Learning, knowing and being in the world: postformalism, Einstein, and lessons from a kid named Larry

I describe how Joe Kincheloe experienced learning from a peer during his pre-school life only to see how his friend was unable to succeed at school. Joe’s commitment to empowered cognition was grounded first, by his friend, Larry’s mentorship—teaching him the environmental nuances of the mountains in rural Tennessee, and secondly, the contradiction of schooling being unable to afford learning for Larry. This article discusses how Kincheloe became a scholar, the salience of Einstein’s work with his own, and the evolution of his research and scholarship. Examples of Kincheloe’s work addressed are: postformalism, bricolage, critical theory, and alternative knowledges, and how this work has contributed to science education.

Shirley R. SteinbergEmail:

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Shirley R. Steinberg   is director of The Paulo and Nita Freire International Project for Critical Pedagogy at McGill University. She is the author and editor of many books and articles in cultural studies, urban education, and critical pedagogy including Christotainment: Selling Jesus Through Popular Culture (2009) with Joe Kincheloe, Diversity and Multiculturalism: A Reader (2009), Media literacy: A reader (2007), Teen life in Europe (2005), the award winning Contemporary youth culture: An international encyclopedia (2005), and with Joe Kincheloe, Kinderculture: The corporate construction of childhood (2004), and The Miseducation of the West: How schools and the media distort our understanding of the Islamic world (2004).