This class met seven times on alternate Tuesdays from 4:45 to 9:30. It was quite interesting. Some of the required texts were Teachers as Intellectuals, by Henry Giroux, Other People's Children, by Lisa Delpit, White Fang, by Jack London, and many handouts such as excerpts from Life in Schools: An Introduction to Critical Pedagogy in the Foundations of Education,  by Peter McLaren and The Last Time I Wore a Dress, by Daphne Scholinski.

In the first class meeting I told Dr. Leonardo, "I get the feeling that you are proselytizing to us about communism, and although I want to listen to what you have to say, I can't help but bristling." He admitted that he was trying  to convert us, and that he is a communist critical pedagogue. So because of that, virtually every class session, whether it was about class, race, or gender, boiled down to a debate about the virtues and vices of capitalism or communism. Many of my classmates were quite frustrated by it. I thought it was okay.

I particularly liked the philosophy of critical pedagogy as expressed by Henry Giroux. My group did our presentation about his book. We did it in the form of an "All things Considered" radio show. I was Gary Eichten, moderating a discussion about school reform with guests Patricia Harvey, the new superintendent of St. Paul schools, a graduate student of Giroux's and a member of the board of education. We started with a reader's theater rendition of Dr. Seuss' Yertle the Turtle. Then we presented different viewpoints on education reform. Afterwards there was a question and answer session from the "audience" and finally the class broke into two groups, one to develop a curriculum for the Lawson School in St. Paul, and one to develop curriculum for the Minneapolis Education Project. Everyone really liked the presentation.

During the semester the shootings at Columbine occurred. I had been writing a gigantic research paper on violence for my final paper. We had a discussion about the shootings in class. You can read the paper at this link: The Why of Violence.

Also during the semester Peter McClaren came to give a lecture promoting his new book, Radical Education in Conservative Times. Dr. Leonardo had worked with McClaren and he introduced me to him. Unfortunately our daughter did not care to sit through the whole lecture, but I did get my book signed.

Dr. Leonardo left the University of St.Thomas after that semester. I am sorry to hear that.