The pervasive politicization of education in the United States makes teachers' work extraordinarily challenging. Decades of bi-partisan accountability-based reform policies and top-down instructional management have conceived of teachers as mere technicians who consume and implement prefabricated curricular plans. Such views fail to recognize the intimate relationship between curriculum and teaching and minimize educators' professional authority.
Anti-Authoritarian Curriculum Practice is for teachers exasperated by contemporary education's politicized conditions. Instead of identifying specific authoritarian figures or ideologies, this book critiques authoritarian practices-actions that undermine accountability for how power is exercised. It advocates for anti-authoritarian curriculum practices, emphasizing the intellectual and moral responsibilities of professional curricular decision-making. Appreciating that significant decisions are made at school, district, and policy levels without teachers' meaningful involvement, the authors utilize practical curriculum theorizing to examine commonly overlooked elements of curriculum practice, emphasizing teachers' direct roles in shaping what is experienced in their classrooms. Readers are introduced to the HI-STAR process, a three-part framework that invites educators to holistically imagine curricular visions (HI), engage in study and teaching activities (ST), and assess student outcomes while reflecting on their practices (AR).
Daniel J Castner is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education and Curriculum Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. His scholarship explores democratic education and anti-authoritarian practices through eclectic curriculum theorizing. He conducts research to describe how curriculum leadership operates in early childhood settings and examines how dedicated teachers with strong personal and professional commitments experience and negotiate the challenges inherent to working in imperfect institutions. Daniel received the 2024 Early Career Research Award from the American Educational Research Association, Early Education & Child Development SIG.
Jennifer Schneider is an Assistant Professor of Curriculum Studies at Oklahoma State University, whose work is deeply influenced by her background in the arts and humanities. She challenges reductionism in curriculum and teaching and seeks to nurture regenerative possibilities. Her scholarly and creative pursuits emphasize holistic education, particularly through experiential, aesthetic, ecological, and contemplative awareness and exploration.
James Henderson is a Professor Emeritus of Curriculum Studies at Kent State University. He has collaboratively published 7 books and over 100 articles, chapters, and grant research reports on topics related to democratic curriculum development and practice. He served as the co-creator and co-editor of the Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy for ten years and completed his academic career as Kent State University's first Rebecca Tolle and Burton W. Gorman Endowed Professor of Educational Leadership.
