During the summer of 1787, when the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia, the issue of representation in Congress was strongly debated. Delegates from the large states favored the Virginia Plan's proposal for two houses of Congress with representation based on population. Delegates from the small states favored equal…

In this article, Eric Freedman examines the extent to which critical pedagogy can be considered a democratic form of education. Comparing Paulo Freire's notion of dialogue to Jurgen Habermas's "ideal speech situation," Freedman argues that such dialogue cannot realistically occur in educational situations where the teacher remains in an…

This article argues that adult education policy in Scotland has been constructed, in particular ways which resonate with significant cultural themes, lending them a currency which appeals to a deep sense of identity. Using the theme of universal individualism, the paper considers how ideas of community and education have been used to maintain the…

Classroom research must examine how authority is expressed. However, its expression cannot be conceived of solely as a property of the teacher: Many aspects of the exercise of authority are a function of the classroom instructional organization. These effects must be fully detailed. (Author)

Presents an example of what can happen when a teacher is deprived of all decision-making powers with respect to her job, and is required to adhere blindly to restrictions of prescribed programs imposed from outside. Denial of autonomy leads to decline in the teacher's interest and a consequent loss to students. (Author)

Although collaborative learning has many advantages for today's students, it is not a panacea. The profession needs to examine its collaborative classrooms, teaching methods, and evaluation for unspoken rules and hidden control. Collaboration prepares students in the latest techniques of capitalism, not democracy. (MSE)

Argues that the concept of justice offers many opportunities for creative teaching. Observes that historical and contemporary examples can help students understand the relationship among justice, power, and law. Suggests role playing and the study of legal symbols as means of helping students learn to comprehend legal concepts. (SG)

Reports that the absence of a normative training document is a central principle of the former USSR's Tallinn School of Management. Identifies five common blocks of instructional improvisation: writing a business letter; communication; taking and maintaining control; production and operation management; and product distribution. Describes some of…

In this essay the authors discuss some of the ways that critical race theory (CRT) could be linked to critical pedagogy in order to provide a more comprehensive analytical framework to analyze the role of race-class dynamics. This approach will attempt to address some of the gaps and silences that critical pedagogy has had regarding critical…

Antonio Gramsci's theory of hegemony--not so much a theory of domination as a theory of the manufacturing of commonsense--offers a way to break into the myth of leadership as always already tied to practices of domination. His complex accounting of leadership's "necessary" relationship to the pedagogic and hegemonic constitute an…

From the perspective of two practitioners who have been influenced by work in the area of critical pedagogy and critical theory, this article examines bilingual education, education reform, and the achievement gap in relation to Latino English Language Learners. The authors integrate personal experiences as they examine underlying assumptions of…

Experiential educators claim to value student-centered learning, yet the values, as evidenced in practice, are often teacher-centered. The purpose of this article was to increase awareness of the inconsistencies between espoused values, and values in practice, effecting teacher and student power relationships during the facilitation of…

Describes a project in which a cohort of preservice teachers engaged in an inquiry into techniques of power, focusing on the power relations between teachers and students. The project analyzed the film, "The Paper Chase" and articulated eight techniques of power and certain elements from Foucault's "Discipline and Punish." The article explains how…

Many students are unsuccessful in the study of school mathematics, not because of some innate ability, but because of pedagogical practices. Bernstein (1996) has argued that pedagogy serves as a mechanism for cultural reproduction, so that for those students whose cultures are different from that represented in and through pedagogy, the task of…

A three-part study of social studies curricula in four Wisconsin high schools revealed how teachers use the ways they present course content to maintain discipline and control in the classroom. Called "defensive teaching" by the author, the methods involve simplifying the content and reducing demands made on students. The three parts of…