Understanding issues of control in top-down management pedagogies

Abstract

There exist societal problems of control deep within the consciousness of humanity. These problems often surface in schooling as forms of top-down management pedagogies. This article seeks to better understand theoretical issues behind several problems that management pedagogies pose in schools. The author identifies humanity as having an inherent need to create neo-liberal systems of control within societies. The author argues that the need for and nature of control contribute to cultivating cultures of fear in schools, which produce unhealthy classroom communities. Finally, the article proposes alternatives to rethinking top-down management pedagogies through implementations of democratic classroom practices. The problems associated with top-down mechanisms of control in classrooms have the potential to be resolved through intentional changes in language, implementations of democratic practices, and fostering environments for healthy communities to exist.