McLaren, P. Critical Pedagogy: A Look at the Major Concepts (pp.72-81)

1.) What is discourse? The dictionary describes discourse as a written or spoken debate. In the reading McLaren describes discourse as being practices embedded and institutionalized into society in an attempt to regulate systems. Discourse leads to discursive practices which cripple the thought process of the student.

2.) I do agree with Mclarens idea of discourse. He describes in the reading how discourse becomes dominant by allowing dominant people of a certain class to control what textbooks students learn from and what material they are to be tested on. McLaren makes a great point when he describes how standard curriculum includes tasks and accomplishments of wealthy and/or powerful Caucasian men. Too often curriculum overlooks contributions made by women, middle to lower class citizens and people of minority cultures. curriculum can also be manipulated to to encourage the current status quo of society. In the reading McLaren describes how discourses are created and governed by rules and power. It is important to realize the relation between knowledge and power, especially in a school setting. I believe the discourse that is created is another way to maintain order within the school. By not giving teachers and students the freedom to explore various avenues of education, you strip them of their thirst for knowledge. As a result, students believe learning is not fun, it is more so a tedious task.
I believe that if students had more input on the curriculum, then society would improve. Students should have the freedom to explore their options and decide what works best for them. Instead, we are drilled from a young age that there are certain things we have to master or we will not be successful. These critical educators create the dominant discourse that leads to domination in education as opposed to liberation which in many cases leads to rebellion within students.

3.) How much would society improve, if at all, by letting students become involved in the mandatory condition? Would a division of power within the classroom lead to a division of power within society? Is knowledge abused in its connection to power?