Race Matters: The Unspoken Variable in the Teaching‐Learning Transaction

Abstract

Adult education is a reflection of the society in which we live. It exhibits our values, reproduces existing systems of power, and functions to maintain the status quo. In these ways, it is similar to all other levels of education in Western society in that it is based on a hierarchical system where privilege is usually accorded along existing lines of established rights and entitlement. Adult education, which was conceived as a field in the early twentieth century, was embedded with a charge from its major theorists and by its epistemological processes to work toward full citizenship and the democratization of the entire adult populace (Cunningham, 1988).Despite the stated good intentions of the field, adult education has not succeeded in accomplishing the lofty goals of empowering those lacking basic skills and in bringing all citizens to the table of equal access and opportunity. Indeed, the barriers that have crippled the field's goals, including race, class, gender, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation, continue to divide and disable society in general. How are these issues manifest in the delivery of adult education services? There are many avenues through which societal issues enter adult education practices: however, programs and class curricula, student enrollment, student interactions, and faculty makeup are the most apparent foci in any discussion of how the adult education system operates. As educators, how can we best grapple with the dilemma of who we are serving, and how can we foster a teaching and learning environment of equity and empowerment? I believe the answer for practitioners lies in day-to-day teaching and learning transactions.

(En)gauging Self: Toward a Practical Framework for Race Talk

“…The framework presented in this article adds a practical element to the conversation around strengthening instructors’ emotive capacity in preparation for, or when difficult and tense moments arise. Because race remains an “unspoken variable” in teaching and learning (Johnson-Bailey, 2002), adult education has remained committed to documenting nuanced challenges and experiences concerning race-related dialogues and among instructors of varying racial positionalities; accordingly, varied approaches have been explored (e.g., Sheared et al, 2010). At the same time, recent work on race pedagogy in our field suggests a need for us to continue to build strategies that more explicitly support emotive capacity—arguably a critical, intangible strategy.…”

Grounded Practice: Exploring Criticalities in a Job Reeducation Setting

“…I learned a great deal from her, but she never came to voice in class. Nikeisha believed (correctly, in my opinion) that she was not well positioned relative to the White-normative classroom culture (Johnson-Bailey, 2002;Tisdell, 2001).…”

Working to “Increase Respect and Reduce Stigma”: Thinking Through the Possibilities and Limits of an Antihomophobia Education Program in Paris

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