It is important to acknowledge the fact that we are currently living in an era where skills seems to act as a replacement to knowledge when it comes to education. Most of the focus in Canada is being directed towards understanding the knowledge that is most valuable to help solidify the identity of the nation. Dr. NG-A-FOOK, who is the author of the first journal article for this reader response, is a full professor and President of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education. Dr. NG-A-FOOK has a deep passion for the Canadian curriculum studies , and one key expression of this is his article entitled, “ Provoking the very ‘Idea’ of Canadian Curriculum Studies as a Counterpointed Composition .” In this article, he discusses the key concepts that come to play as far as both the past and present standing of the Canadian contemporary curriculum studies is concerned, giving a well outlined scholarly genealogy of the curriculum ( NG-A-FOOK, 2004) . The author holds the stand that every individual studies and teaches in a distinctive manner. In this work, Ng-A-FOOK gives a narrative snapshot of some of the contemporary and historical works that have been done by other curriculum scholars who have worked in Canadian Universities over the past decade. By so doing, the author has succinctly summarized the concept of canonical scholarship using three authors, Ted Aoki, Cynthia Chambers, and George Tomkins. One notable aspect is the fact that Ng-A-FOOK’s work and that of Chambers are both informed by regionalism when it comes to their understanding of the vast topographic and intellectual characteristics of the field of curriculum studies. The article appears to be structured into three sections; the first section is a general overview of the key texts that the professor uses when bring his students up to speed with the contexts of the Canadian curriculum studies. The second section makes an examination of the different institutional structures that the three scholars he discusses are sharing and mobilizing their research. In this case, Tomkins provides a historical outline that made it possible to have a walk through the occurrences of the past. The work of Ted Aoki displays extensive cosmopolitanism and a commitment and passion for teachers and the teaching career. It was, therefore, easy to resonate with Aoki’s work. His work also gives a detailed and clear image of intellectual histories, which make it easier for the reader to understand the present happenings. Finally, Cynthia Chambers makes a comprehensive survey of the teaching field to offer some deep knowledge on the same. In the final section, Ng-A-FOOK discusses his thoughts on the three authors in his article, all who seems to be following a similar school of thought when it comes to the enhancement of the notion of cosmopolitanism. This work is a reflection of an international, multicultural and post-colonial field of writing, something that opened my mind to understanding the Canadian curriculum studies from a more advanced angle, a ‘very idea’ that seems complex as it is. By analyzing the works of three prominent authors that have been analyzing cosmopolitanism in the past decade, ( NG-A-FOOK, 2004) manages to establish the fact that the Canadian curriculum studies is an intellectually dynamic field that is constantly changing.
In her journal article, Not “As Canadian as Possible Under the Circumstances”: The Struggle to be Visible in Canadian Curriculum Studies , (Johnston, 2014) responds to (NG-A-FOOK, 2004) by arguing against the shifting concepts regarding the Canadian identity. While Johnston begins by making an acknowledgement of the work discussed by NG-A-FOOK, she states that her focus is on the historically disadvantaged and those who have not yet been given the opportunity to have their voices heard. Her argument is that so many Canadians fail to understand who they really are, and they end up defining themselves by what they are not. In this case, several supporters of Ng-A-FOOK are just followers of his doctrines regarding cosmopolitanism, and this makes it easy for the Canadian curriculum studies to be manipulated. What I have drawn from this journal article is the need for every Canadian to understand their identity and what defined them by asking questions on why the curriculum studies are as they are, and not just following blindly. It is only then that the provocation of the Canadian curriculum studies by (NG-A-FOOK, 2004) will become valid.
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The final reading was Donald’s article, Forts, Curriculum, and Indigenous Métissage: Imagining Decolonization of Aboriginal-Canadian Relations, where he discusses the various critical insights that come from understanding the Canadian national perspective and perspective. I loved (Donald, 2009) because of the depth with which Dwayne has looked into the Canadian forts, something that is essential for a wholesome understanding of the Canadian identity and curriculum as discussed in the other two readings. Donald presents the urgent need to honor the indigenous cultures, knowledge, histories, and perspectives when it comes to all levels of education, bot for the teachers and students. The goal is to have an increased effort stream that is aimed at educating the teachers so as to help improve the Canadian curriculum. In this case, (Donald, 2009) takes a different approach from that of the other two readings in that he suggests more attention to be directed towards the teachers and the settlers. These two categories form a very crucial portion of the curriculum, and they also need to be considered. The other two readings are primarily focused on the curriculum as it is without seeing the need for an increased representation. Donald feels like there is some extent of ignorance that fails to acknowledge the presence and importance of the settlers when it comes to the curriculum studies.
References
Donald, D. (2009). Forts, Curriculum, and Indigenous Métissage: Imagining Decolonization of Aboriginal-Canadian Relations in Educational Contexts. First Nations Perspective , 1 (2), 1-24. Doi: 10.5325/aboriginal.1.2.0195
Johnston, I. (2014). Not “As Canadian as Possible under the Circumstances”: The Struggle to be Visible in Canadian Curriculum Studies. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies , 12 (1). Doi: 10.3138/jcs.43.3.5
NG-A-FOOK, N. (2004). Provoking the very “Idea” of Canadian Curriculum Studies as a Counterpointed Composition. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies , 12 (1), 1-60. Doi: 10.3138/jcs.26.2.7
