CASE STUDY

Critical theorists urge teachers and learners to continually “unlearn,” “learn,” “relearn,” “reflect,” and “evaluate,” going beneath the surface to understand context, ideology, discourse, and actions (Shor, 1999). In my research practice, I find this a wonderful challenge that is integral to the discovery of new knowledge. It is a bit more challenging, though, to be “critical” in my teaching-to create learning environments that engage students to collaborate with me in those same processes, to go to places of vulnerability and share ideas, feelings, and insights with almost-strangers who happen to occupy the same classroom space at a given point in time.