| A persistent theme in current literature on teaching and school reform is the value of community as a model or ideal for structuring elementary classrooms and schools. A number of prominent educational philosophers urge the adoption of ideals of community to guide teachers' school practice, yet, with only a few exceptions, educational philosophers have evidenced little interest in examining the appropriateness of community as an educational ideal. The aim of this study is to develop a philosophically grounded analysis of the appropriateness of educational conceptions of community. I argue that a context-specific philosophical methodology, drawing upon both theoretical/philosophical knowledge and experientially based knowledge, is necessary to understand how ideals actually operate in practice and to work toward articulating ideals that speak to the social and political contexts of contemporary education.;My investigation led to several important insights regarding the appropriateness of community. The promise of community to ameliorate problems connected to changes in the political economy of the country shifts the locus of discussion from societal problems to school solutions. The language of community highlights some children's perceived deficiencies, leading some teachers to redefine the role of teacher as educator/mentor to one where the teacher attempts to serve as therapist/counselor. This, in turn, provides a rationale for a less rigorous curriculum that may limit the possibilities of the very children the teachers most want to empower. The hegemonic power of community is implicated in validating the exclusion from the classroom community of those students who are considered outsiders by the peer culture. The deep meaning of community that highlights the attributes shared by its members obscures some teachers' attention to meaningful differences among students that may influence those students' or groups of students' school success. Finally, ideals of community get in the way of teachers' valuable practical wisdom in determining how best to meet the intellectual and social needs of their students. My research suggests that educational philosophers who are willing to develop a discourse that includes both philosophical and practical perspectives have much to offer in the development of contextualized ideals that will help teachers build classrooms appropriate to the needs of all children. |
