'finding One's Way' through a Radical Critical Pedagogy

Drawing on McLaren's notion of radical critical pedagogy, I begin this essay by examining the refle Wayne-a 21-year-old, African American university student. His reflections, as those arose in autobiographica essays, not only illuminated a particular stance towards teaching and curriculum, but also directed attention t was teaching. By naming his environment 'racist,' he reveals the uneasy meaning associated with connecting term 'racialized' to public space-a juncture related to continuous efforts by critical education theorists to addre students stage essence and negotiate difference in their efforts to gain full recognition for who, what, and how want to be considered. Reading Wayne's essays through the lens of a radical critical pedagogy brings into fu the importance of teaching that education can be a process of repositioning-that is, for moving to dislocate boundaries, negotiate meaning, and enable change and transformation. Taking seriously Wayne's attempts t understand his own teaching and use of theatre in the classroom, I end by reflecting on how I might want to a a critical classroom attentive to the interrogation of 'identity' and its intimate relationship with 'culture' and 'community.' Biography Lorenzo Garcia has been involved in the field of theatre education as a middle school teacher, the youth director, and researcher. He currently teaches and directs in the Department of Dance and Theatre Art University of North Texas. He is particularly interested in the use of strategies, such as the telling of personal childhood stories, that encourage pre-service teachers to reflect on and articulate what they believe really ma their teaching practice/praxis