Learning in Motion: Kayaking Lessons

Abstract

This introductory chapter outlines how kayaking can serve as a metaphor for active learning, particularly in classes utilizing social justice pedagogy, queer pedagogy, critical literacy, and critical mathematics. Queer pedagogy (Britzman, 1995) seeks to question, blur, and deconstruct norms and boundaries. Kayak imagery describes students’ learning mindsets, their paddles and other gear represent teacher supports, and the river itself represents the course and curriculum in the extended symbolism. The chapter finishes by outlining who will find this book of interest: teacher educators, education researchers, pre- and in-service teachers, and scholars of queer pedagogy and theory.