Cultural Literacy Scholars
There are numerous scholars that have spent time researching and explaining the importance of cultural literacy in the classrooms. We have focused in on Jerome Bruner, and E.D. Hirsch, Jr. We found interesting ideas in both of these scholars theories, and research. While we agreed with some of their ideas, we disagreed with some aspects of their work. We chose to share information on both, even though we don't necessarily agree with it all. Keep an open-mind, and let us know with who you connect with more: Bruner or Hirsch.
Jerome Bruner:
"It is surely the case that schooling is only one small part of how a culture inducts the young into its canonical ways. Indeed, schooling may even be at odds with a culture's other ways of inducting the young into the requirements of communal living.... What has become increasingly clear... is that education is not just about conventional school matters like curriculum or standards or testing. What we resolve to do in school only makes sense when considered in the broader context of what the society intends to accomplish through its educational investment in the young. How one conceives of education, we have finally come to recognize, is a function of how one conceives of culture and its aims, professed and otherwise" -Jerome Bruner (1996)
Bruner is a psychologist, that has spent much of his life working on cultural literacy. He was part of the MACOS project, which worked at creating curriculum based on behavioral sciences. The three questions the project was aimed around were: 1. What is uniquely human about human beings? 2. How did they get that way? 3. How could they be made more so?" (Smith, 2002). Bruner wrote the book the Culture of Education. The book focuses on the importance of culture, and how it impacts our thinking. He argues that you don't think something "just because", even if it is a small thought in your head, culture has helped shape that thought and thinking. Bruner talks about the schooling that happens beyond the school setting. Students lives are impacted tremendously by the learning they get at home, and in their community. A major aspect of Bruner's research has focused on the idea of constructivism. Constructivism is a broad topic, and Bruner has explained one perspective of it. Constructivism focuses on the idea that learning takes place over a long period of time. "Learning is an active process. Facets of the process include selection and transformation of information, decision making, generating hypotheses, and making meaning from information and experiences" (Cooper, 2009). Every learner is different, so we need to shape our lessons to cater to these different minds. He thought explicit instruction would help combat different cultural literacies.
The main ideas we took from our research on Bruner, made us realize the importance of understanding how culture can affect a student's thinking. We really agree with education being more than curriculum and standarized tests. One type of instruction we feel would benefit cultural literacy, is think-alouds. Through think-alouds teachers and students can hear others thoughts, and understand where they are coming from. Students can learn from their classmates thoughts and perspectives, and as teachers we can benefit greatly from listening to our students' ideas. It is also important that students see their cultures reflected in school, through lessons, and activities. There should not be a gap between home and school. To be successful, students need a smooth bridge between their culture, home-life, and school.
Bruner is a psychologist, that has spent much of his life working on cultural literacy. He was part of the MACOS project, which worked at creating curriculum based on behavioral sciences. The three questions the project was aimed around were: 1. What is uniquely human about human beings? 2. How did they get that way? 3. How could they be made more so?" (Smith, 2002). Bruner wrote the book the Culture of Education. The book focuses on the importance of culture, and how it impacts our thinking. He argues that you don't think something "just because", even if it is a small thought in your head, culture has helped shape that thought and thinking. Bruner talks about the schooling that happens beyond the school setting. Students lives are impacted tremendously by the learning they get at home, and in their community. A major aspect of Bruner's research has focused on the idea of constructivism. Constructivism is a broad topic, and Bruner has explained one perspective of it. Constructivism focuses on the idea that learning takes place over a long period of time. "Learning is an active process. Facets of the process include selection and transformation of information, decision making, generating hypotheses, and making meaning from information and experiences" (Cooper, 2009). Every learner is different, so we need to shape our lessons to cater to these different minds. He thought explicit instruction would help combat different cultural literacies.
The main ideas we took from our research on Bruner, made us realize the importance of understanding how culture can affect a student's thinking. We really agree with education being more than curriculum and standarized tests. One type of instruction we feel would benefit cultural literacy, is think-alouds. Through think-alouds teachers and students can hear others thoughts, and understand where they are coming from. Students can learn from their classmates thoughts and perspectives, and as teachers we can benefit greatly from listening to our students' ideas. It is also important that students see their cultures reflected in school, through lessons, and activities. There should not be a gap between home and school. To be successful, students need a smooth bridge between their culture, home-life, and school.
E.D. Hirsch Jr:
Hirsch is a distinguished professor, who has taught at the University of Virginia. He is the "founder and Chairman of the Board of the Core Knowledge Foundation", and "is the leading voice in what can best be described as the “back to basics” movement" (PBS.org). He "argues that without [cultural knowledge], youths will be unable to function in contemporary society. He focuses specifically on the topic of reading and makes a strong case that reading comprehension, to a large degree, depends directly on whether or not the reader has at their immediate disposal relevant knowledge of the content domain” (CITE). The knowledge that American children need (according to Hirsch), is described as core-knowledge, which allows them to function as an effective citizen. He argues that if they are not taught it at home, they must be taught it at school. This knowledge starts with basics, and builds up much broader topics and ideas. If you are not considering cultural literacy when developing lesson plans, then you are assuming that all those receiving the information, think the same, and have the same knowledge. As teachers, we cannot effectively teach reading, and writing, if we ignore the cultural knowledge and content in the literacy. "Hirsch is best known for his 1980s bestseller Cultural Literacy — What Every American Needs To Know which offered a list of facts, quotations and information considered by Hirsch to be essential knowledge for all Americans" (PBS.org).
We agree with Hirsch in saying that to be successful, teachers need to understand the culture their students are bringing to the classroom. We also agree that it is not necessarily an even playing field, for each student, and as teachers we need to try and work with that. We disagree with what Hirsch labels as the "American Culture". His book claims to be "What Every American Needs to Know", and is filled with knowledge ranging from acronyms to street signs. In an effort to be inclusive, Hirsch is somewhat exclusive in his thinking. He claims the book is for Americans, yet what about South America, and Central America? Not every student is born in America, and accustomed to these cultural ideas. We felt it was not fair that he got to pick the "American" culture, and define it. He is stating what every American needs to know, but it is impossible to state this, when every American comes from a different culture and community.
We agree with Hirsch in saying that to be successful, teachers need to understand the culture their students are bringing to the classroom. We also agree that it is not necessarily an even playing field, for each student, and as teachers we need to try and work with that. We disagree with what Hirsch labels as the "American Culture". His book claims to be "What Every American Needs to Know", and is filled with knowledge ranging from acronyms to street signs. In an effort to be inclusive, Hirsch is somewhat exclusive in his thinking. He claims the book is for Americans, yet what about South America, and Central America? Not every student is born in America, and accustomed to these cultural ideas. We felt it was not fair that he got to pick the "American" culture, and define it. He is stating what every American needs to know, but it is impossible to state this, when every American comes from a different culture and community.