NEWS BREAK

Catamco-Police Try to Force Lumads to go home

By Carlos Manlupig   Inquirer Mindanao 12:32 PM July 23rd, 2015

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/707119/catamco-police-try-to-force-lumads-to-go-home

Cotabato Representative Nancy Catamco speaks at a dialogue with lumad and military officials over the indigenous people’s fear of returning to their homes because of alleged militarization. KARLOS MANLUPIG/INQUIRER MINDANAO

DAVAO CITY, Philippines –Several lumad from Talaingod, Davao del Norte, and nearby areas were hurt when anti-riot policemen stormed the Haran House operated by the United Church of Christ of the Philippines here.

The lumad, or indigenous people in Mindanao, had sought refuge at the center after fleeing the alleged militarization of their villages early this year.

Police stormed the place after Cotabato Representative Nancy Catamco ordered them to haul the evacuees into waiting vehicles so that they could be sent home to their villages.

The lumad, numbering about 700, had defied Catamco’s call on them to return because they said soldiers, whom they accused of harassment, were still in their villages.

Catamco’s effort to forcibly send the evacuees home was only halted when Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte stepped in and conducted a dialogue with the police and the lumad.

What is praxis?

Blogger’s Note:  My students of social (or practical) theology have asked me where to find useful articles describing what praxis is. They’ve tried the wiki, the Oxford dix, and the Merriam for definitions and all, but found them wanting.  All they’ve been looking for (desperately, perhaps) are scholarly but easy-to-read articles about the nature or theory of praxis as pedagogy. While sifting through my old files in my study (I mean, my compilations of “respectable” and “trusty” written and published articles to boot), I found this one, “What is praxis” by infed.org. To get the full literature, please, google and click http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-praxis.htm.

I guez, this article provides important insights and reflections that all I wanted to say in class – but, of course, an appropriate contextualization (i.e., the Filipino setting and experiences) is needed. Though this piece identifies scholars and educators as main targets, it also serves perfectly, in fact, as a better “orientation paper” for many a starter, like college students. “What is praxis and why should educators be concerned with it? -- is central thesis that students will discover and explore here, with thanks to infed. Enjoy reading.

EXCERPTS:

contents: · theory and practice · practical reasoning · praxis - informed, committed action · further reading · how to cite this piece

Man must prove the truth, i.e. the reality and power, the this-sideness of his thinking in practice.... All social life is essentially practical. All mysteries which lead theory to mystics, find their rational solution in human practice and in the comprehension of this practice.... The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it. (Marx 1845 Theses on Feurbach: II, VII, XI)

Many educators are involved with praxis - acts which shape and change the world - but it often isn't part of their vocabulary. In this short piece we examine the the notion of praxis and of 'education for use' (Lindeman 1944: 103).

Theory and practice

Practice is often depicted as the act of doing something. It is usually contrasted to 'theory' - abstract ideas about some thing or phenomenon. In this 'theory' tends to be put on a pedestal. From theory can be derived general principles (or rules). These in turn can be applied to the problems of practice. Theory is 'real' knowledge while practice is the application of that knowledge to solve problems. In many ways, this is a legacy of Aristotle and his three-fold classification of disciplines as theoretical, productive or practical. The basis of the distinction lies in the telos, or purpose, each serves. In brief:

The purpose of a theoretical discipline is the pursuit of truth through contemplation; its telos is the attainment of knowledge for its own sake. The purpose of the productive sciences is to make something; their telosis the production of some artefact. The practical disciplines are those sciences which deal with ethical and political life; their telos is practical wisdom and knowledge. (Carr & Kemmis 1986: 32)

This way of separating areas of knowledge can be seen, for example, in the way that we might view 'pure maths' (theoretical), tool-making (productive), and social work training (practical).

If the form of thinking associated with theoretical activities was contemplative, the enquiry involved in productive disciplines was a 'making' action or poietike. Aristotle associated this form of thinking and doing with the work of craftspeople or artisans. Hence, the making action is not simply mechanical. It also involves some creativity. This making action is dependent upon the exercising of skill (techne). It always results from the idea, image or pattern of what the artisan wants to make. In other words the person has a guiding plan or idea. For example, pott ers will have an idea of the article they want to make. While working, they may make some alterations, develop an idea and so on. But they are restricted in this by their original plan.

