Education Commons^™

Toward A "Democratic" Vision Of Pedagogy: Hermeneutic Interpretation Through Communicative Discourse In The Humanities Classroom, James Magrini

Philosophy Scholarship

Philosophers of education writing on teaching for social justice and student empowerment have suggested various theories for enacting a "democratic" learning environment within our schools. Strategies that have been suggested include classroom management stressing student-centered learning, peer-interaction, and the inclusion of diverse learning needs and styles grounded in a pedagogy composed of instructor-student initiated "discourse." Building on "social meliorist," or Social Reconstruction curriculum theory, I attempt to define the notion of authentic "critical pedagogy" through the analysis of classroom instruction in the humanities, and literature in particular. There is the potential for the emergence in praxis of an authentic "democratic" …