5 BLACK-WOMEN TEACHERS CRITIQUE CHILD-CENTERED PEDAGOGY - POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF OPPOSITIONAL STANDPOINTS

The data presented illuminate a pedagogical stance held by five Africa n-Caribbean Canadian women teachers who teach in a predominantly black elementary school. The author examines their standpoint on teaching l iteracy as they critique what is commonly called ''child-centered'' pe dagogy. She uses their engaged vision as a means to discuss the limita tions and possibilities of oppositional ''minority'' teacher standpoin ts in the mainstream. The author links their conceptual orientation to emergent work on feminist standpoint epistemology and discusses the t eachers positions as peripheral subjects both in research and in teach er practice.