Practical reasoning

Where the productive begins with a plan or design, the practical cannot have such a concrete starting point. Instead, we begin with a question or situation. We then start to think about this situation in the light of our understanding of what is good or what makes for human flourishing. Thus, for Aristotle, praxis is guided by a moral disposition to act truly and rightly; a concern to further human well being and the good life. This is what the Greeks called phronesis and requires an understanding of other people.

Practical wisdom (phronesis) involves moving between the particular and the general.

The mark of a prudent man [is] to be able to deliberate rightly about what is good and what is advantageous for himself; not in particular respects, e.g. what is good for health or physical strength, but what is conducive to the good life generally. (Aristotle 2004: 209)

In praxis there can be no prior knowledge of the right means by which we realize the end in a particular situation. For the end itself is only specified in deliberating about the means appropriate to a particular situation (Bernstein 1983: 147). As we think about what we want to achieve, we alter the way we might achieve that. As we think about the way we might go about something, we change what we might aim at. There is a continual interplay between ends and means. In just the same way there is a continual interplay between thought and action. This process involves interpretation, understanding and application in 'one unified process' (Gadamer 1979: 275). It is something we engage in as human beings and it is directed at other human beings.

Shirley Grundy (1987: 64) has helpfully set this process diagrammatically - and a version of this (from Smith 1994) can be seen below.

The practical - making judgements

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Praxis: informed, committed action

We can now see the full quality of praxis. It is not simply action based on reflection. It is action which embodies certain qualities. These include a commitment to human well being and the search for truth, and respect for others. It is the action of people who are free, who are able to act for themselves. Moreover, praxis is always risky. It requires that a person 'makes a wise and prudent practical judgement about how to act in this situation' (Carr and Kemmis 1986: 190).

'In pedagogy', Gadotti (1996) writes, 'the practice is the horizon, the aim of the theory. Therefore the educationalist lives the instigating dialectic between his or her daily life - the lived school and the projected school - which attempts to inspire a new school'

As Paul Taylor (1993) has written, we can say that word and action, action and reflection, theory and practice are all facets of the same idea. This action is not merely the doing of something, what Freire describes as activism and Aristotle aspoiesis. Poiesis is about acting upon, doing to: it is about working with objects.Praxis, however, is creative: it is other-seeking and dialogic. praxis praxis praxis praxis

Further reading and references

Aristotle (2004) The Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. J. A. K. Thomson, London: Penguin. 383 pages. Has an excellent introduction by Jonathan Barnes. Book six deals with intellectual virtues - prudence, wisdom etc.

Carr, W. and Kemmis, S. (1986) Becoming Critical. Education, knowledge and action research, Lewes: Falmer. Influential book that provides a good account of 'praxis' in education. Chapters on teachers, researchers and curriculum; the natural scientific view of educational theory and practice; the interpretative view of educational theory and practice; theory and practice - redefining the problem; a critical approach to theory and practice; towards a critical educational science; action research as critical education science; educational research, educational reform and the role of the profession.

Freire, P. (1972) Pedagogy of the Oppressed, London: Penguin. 153 pages. One of the most significant books published on education in the second half of the twentieth century. Chapter 1 attempts to justify a pedagogy of the oppressed and explores the relationship of oppressors and the oppressed. Chapter 2 sets out a 'banking' concept of education and sets it against a 'problem-posing' concept. Education is presented as a world-mediated mutual process, and man as an incomplete being seeking to become more fully human. Chapter 3 is a 'classic' chapter, focusing on dialogue and praxis. Dialogics is presented as the essence of education as the practice for freedom. The subject-object relationship is explored and the notion of 'generative themes' and how these may awaken critical consciousness is examined. Chapter 4 analyses 'the theories of cultural action that develop from antidialogical and dialogical matrices'. Includes material on manipulation, cultural invasion (with significant reference to conscientization) co-operation, unity for liberation, organization and cultural synthesis. See, also, the 'talking book' - P. Freire and I. Shor (1987) A Pedagogy for Liberation. Dialogues on transforming education, London: Macmillan.

