The Case of the Disappearing/Appearing Slow Learner: An Interpretive Mystery. Part Five: Time to Kill Time
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11575/jah.v0i0.53287Keywords:
slow learner, efficiency, bureaucracy, inclusion, inquiry, lived curriculum, Dewey, Honoré, Rancière, slow movementAbstract
These concluding chapters follow the events described in the previous four parts of this narrative. Max Hunter, a private detective remains on the trail of “slow learners,” a category of students his client, educator John Williamson, claims are continually getting “lost” in Alberta’s school system. As this section begins Hunter and Williamson are in a bowling alley where they hope to remain undetected as they investigate recent reforms to Alberta’s special education system. At the conclusion of Part Four the detective and client read a terse statement on Alberta education’s website declaring that Action on Inclusion, the ambitious reform project “no longer exists.” These chapters examine the termination of this project, other recent educational reforms in the province and their impact on students labelled as slow learners, additional bureaucratic discourses that are toxic to slow learners and diversity in general, and a fleeting glimpse of hope involving how “slow” might be more generously reclaimed from its current deficit-based discursive usages.
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York. NY: Peter Lang.
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Tucker, E. (2015, May 28). Rachel Notley announces $103M for education; CYOC to stay open. Global News. Retrieved from http://globalnews.ca/news/2023099/watch-live-rachel-notley-recaps-first-ndp-cabinet-meeting/.
Williamson, W.J. (2015). The case of the disappearing/appearing slow learner: An interpretive mystery. Retrieved from http://theses.ucalgary.ca/handle/11023/2185.
Williamson,W.J. (2016a). The case of the disappearing/appearing slow learner: An interpretive mystery. Part four: Quaint notions of justice. Journal of Applied Hermeneutics, Article 8. Retrieved from http://jah.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/jah/index.php/jah/article/view/118.
Williamson, W.J. (2016b). The case of the disappearing/appearing slow learner: An interpretive mystery. Part two: Cells of categorical confinement. Journal of Applied Hermeneutics, Article 3. Retrieved from http://jah.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/jah/index.php/jah/article/view/111
Alberta Education. (2005). Social studies kindergarten to grade 12. Retrieved from https://education.alberta.ca/media/160209/program-of-study-grade-10.pdf.
Alberta Education. (2013a). Funding manual for school authoritie,s 2014/2015 school year. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Author. Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/
media/8315464/funding%20manual%20for%20school%20authorities%202014-2015%20school%20year%20v.2.pdf.
Alberta Education. (2013b). General information bulletin diploma examinations program. Edmonton, AB, Canada. Author.
Alberta Education. (2013c). Knowledge and Employability courses handbook. Edmonton, AB, Canada. Author.
Alberta Education. (2010). Inspiring education: A dialogue with Albertans. Retrieved from http://www.education.ualberta.ca:82/en/~/media/education/Documents/Inspiring%20Education/Inspiring_Education_SteeringCommitteeReport.pdf
Alberta Education. (2011). Making a difference: Meeting diverse needs with differentiated instruction. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Author.
Alberta School Councils’ Association. (2014, March 6). Education budget 2014 [web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.albertaschoolcouncils.ca/news/163674/Education-Budget-2014.htm.
Alberta Teachers’ Association. (2015, April 7). Education budget cuts student support. ATA News. Retrieved from http://www.teachers.ab.ca/Publications/ATA%20News/Volume%2049%202014-15/Number-15/Pages/Education-budget.aspx.
Alberta Teachers’ Association. (2014). Great teachers, great schools: Supporting and enhancing teachers’ professional practice. Association response to the recommendations of the task force for teaching excellence. Association proposed directions. Retrieved from http://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/News-Room/COOR-100%20Task%20Force%20Response%202014%2006.pdf.
Aoki, T.T. (1993). Legitimating lived curriculum: Towards a curricular landscape of multiplicity. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision,8(3), 255-268.
Bishop, C. (2013, June 13). Conversations with Jacques Rancière Part 1. [Video Podcast]. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/conversations-jacquesranciere/id395710538?mt=10.
Bloom, B. (1984). Taxonomy of educational objectives. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Dewey, J. (2001). Democracy and education. Retrieved from www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/johndewey/dem-ed.pdf.
