Poverty,Disadvantage and Negotiating the Curriculum (R-2)

Abstract

This article is about a classroom teacher responding to the challenges of teaching in a disadvantaged school. The theory that underlies the practice is critical social theory which challenged the teacher to explore the disparity between the home and school environment with a view to making changes in classroom practice. The focus is to create a classroom environment which allows the students to have power over their classroom lives. The teacher puts forward the notion that negotiating the curriculum with the students is one way of changing the pattern of classroom interaction and empowering the students. The article outlines briefly the skills that the students needed to develop before they could negotiate the curriculum. It outlines how the teachers working with a colleague, Suzanne Armstrong, set about ensuring that the students gained those skills. Finally it summarises the outcomes observed by the teachers. This is about teachers taking risks to change their practice.

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