of view and role within a

global, interconnected society, as well as to understand and discuss complex relationships of common social, ecological, political and economic issues, so as to derive new ways of thinking and acting. However, global education should not be presented as an approach that we may all accept uncritically, since we already know there are dilemmas, tensions, doubts and different perceptions in an education process when dealing with global issues. Source: http://www.doksinet Principals of Effective Adult Education Practice · Participants see what they are learning as valuable · The goals are clear · Participants can make mistakes · The experience of all participants is valued and drawn upon · New facts and insights are connected to what participants already know · People share/debate/discuss what they are learning with others · Participants feel respected/listened to · Participants have input into how teaching and learning happens · Differences in identify and experience are

acknowledged Principals of Education for Social Change · Critically examines unequal power relations, not just differences (race, class, gender, disability, heterosexism, ageism) · Names and challenges ideas and practices that support inequality · Anticipates and addresses conflict · Encourages creative expression · Uses the mind, hands and emotions · Is a continuing process, not a single event · Strengthens organization · Encourages collective action for change · Models democratic relations between learning and leader · Includes both reflection and action · Puts local issues into national and global contexts Check Out : Anti-Oppression Resources Sherene Razack “Looking White People in the Eye” Himani Bannerji “Dark side of the Nation” Homi Bhabbha “Locations of Culture” Edward Said “Orientalism” Edward Said “Culture and Imperialism” Himani Bannerji “Thinking Through” Grace-Edward Galabuzzi “Canada’s Economic Apartheid” George Sefa Dei

“Anti Racism Education: Theory and Practice” Thomas King “The Truth About Stories” Also in the KWIC Resource Centre: ‘Anti-Racism Workbook: structural change for grassroots organizations’ Green Justice Retreat Resource Kit (Youth Environmental Network) Ann Bishop “Becoming An Allie” Source: http://www.doksinet Facilitation in Popular Education: Some Basic Thoughts Understanding the group–The needs and interests of the group will change based on their demographics (think about age, gender, sex, ethnicity, language, mobility, etc, and how that will shape the interest, focus and energy of the group). Also think about the venue of your event; how much space do you have? Creating safe space-The facilitator is primarily responsible to make sure that the space is ‘safe’ for people to explore and discuss concepts and ideas without judgment. This can be explained verbally at the start of the group activity and should be enforced as necessary throughout. Remind people

to talk from personal experience (Use “I” statements) and not to stereotype, assume or generalize. Remind people only to share what they feel comfortable sharing All participants, however, are encouraged to share responsibility for the space. Allowing all options– Encourage people to try out new things (i.e try acting as different characters). Never tell someone their idea is not good or is wrong Interpretation and discussion is the key to facilitating theatre projects– the minute you tell someone something they’ve said is wrong you shut down the space for imagination and creativity. This also means accepting ideas: participants and facilitators cannot just say “no” and negate an idea presented during a scene or during discussion out of scene. Rather than saying “no” or ignoring the idea, run with the new information in the scene or use it to bring more discussion out of scene. Participants also always have the right to pass. Creating trust– In order to really delve

into serious discussion and games you need to have trust in the group. You can usually begin to sense that a group is trusting when they participate fully in the activities, begin to dialogue and discuss more and seem excited, energized and engaged. You can start to gather trust by starting with easy and fun games that don’t require a lot of thinking or divulging of personal information. As you gather trust and get more engagement, move on to the more challenging work and deeper discussions, including forum theatre. Creating energy– In order to get a group energized and motivated and focused, use games that involve movement around the room (remember to tailor based on mobility of your group and the space you have); games that involve competition are highly effective! Timing activities– You need to assess when it is time to move on to a new game (usually when the discussion has been exhausted or energy and focus is seriously starting to wander). You also need to know when to dig

deeper and hold on to a topic, and to be comfortable with silence when waiting for an answer to an asked question. Probe answers by asking more questions or asking what other participants think. Encourage others to ask questions Knowing when to move on to the next game comes with watching the crowd– read when they are bored or excited, when they are thinking or processing Prompting dialogue– Facilitating discussions and prompting dialogue usually includes a combination of gauging the interest of the group, suggesting new ideas, drawing everyone in, and changing topics when necessary. Facilitation: Problem-Solving Refocusing or directing energy– Sometimes groups get off task because of other concerns or a lack of interest. There are several strategies to refocusing energy Answering questions– if groups have questions or concerns, take the time to answer them or mention where there will be time to answer them. Don’t simply brush them off or ignore them as this will not help

you regain attention. Source: http://www.doksinet Prompting inquiry– To spark group dialogue, ask a few easy prompting questions. It’s ok to stray here, if necessary, to get the group engaged. Once the group is dialoguing, if you feel it is important, you can guide the conversation back to the topic at hand. · Changing tactics– You may want to switch games in order to regain group focus or energy. For example, if you have been sitting and talking for a while and people are getting sleepy, take a break from the serious stuff and play another fun movement game! Or just stand up and do the hokey pokey! Working with naysayers and those who do not want to participate– You may have participants who think the activity is “stupid”, “lame” or a whole host of other things! Sometimes it helps to ask why - they might have a valid point! Feel free to adapt games as needed. You can also have them sit out. Often this will make them feel left out and they will want to rejoin You

