Building a Critical Lens

Of our readings this week, I was particularly drawn to Kumashiro’s chapter because it discussed an issue that has been at the forefront of my mind for quite a while: how do we teach students to approach every text with a critical eye? To always wear a pair critical-lensed glasses?

Previously, when I thought about teaching literature I was excited to help students love reading - since in my own life reading feels joyful and Romantic (think: sitting with a cup of tea while it’s raining outside, getting lost in a book). I do continue hoping that I will help students learn to enjoy reading, to support students in their reading journeys regardless of where they are in that process, but it has become glaringly obvious to me that my responsibility as a literature teacher is far greater than that.
When we read, we are gazing at the thoughts and ideas of a person who was valued enough by their society for their words to be documented, published, and distributed. If we read those words and instead of simply digesting the information as truth we ask questions, challenge that person, and put forth our own ideas, this is a sign that we have built up the confidence and conviction necessary to challenge authority. This is critical reading.

Nowadays anyone who decides they want to be heard publicly has a plethora of platforms on which to stand and shout their opinions. This fact holds great power because it means that we can have greater awareness of voices that have historically been suppressed and silenced, but it also means that we are forced to be fully responsible for filtering the information to which we are exposed. From news websites, to TV shows, films, and documentaries, to Twitter rants, our students need to be well versed in critical reading and reflecting so that they have the confidence to question and challenge what they are consuming.

The critical lens through which we need to consume all media can be developed in literature classrooms, as Kumashiro discusses. By pushing our students to become critical of the texts they read, critical of the ways they read, and even critical about the ways we teach them, we would be building up their will to become thoughtful and reflective individuals in every context.

I linked a quick (only 3 mins long!) video that offers a technique we can teach our students to help them become critical consumers of media. It’s the “5 Cs,” which are context, credibility, construction, corroboration, and compare. The 5 Cs are simple and straightforward, but could do a lot to help students become critical consumers. Though this is talking more about the “fake news” issue than Kumashiro’s discussion of being a critical reader of literature, it is an interesting tool that applies to the building of critical lenses in general.