While reading Critical Framework, one of the studies that stood out for me was
the Poverty, Power and Action Study highlighted in Chapter 2. The study focuses on the right to health and
well-being of children. While reading this study I enjoyed how both teachers
focused on providing students access to information that was important for them
to know. The book states that “Article 17 of the United Nation Rights of the
Child states that ‘children have the right to get information that is important
to their health and well being’ “ (Allen & Alexander, 2013, p.22). In
addition to bringing students’ attention to what was important to them, the
teachers also incorporated literacy to show how poverty is perceived through books.
In return the students became very excited about their participation in the
project and the teacher allowed them the freedom to choose which entity they
wanted to take on. Later on their idea
of creating the Plants for Peace Project was born from their interaction of
literacy text.
When I think about the connection between my students’
project and the study from the critical inquiry framework, I think about the
possible strong impact literacy can play a role in their projects. In the case
study of Neher and Smith, literacy played a role in getting students excited
about their projects and coming up with the garden themed project. I believe
the same can happen with my students. I think gathering books about classroom
culture, friendship, respect, etc… can expose students to various ways these
characteristics are expressed throughout text and to get them excited about
implementing the same within their classroom. I believe incorporating the same
approach will guide students in the direction that they want to go for their
projects and create the framework for the small groups to impalement the
project.
Lastly, I reflect on the U.N. rights of a child and I think
the right that aligns most with our class project is Article 12 which states: “Respect for views. Children have the
right to say what they think should happen and have their opinions taken into
account” (p.19). Respect is something that we have discussed a lot about in our
class and it is something that will probably be one of the key focuses of our
project. Introducing students not only to the terminology of respect, but also
exposing them to their right to have it, is a very powerful tool that I believe
will help drive our class project.
