Teaching in a Poststructural Framework

Examples in a nursing context

- a discussion paper.

The Medical Model

Rene Decartes (1595-1650), founder of Western Philosophy proposed the mind/body dichotomous thinking.

Poststructural Framework• What is a poststructural framework?• Looks a bit like this?

Introducing Poststructural Theory

Althusser, a structuralist, was the main influence on the poststructuralist theorists.

Next was Saussure (1857-1913),

Saussure (1857-1913) believed in a pre-given structure of language, once a signified is attached to a signifier it is fixed.

Influences from Structural Theorists

Structural linguistics does not explain how meanings of words can change over time (for example ‘apricot’ as a colour).

Derrida and Foucault, were ‘post’ structuralist, Their argument was language are never fixed but always open to question, always contestable.

Derrida and deconstruction

Derrida called deconstruction a powerful tool for critiquing any structure, allowing us the freedom to rewrite the world and our subjectivity in non-linear and exciting ways (Derrida, 1974).

Deconstructive reading? (Lather, 1991)

How does deconstruction shape meaning for the young peopleliving with CF?

From deconstruction to discourses Foucault , M. (1972)

Sophie’s narrative

Yeah well, I always thought it wasn’t as though I had CF, it was just that everyone had CF. I wasn’t anything different. So I was either normal and everybody was normal, or I had CF and everyone had CF sort of thing. CF was the norm, so I went to school thinking that everybody had physio, everybody had millions of tablets a day, you know. It was just part of everybody’s life sort of thing. Until I think the first day at school or something like that… I swapped lunch with somebody, and in my lunch was the pancrease enzymes so it was a bit of a fiasco at school...

 

Ruth’s narrative

Something which helps me my friend thought it was really, really stupid, but CF is just something I have to do, like a chore because some of my friends have piano and their parents made them. And I said well piano takes an hour out of your day everyday, or two hours out of your day every day for practice. CF takes two hours of my day everyday. You hate piano, I hate physio, but you have to do it for your parents. I have to do it for me.

Fiona’s narrative

Um, when I am just fed up with things I sort of – sometimes it is on the spur of the moment, sometimes it is planned – instead of just not doing physio one day, I do the whole day with no CF, no tablets, no nothing, and it just gives me peace of mind. A little holiday away from CF, because so it doesn’t become all of my life.

Fiona’s narrative continues

Well, the doctors and nurses might disagree, because I am just totally ignoring CF for a total day, but yeah, for me I think it is… it is, not too detrimental to my health, which is the main thing.

Like I wouldn’t do it if I am really sick, you know?

Todd’s narrative

Obviously I take all the drugs I’m supposed to take, and generally I don’t have a problem with that. Pep mask, when I’m sick, I tend to get lazy about it. It gets boring as hell, I hate it! It just distracts you! But anyway, I cycle a lot and I run, so yep, like especially when you feel your lungs building up, within two days after your last ride your lungs can fill up really quickly, and you think oh, it’s time to go out again. So I get out and it clears it right out, and it’s very clear for another day or two so…

Poststructuralist inspiration for Education

As educators we hold the most powerful tool in our hands – ‘language’ and how we use it!

Poststructuralism

Closing the Gap

• When I commenced class that afternoon, the whole group came and here are the visual images I wanted to share with you all.