Critical Citizenship, Popular Theatre, and the Social Imagination of Pre-Service Teachers

Looking Inward to 21st Century Pedagogy

“…Like Wolf's (2012) former students, my research team and I participated in a historical research project where we "learned the content of Indigenous stories as [we] researched and studied primary sources, including documents, maps, photos, diaries, and others" (p. 41). Through this exploration, we narrowed our search to one historical event that expressed ways in which Indigenous peoples in Canada lived their storied lives.…”

“…Having chosen to research the transition that Indigenous children experienced when admitted to a Canadian residential school, we connected with an Anishinaabe elder who generously met with us several times and shared her own story of transition. Along with the requirement in Wolf's (2012) research project, we applied our interpretation of primary sources to the script of a one-act dramatization that we would present to our peers. In her chapter, Wolf explained that she was not as interested in the absolute accuracy of our dramatization from a purely factual standpoint as we were building an artistic expression from historical documents that would range from complete to incomplete.…”

“…By weaving these conversational gifts together, I have come to interpret that on December 1 st , 2015, while the nun attempted to cut the wig that I wore, I was visited by an ancestor who protected my identity, my spirit. Wolf (2012) explained that it was common for her former students to experience "perizhivanie" (p. 43), where methods of artistic expression such as theatre enable us to live the intense experience of another. The wig became my hair; the nun was attempting to take away my spirit.…”

“…The wig became my hair; the nun was attempting to take away my spirit. When I opened myself to this vulnerability (Chickering et al, 2005) and discomfort (McCain, Ylimaki, & Ford, 2010), according to Wolf's (2012) intent to disrupt the dominant narrative, I allowed truth to find me (Miller & Athan, 2007;Palmer, 1993). Truth emerged as the importance of my spirit in Indigenous education, despite my non-Indigenous status.…”

“…Working exclusively from an Indigenous pedagogy, Wolf (2012) sought wisdom and empathy from her pre-service teachers rather than facts and knowledge through the historical research project. From my engagement in this "critical, respectful and inclusive pedagogy" (p. 40), I learned how to see with more than the mind to follow my own path (Miller & Athan, 2007).…”