It doesn't seem like theory can be a discrete element of literature that can be contained in a solitary class. It involves the negotiation of ideas, the construction of knowledge, its shaping and formation. Theories are related to history, and so they are inextricably related to the growth of man, to social identity, and to the present being of society. Theories give definition to where we are in life and what we believe, and so I think it would be difficult to be able 'learn' separate from them. Personally, I love theories. Honestly, I love literary theory more than educational theory... but I see both of them as pertinent. Not only do I see them applied daily within the class, but I see them within the political system, people's belief systems, and people's perception of the world. I personally want to think about whether 'love' is a social construction, a fiction that is elaborated through language. Luckily, there are tons of books about it that I can go and explore. Theories allow us to not just blandly accept a piece of knowledge as universally accepted and absolute. They help us see that, as people, as scholars, everything is a postulation. Everything is growing and evolving in the literary field and in the educational system. It is much greater to be able to try to understand how things have become and the paths they have taken than to take facts at face-value, as isolated events that do not have a history. It takes self-reflection and discernment to apply theories to the self and to the personal construction and formation of knowledge. It gives meaning to everything we do. I can simply believe that it is better for people to try to learn through key words and by presenting associations, or I can understand the educational past of these ideas and its relation to mnemonics. I can simply read an educational theory, or I can delve into the cognitive psychology of mnemonics so I can understand better how my students are going to be sorting through the information and I can help them form pathways for better memory. Theories just seem to give more meaning to the things that we do, in school, and in life. I would like to know why I think as I do and try to understand how I got there.
At the same time, I'm taking a literary theory class this semester and it just took me a good 2 hours to read 40 pages. So I'm a little frustrated with theory because it seemed to take a simply issue and complicate it. On Friday afternoons, complication is the last thing I want. So maybe it's a love-hate relationship...
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3 comments:
Quoth Stephanie:
" I personally want to think about whether 'love' is a social construction, a fiction that is elaborated through language. Luckily, there are tons of books about it that I can go and explore."
You could read all those book, or I could jus tell you: Yes, love is a construct, one we're better off without. Saved you some time!
Good old theory. I think I can relate to your love/hate relationship with it. On the one hand, it's neat to think about, on the other...why bother? Particularly with de-constructionist stuff, you don't get any answers, you just break down and break down and break down...sorry, off track. I don't think you need to KNOW a theory, so much as know your own teaching style. Theoretically, said teaching style would THEN roughly conform to some theory, right? Nothing new under the sun? No?
I think most people have a love/hate relationship w/ theory, Stephanie.
But I'll argue w/ James....I think it's good to "know thyself", but I also think that, since we're intereacting with students who are "other", it's important to know theories that will help us relate to them, too.
That's not to say they won't be filtered through who we are. They will be. But we have to have sufficient knowledge of them, as well as of ourselves, to figure out how and when to try one or the other, depending on the purpose and student body.
And to Terry....yes, I think love is a social construct...to an extent. But lately I've become impressed with the strength of biology as I watch my boys teeter on the brink of puberty....! So I'm rethinking my ideas about social construction. I think we will continue to do this the rest of our lives.
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