may also create a new role for them, such as help facilitate for example. Participants also always have the right to pass. Solving Conflicts– Sometime you will get a really heated discussion or conflict between individuals or the whole group. Use it is an opportunity to learn, discuss, dialogue However, always remind people of the trust and safe space required to proceed. If necessary, thank people for participating and sharing and then refocus the groups’ energy elsewhere. Suggested Activities Order for Theatre-Based Workshops 1. Icebreakers- Name and Movement Games 2. Trust Building Activities 3. Improv and Theatre Skills-Building, such as a character building and scene work 4. Forum theater on topic of interest or issue for discussion 5. Discussion and Debriefingintroducing and sharing resources, references, etc 6. Final movement and wrap-up games Check OutGames to Get you Going Books: Games for Actors and Non-Actors, by Augusto Boal (2002). Theatre for Community, Conflict

and Dialogu, by Michael Rohd (1998). Drama Games for Those Who Like to Say No, by Chris Johnston (2010). Structuring Drama Work, by Jonothan Neeands and Tony Goode (2000). Websites: http://creative-toolbox.blogspotcom/ http://improvencyclopedia.org/ Source: http://www.doksinet Hart’s Model of Youth Engagement According to Roger Hart, types of youth non-engagement include tokenism, manipulation and decoration, while best youth engagement practices are youth-initiated, directed and offer opportunities for shared decision-making with adults. By moving programming up on the ladder, youth will become more engaged in the process and activities, and more meaningful relationships between programmers, educators and youth will be achieved. KWIC Seeds for Justice Research In 2010 KWIC Seeds for Justice youth volunteers, Rachel Edge and Justin Reid employed a mixedmethods program to assess local Youth Engagement challenges and successes. Methods included:  focus groups, (n= 4) 

questionnaire (n= 118)  participant observation of youth organization meetings(n= 3) Results indicated that youth programs must overcome a number of challenges in order to meaningfully engage youth throughout the program. Some key challenges for educators to consider are listed below:  Issue: 25% of the student population had not attended a community and/or school event/program because they did not feel welcome, often because of concerns related to gender, race, high price of program and the source of advertisement.  Issue: In particular, queer and trans youth, newcomer youth, female youth and aboriginal and racialised youth felt least welcome and were therefore less likely to engage in youth programming.  Issue: Additional evidence illustrated that youth did not feel welcome because youth engagement opportunities were run by non-youth, or non-youth friendly organizations that did not engage youth in every aspect of the decision-making or just involved youth as token

representatives.  Issue: Youth also did not feel encouraged to engage if projects were run on an ongoing basis with little accessibility for entry point mid-project.  Issue: Many youth did not engage in opportunities because the activities were not hands-on or skills-based. Source: http://www.doksinet Unpacking the Invisible Unpack (Revised) ۰ I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time. ۰ When I am told of my national heritage or “civilization”, I am shown that people of my colour made it what it is. ۰ I can swear or dress in second hand clothes without having people associate these choices to the bad more, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race. ۰I can be pretty sure that if I ask to see “the person in charge” I will be facing a person of my race. ۰If a cop stops me, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race. ۰I can go shopping along most of the time and be assured that I won’t be followed or

harassed. ۰ I can turn on the television or open the newspaper and see people of my race widely represented. ۰I can easily buy posters, post cards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, or magazines featuring people of my race. ۰I can choose make-up or bandages in tones that match my skin colour. ۰I don’t need to think about race and racism every day. I can choose when and where I want to respond to racism. What’s In Your Invisible Knapsack? Race Gender Age Ethnicity Physical Abilities Socioeconomic Status Religion Sexual Orientation Sexual Expression Language Learning Abilities/Styles o Other? o o o o o o o o o o o Source: http://www.doksinet Consensus Decision-Making Key guidelines for Consensus Decision-Making · Come to the discussion with an open mind. This doesn’t mean not thinking about the issue beforehand, but it does mean being willing to consider any other perspectives and ideas that come up in discussion. · Listen to other people’s ideas and try

to understand their reasoning. · Describe your reasoning briefly so other people can understand you. Avoid arguing for your own judgments and trying to make other people change their minds to agree with you. · Avoid changing your mind only to reach agreement and avoid conflict. Do no “go along” with decisions until you have resolved any reservations that you consider important. · View differences of opinion as helpful rather than harmful. · Avoid conflict-reducing techniques such as majority vote. Stick with the process a little longer and see if you can’t reach consensus after all. If you can’t reach consensus: 1. Ask if individuals are willing to step aside, if they are willing to let the decision go forward, but do not want to take part in carrying it out. 2. Ask for a few minutes of silence to see if there is another decision or option that may be considered. 3. Lay aside the issue until the next meeting If there is time to do this, it can give the group members an

opportunity to think about new ideas. 4. Some groups operate under “consensus-minus-one” approach, where it takes more than one dissenting member to block consensus. Tools to use in Consensus Decision-Making: 1. Check in/check out 2. Go-around 3. Break 4. Brainstorm 5. Ask Questions 6. Devil’s Advocate 7. Summarize and Check for Accuracy