Being Legit

This week's readings discuss the role a student has in the community of learning. The authors talk about the idea of apprentenship, which they then reject as being not viable for their theoretical purposes. In the introductory chapter, they outline what they believe to be a crucial stance for education, that there are those who exist on the "legitimate perifery." We then read in Chapter four about different examples of what the authors recognize as true master-apprentice relationships, e.g. what tailors did in the past, the development of midwifery, and even the relationship between a quartermaster and his charge. In each of these relationships, there is an expectation of deference to power, an involvement in the community of the task, and a set of specific performances necessary to draw inwards from the perifery to become part of the core. The authors then posit this against the role of students and teachers, noticing that there is a social sphere in schools, and that students of any kind have periferal learning at some stage in their career.

This is where there is a difference between school learning and the apprentice-master relationship, in that the motivation of the young student (the authors focus on primary and high school students as their learner focus) and the teacher are not equal in motivation. An apprentice wishes to involve herself fully within the community of practice, whereas a pupil will go through the motions, or, at best be willing to be introduced to various learning events (which we call classes) in order to reach a goal, usually that of progress to
the next grade, or the completion of schooling (one way or another).

This is an intriguing way to envision how students and teachers can interact. We can involve more learners in a community of practice which will enhance their learning experience, particularly by encouraging them to step beyond their perceived world, and enter into another community by which they may grow and experience a larger understanding of their former, smaller space.