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Unlearning the Monster: Teaching English language arts with an anti-colonial, feminist approach
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- Author(s) / Creator(s)
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This paper uses an autoethnographic approach to explore how educators can build solidarity with non-White students and unlearn White supremacist ontologies present in education. It critiques policies, particularly Teaching Quality Standard (TQS5) and anti-racism commitments, which position English language arts teachers as the primary agents of change in anti-racism and equity efforts, highlighting how such policies indirectly place the responsibility on educators while maintaining a hierarchical power dynamic that absolves educational boards. The paper is framed by an anti-colonial theoretical perspective, examining how the Colonial Matrix of Power (CMP), influenced by Aristotelian logic, perpetuates White supremacy in education. Feminist methodology is discussed as a tool for resisting these colonial structures and informing alternative pedagogical practices. The paper’s structure is later divided into two sections: Section A examines The Marrow Thieves (2017) by Dimaline, finding that White teachers in Alberta are
often ill-equipped to teach Indigenous literature, relying on violence-centered approaches. In response, feminist pedagogy and Indigenous-futurism are suggested as alternatives. Section B explores The Hate U Give (2015) by Thomas, critiquing colonial frameworks in anti-racism efforts and advocating for anti-colonial approaches centred around African American vernacular to disrupt embedded racism in education. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of journaling as a reflective practice for confronting biases and shifting pedagogical paradigms. -
- Date created
- 2025-04-07
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- Type of Item
- Research Material