“Critical Pedagogy in an Urban High School English Classroom” by Jeff Duncan-Andrade and Ernest Morrell

“Critical Pedagogy in an Urban High School English Classroom” by Jeff Duncan-Andrade and Ernest Morrell was a very informative read. Never before had I heard of the harsh educational settings that currently exist in the United States. Reading this pieces was a truly humbling experience that made me aware of the harsh realities students face in low socioeconomic areas. Never before did I think the problems students face in low socioeconomic areas were as existential as this. Not having heat during the winters, or windows in the classroom, or even the fact that the floor is duct taped is unacceptable.

Furthermore, what stuck with me the most after reading this article was the fact that these teachers came into a low performing school and empowered students who didn’t have hope. For instance, the fact that seniors, with six weeks to graduate, became so empowered they created a magazine to inform the outside world of their hardships in school is incredible. We as educators are pressured to teach our students how to successfully critically think and these teachers did it in a way that students felt empowered.

Additionally, the authors also were able to engage students in a poetry unit by shaping that content around them; incorporating rap music into their lessons. By incorporating rap they were able to engage the majority of students in the classroom. Education is all about our students and getting them career and college ready. We need to realize as teachers that we are responsible for facilitating knowledge in our class. These teachers do so by creating lessons that their students find interesting. “Other teachers and members of the larger society perceived many of the students in our classes as functionally literate and lacking intelligent,” stated Duncan-Andrade and Morrell (16). Yet, these men didn’t let the stigmas created by the teachers in the school stop them. After introducing hip-hop into their lessons they started to see progress and success. Eventually, they even got students to share a poem in front of the class; defying those false stigmas. We need to learn from these two individuals. Education is an empowering tool that all teachers possess. When students struggle with learning in the classroom we must adapt and find new ways to facilitate learning.

Lastly, I enjoyed learning about their unit related to Jaime Escalante. Modeling a unit after a group of students who overcome the socioeconomic hardships encourages students to better themselves in school and society. This example, of a math teacher getting his students to pass the Advanced Placement examination, shows students they have the power to do anything. Especially since the authors were located in a low performing school, this example provides encouragement. Eventually, these students went on to advocate for better treatment in school. Some even joined an advisory board on the city council.

Engaging our students is essential when being an educator. We must realize just how important it is to empower our students in education and life. If the authors of this article have the power to not only show students, in a low socioeconomic area, how to critically think and be apart of the community, we do too.