Grundy, S. (1987) Curriculum: Product or praxis, Lewes: Falmer. 209 + x pages. In this book, Shirley Grundy takes takes Habermas' discussion of knowledge and human interests and connects it very profitably with Aristotle. The result is an excellent discussion of process and praxis. Chapters on: three fundamental human interests (after Habermas); curriculum as product; teachers as curriculum makers; curriculum as practice; practical curriculum development; curriculum as praxis; critical curriculum practice; developing curriculum praxis; curriculum praxis and teachers' work.

Hosting by Memset Dedicated Servers [CarbonNeutral®].

Ten Reasons Why K to 12 Program Should Be Suspended

[Chalk Talk, the official newsletter of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Davao Region, published in its May 2015 special issue the ten grounds for a national call to suspend the government's K to 12 (Kindergarten to proposed two-year senior high school) program. Following is the Unity Statement of Suspend K to 12 Alliance! which ACT is one of the convenors. -- ED.]

1. The government is not prepared to implement a 12-year Basic Education Cycle as manifested by the actual insufficiency of facilities, instructional materials and education sector personnel in the old 10-year Basic Education Cycle.

2. The government's actual education budget never reached 4% of the GDP, while the global standard is pegged at 6% of the GDP, hence, the program will be underfunded.

3. The almost simultaneous implementation of three big educational reforms -- Mother-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in the primary level, the creation of a two-year senior HS in the secondary level and the introduction of a trimmed down new General Education Curriculum (GEM) at the tertiary level - is very problematic and prone to ineffective and inefficient implementation as the government's limited resources and personnel will be very stretched.

4. As proven by subpar National Achievement Test (NAT) results in recent years, the over-all quality of education in the country is bad and stagnant if not declining, thus, to improve the quality of education, the government must prioritize the facilities and teacher training, and increasing the salaries of personnel, from the measly Php23,044 (Instruction 1 in SCUs), Php18,549 (Teacher 1 in DepEd schools), Php9,000 (entry-level salary of non-teaching staff) to Php26,878' Php25,000; and Php16,000, respectively, considering that a Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet's monthly salary is Php27,425.

5. The enactment of CHED Memo #20, s. 2013 which has trimmed down the college GEC Curriculum, cascading subjects from the college to Senior HS, has led to the removal of vital subjects such as Filipino, Literature, and Philippine Government and Constitution.

6. Many courses such as Housekeeping, Caregiving, Medical Transcription and Contact Center Services in the Senior HS curriculum are shockingly suitable only to overseas jobs, beneficial only to foreign businesses, thus the K to 12 Program has no nationalist orientation, contrary to Art. XIV, Sec. 2 & 3 of the Philippine Constitution.

7. Generally, the anti-tertiary education mantra of the K to 12 program will manufacture young and docile laborers with low-paying, contractual jobs at a time when even many college graduates are unable to find good jobs.

8. The K to 12 program is prelude to the planned merging of the SCUs under the Roadmap for Public Higher Education Reform (RPHER) which may result to the possible reduction of the number of SUCs, LUCs, and even the closure of small private colleges and universities, thus, the massive displacement of around 100,100 professors, non-teaching staffs by 2016; and beyond, once the slimmer GEC has become permanent, this scheme will also lead to the massive contractualization, thereby weakening if not busting unions.

9. Considering that more that 20M Filipinos are poor as per official government statistics, adding two more years in HS will certainly be financially burdensome for many families, hence it is an indirect assault to our people's right to education.

10. There was no genuinely democratic consultation will all stakeholders, no nationwide assessment of the old BEC, hence the sudden shift is all the more whimsical, baseless.

SUSPEND THE K TO 12 PROGRAM!
RESOLVE CURRENT PROBLEMS AND DEFICIENCIES FIRST!
CONDUCT MASSIVE DEMOCRATIC CONSULTATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS!ALLOT AT LEAST 6% OF THE GDP FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR!
WORK FOR A NATIONALIST, SCIENTIFIC AND FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL!

