Upon reading Chapter 18, Imaginaries of “East and West”: Slippery Curricular Signifiers in Education, I gathered two ideas: the importance of bridges and the image of East and West.  Aoki brings to light the concept of bridges and how this can impact education.  The phrase “teachers are to bridge the gap in students’ learning“ has often been repeated by Administrations over the years.  Teachers are to facilitate students and help them get where they need to be to succeed in the classroom. This is how I see my role as an educator and facilitator to students, creating bridges from where they are to the understandings that the curriculum would like us to exhibit in the classrooms. However, I don’t think this concept is just for the government curriculum we were given, but also for us to be bridges for students with the hidden curriculum.  The hidden curriculum is more about collaborative learning, critical thinking, social-emotional skills, etc.  When these bridges are created, students can see success.  

Photo by Parya Tavakoli Tehrani on Unsplash

The other idea that struck me was the concept of East and West, which focused on their differences, with the West being the Eurocentric dominant view.  Reading Aoki’s message about their unbalanced stance made me rethink how I have perceived this notion and its impact on my teaching.  I, too, grew up with the West’s dominant viewpoint and can reflect that I have unknowingly perpetuated this.  The first example that comes to mind is the Grade 8 Alberta Social Studies curriculum.  Now that I realize this, I can reflect on changing how I teach the curriculum to rectify this oversight.  The curriculum is set into three distinct parts:  a closed, open, and conquered society.  In the past, I taught the Westernized view of the feudal system first, and then I went to the Renaissance.  I did this to show the similarities between the two feudal systems – England and Japan.  However, upon reflection, I want to start with Japan’s feudal system and then go into the Renaissance. By following the curriculum’s order, starting with Japan, I believe I can begin to rectify the Eurocentric bias. This is just the beginning, but it’s a step in the right direction. The more I am aware of this bias, the better I can deliver authentic learning to my students. My commitment to this, to providing learning that is free from Eurocentrism biases, is unwavering and drives my dedication as an educator.