Dewey, J. (1907). The school and society. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Fijal, G. (2011). High School Flexibility Enhancement pilot project, 2010/2011 school year.
Retrieved from https://ideas.education.alberta.ca/media/63873/2010-2011year-end_report.pdf.
Fijal, G. (2013). High School Flexibility Enhancement pilot project-A Summary Report. Retrieved from https://ideas.education.alberta.ca/media /78910/hsepp_report_2013final.pdf.
Friesen, S. (2010). Uncomfortable bedfellows: Discipline-based inquiry and
standardized examinations. Teacher Librarian, 38(1), 8-14.
Government of Alberta. (2013, May 18). Flex approach to high school learning. Retrieved from http://alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=341238504029D-A50B-79D1-9FDDF8BE88D30867.
Gilham, C., & Williamson, W. J. (2013). Inclusion's confusion in Alberta. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1-14. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2013.802025
Hancock, D. (2010, May 5). Are diploma exams fair to Students? Speak Out: Student Engagement Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.speakout.alberta.ca/Blog/tabid/59/EntryID/423/Default.aspx. [site discontinued].
Honoré, C. (n.d.) About Carl. [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.carlhonore.com/about/.
Honoré, C. (2005, July). In praise of slowness [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/carl_honore_praises_slowness?language=en.
Honoré, C. (2004). In praise of the slow: How a worldwide movement is challenging the cult
of speed. Toronto, ON, Canada: Vintage Canada.
InspiringEducation (2012, January 13). Diversity in Alberta schools: A journey to inclusion. [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c-3YCr7zR0.
Jardine, D. W. (2008). On the while of things. Journal of the American Association for Advancement of Curriculum Studies, 4. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/JET%20FAMILY/Downloads/187670-199866-1-SM.pdf.
Kambitsch, P. (2011, November 28). What is slow learning? [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://slowlearning.org/.
Klein, N. (2000). No logo: Taking aim at brand name bullies. Toronto, ON, Canada: Vintage.
Nietzsche, F. (1997). Preface to Daybreak. In M. Clark & B. Leiter (Eds.) Daybreak: Thoughts on the prejudices of morality (R.J. Hollindare, Trans.; pp. 1-6). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Orwell, G. (1976). 1984. Bungay, UK: Penguin.
Pinar, W.F., Reynolds, W. M., Slattery, P., & Taubman, P.M. (2008). Understanding curriculum: A post script for the next generation. In W.F. Pinar (Ed.), Understanding curriculum: An introduction to the study of historical and contemporary curriculum discourses. New
York. NY: Peter Lang.
Rancière, J. (2001). Ten theses on politics (R. Bowlby, Trans). Theory & Event, 5(3). Retrieved from http://www.after1968.org/app/webroot/uploads/RanciereTHESESONPOLITICS.pdf.
Rancière, J. (1981). The ignorant schoolmaster: Five lessons in intellectual emancipation (K. Ross, Trans.) Stanford, CA, USA: Stanford University Press.
Salz, E. (2013, March 7). Budget cuts for Alberta school boards a blow to educators. The Edmonton Sun. Retrieved from http://www.edmontonsun.com/2013/03/07/budget-cuts-for-alberta-school-boards-a-blow-to-educators.
Stultify. (n.d.). In Oxford English dictionary online. Retrieved from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com /definition/english/stultify.
Taylor, F.W. (1919). The principles of scientific management. New York, NY: Harper and Brothers.
Tucker, E. (2015, May 28). Rachel Notley announces $103M for education; CYOC to stay open. Global News. Retrieved from http://globalnews.ca/news/2023099/watch-live-rachel-notley-recaps-first-ndp-cabinet-meeting/.
Williamson, W.J. (2015). The case of the disappearing/appearing slow learner: An interpretive mystery. Retrieved from http://theses.ucalgary.ca/handle/11023/2185.
Williamson,W.J. (2016a). The case of the disappearing/appearing slow learner: An interpretive mystery. Part four: Quaint notions of justice. Journal of Applied Hermeneutics, Article 8. Retrieved from http://jah.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/jah/index.php/jah/article/view/118.
Williamson, W.J. (2016b). The case of the disappearing/appearing slow learner: An interpretive mystery. Part two: Cells of categorical confinement. Journal of Applied Hermeneutics, Article 3. Retrieved from http://jah.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/jah/index.php/jah/article/view/111
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