2015 Summer Workshops on Poetry and Short Story Writing

Come May, a circle of Davao's "finest" in the field of arts and literature will organize a summer writing workshop on poetry, short story, and script play.
Some mentors and critics of this workshop are national Palanca awardees who have pioneered such initiatives aimed at developing home-grown poets and literati. Among the big guns and earth-movers in this yearly literary endeavor are Mr. Macario Tiu, humanities professor at the Ateneo de Davao University and editor of Tambara, and poet-activist-playwright Mr. Don Pagusara. More details in my next blog.

If ever you're now thinking of writing your first poem with a view of publishing it, I will be so lucky. I will now have a companion. But first let me share with you how I composed a "poem" lately that shattered an old myth or false belief that "poets are born, not made." I must confess, and on the basis of my experience, that writers of poetic lines are formed, not destined at birth. In my case I am probably lost somewhere between made and un-made.


I am sharing this experience to bring home a point. Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the start of holy week in the Christendom. Believers will see their humanity more clearly and their struggles against sin and oppression. Many will flock to the confessional box to tell the padre mia culpa their secrets, sinister and horrible actions and plans of other people (Such a case the confessional box has intelligence  if not chismis, gathering functions.) In Jesus we find solace and pardon for our trespasses. In Jesus we find salvation. Christ's praxis, as told in the stories of the Bible, will climax at his torture and death on Friday and his rising by the power of God Sunday early morning. His crossing from birth to death to his resurrection had yet to be mediated by his dramatic and triumphal entrance to the city of Jerusalem, the waving of palm leaves (these would be flags, banners and, probably, good to mention protest placards carried by some kids if it were done today.) The man was mounted on an ass, a poor man's "SUV." This action, quite a display of open defiance against authorities who had placed him under surveilance right after the temple incident, brought a clear message of rejection of all principalities and oppression of the poor as personified by imperial Rome. This was the true way of loving people, especially the marginalized and powerless.

This Sunday's celebration of the palms was causing a heavy traffic along Claveria and San Pedro streets. It was 3 p.m. on my watch. When the multicab (an Isuzu truck converted into a 12-seater public utility vehicle) I was riding on turned right toward Claveria I knew we were in trouble. It got stuck in the middle of an overcrowded traffic. A mother seated beside me was blaming the driver for "taking the wrong way." A burly man was hurling expletives for the delay; a huge silver crucifix was hanging from his neck. It got toxic. The heat, the delay, the smoke coming out from the tambutso took a toll on us all. But we felt helpless in its wake. While waiting ang watching the unfolding events, I took out my trusty BIC from my pocket and started writing down some lines like these --

Ay, maluya gyud ka sa dimalas/ikaw mag-utas ug inantos/ngano, gusto ka ma-santos?/Day, balaki ko'g makatandog o estaryahe ko bisan binutbot/igo na kini mobayaw kanako sa langit/apan kung motuyok ang along ulo sa tumang kalibog/duol na ko mosuka/bisan unsa ka man may kinaadman o wala/usa ra ang atong padulngan/kun dili ang sabakan sa buwan/ukon dili ang mini nga kalipay'g himaya sa kalangitan/nan unsa kun di lapdos ni Satanas?

Is this a poem? I wonder. Come to think of it, there are things that only you and you alone can understand. So write your lines now and share LOL.

Homecoming

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Welcome to my blog

Hi, friends, welcome to The Praxis Wheel blog! It's going to be my first journal entry and I thank Blogger. A kind of dry run. But, I guez, it'd be fun to be counted as one of so many bloggers who do it in the name of public service. That is the sine qua non of it all

Last week while I went down for "window shopping" at the National Bookstore in Davao City (poor me can only afford 'shopping' by watching expensive books through the windows) stumbled upon a small book entitled How To Start A Blog (And Earn From It) by Aki Libo-on. This 80-page book contains some useful and practical tips and insights on how to create your blog, how to promote your blog, and monetize your blog quickly. A blogger, or Web Content Writer, gains access to global communications system which, if done properly, facilitates increased awareness about life and life's struggles with a view of improving our lot. I'd say blogging is a new way of expressing meaning of what we see in reality in the midst of poverty and powerlessness and being able to do something about it.