more Giroux-speak

So, Sunday night, as I step away from my presentation for nature and society to write a little note about Giroux, I must agree with Chris that words slip so quickly from my mind; I might struggle here to remember what Henri said, and have an even harder time trying to relate it to the bigger picture. I also think I have to agree with (was it Ian?) who commented on the need for better note taking skills….Giroux was a pleasure to listen to, but I realized early on, not easy to transcribe onto the page in front of me. While impassioned and eloquent, I found his presentation somewhat difficult to follow – no doubt this might be due in some small part to the fact that I sat at the very back, which certainly didn’t help him draw me in, but the rapidity of his quick-fire reading of a well written essay was a little off-putting. Every so often he would look up and tell a story…perhaps its Chris’ influence, but this seems to connect with me on a much deeper level. Thinking about it, the need to speak from the self is actually something I have been taught, and still struggle to embody, when giving presentations myself.

Some of Giroux’s facts shocked me – since when are students considered ‘customers’? or, as he mentioned later on, as ‘technicians and functionaries’? by whom? And in Canada too? I had not heard this before and it is disconcerting for one who believes in the power of language to create character. And does the US really spend $2billion/week to maintain their presence in Iraq?

A number of points Giroux made resonated strongly with me, mostly, I think because they supported my own less well formulated philosophy. Notably, the importance of connected practices between students and teachers; and closing the gap between daily life and university with a knowledge of place. He pointed out the need for collegial practices, not competitive, and the need for educators and students to redefine subjects to include both morality and rigor. I feel that FES is striving towards this – or at least I feel supported in using my time here attempting to do this though my transient nature has always challenged my belief in the importance of situated knowledge. The role of the University in readying people for participation in the larger world and not just preparing them for jobs, is something I feel should be brought forth more often. The university, historically, if I am not mistaken, was a place to discuss the philosophy of life and the morality of issues in the public sphere. It is not necessarily the place to go if ALL you are looking for is a piece of paper so you can get a job, which often seems to me to be the goal of so many students. For me it needs to be a place where I can learn to make some sense of the world, of current events and pop culture; as (hopefully) active members of society we can better serve our communities if we are conversant in the concepts of power relationships.

One of my scribbled notes – can anyone clarify, or fill in any blanks…”The space of the possible is much larger than the one on display”