Gladys Baya

Have you seen Natalia's report on this same issue, Cynthia? Can't find it right now, but I remember posting feedback on the issue of "empowering learners" last week... Something to be clear about: "empowering learners", or "giving power to learners" is not the same as "making learners the absolute rulers of the class". (Remember our discussions on Freire and Dewey???) In a democracy, citizens have a lot of power, but that does not mean anyone can do whatever they want! I wish we could help our students learn this from their school days: life in our young democracy would then be happier for many more, I say! Most of your analysis, anyway, is based on theoretical issues, with little reference to what you actually observed in class. Can you identify, for instance, a decision the teacher made students could have made themselves? And the other way about? Did you notice any teacher strategy that favoured learner autonomy? That's another way of empowering learners, you see? One final thought: who says we teachers HAVE TO use a certain book? Especially in school contexts, this is usually one of our choices... Now, if you ask me, I have good reasons to opt for it, and believe we should exercise our power not by getting rid of textbooks but by choosing how to go about them... and I know you have the tools to exploit one book in a myriad of ways!!!! Keep in touch, Gladys