In the first week of class, we explored the notion of social justice, with many students wondering about how it could be incorporated into their classrooms. For this blog, I'd like for you to consider any issues related to the possible development and/or implementation of social justice education. For example, you could approach the discussion from a theoretical point of view, examine how you feel about doing this work, raise questions about its applicability at all levels or for all subjects, suggest possible ways to get it done, etc. It's up to you.
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"In the social justice classroom, we deliberately interrupt the traditional classroom hierarchy in order to build a community of learning in which the teacher participates as a facilitator of process rather than an authority delivering knowledge." - J. Tompkins, College English
ReplyDeleteWith this quote, Bell, Love, Washington and Weinstein summarize what I believe are the beginnings of the implementation of social justice education. I believe it has to start with "negotiating authority issues" and consistently challenging the "business as usual" humdrum that too often clouds our institutions. I was most struck by the line: "'Business is usual' is sufficient to prevent change" (Bell) because if we all choose to teach (and live) within the systems (and often times constraints) that are already laid out for us, we won't teach anybody anything new (nor will we learn ourselves) but instead will rejustify social constructs!
I have been discouraged in the past how much education/teaching seems to be just a repetition of unchallenged patterns! It stays like this because it is pretty hard not to repeat patterns that you don't know you're repeating! Until we truly are willing to see what's outside of the "box" by acknowledging and challenging even the most subtle and silent versions of prejudice and injustice, we will not be able to have the strength it will take to eventually challenge the institution as a whole.
My question and concern is discussed in the text - p.192 "Institutional Risks and Dangers." It is nice for us to talk about what should be done to implement social justice... but when I was taking classes to teach high school English, I felt completely intimidated by the instruction from experienced teachers that you can bet at some point in your career as a teacher you will be sued. The stories they shared about teachers getting into trouble for something said or thought or assumed... terrified me. How are we supposed to be willing to go out on a limb when it could threaten our jobs? How are we supposed to have so much courage in so much fear?
The book points out that "the most vulnerable groups take on the most difficult and institutionally risky teaching" and even explains that faculty who teach social justice courses sometimes receive lower ratings on evals!! What??? So, I get discouraged thinking about how much it will take to change the WHOLE system... and it becomes so overwhelming that I stop trying! So, I end up ultimately letting the system change me - b/c it's easier... thus "social-norming" me to death! (i like making up words, too!)
I hope this was coherent enough and that I was successful in making my point! My eyes are closing and I'm exhausted so if it didn't make any sense, I'll re-post after work tomorrow!
My major concern about implementing a social justice curriculum is potential backlash, not only from students and parents, but from the community in which one teaches, as well. I went to high school in an area with many more wealthy, privileged families than impoverished ones, and many of the students came from conservative families. A social justice education is anything but conservative. I think successfully teaching students to be advocates for themselves and for all oppressed groups (which means everyone!) would be an amazingly fulfilling experience. But what do we do when the students don't agree with the majority of social justice principles, and their families object with the material being taught?
ReplyDeleteI recall a discussion in a "theory of knowledge" course I took as a senior in high school. The majority of students in my course actually suggested that discoveries of early humans that have informed scientists about the process of evolution were actually hoaxes! Many students, during the same class period, also fervently suggested that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, nor transgendered individuals should ever be allowed to hold a church position. I almost had to leave the room after one student suggested that having a gay individual serve as a preacher would be the equivalent of having a nazi in charge of a service organization. After that class period, we never discussed these topics again. My high school was also in such a conservative community that "Gender Bender Day" as part of homecoming week was eventually banned because it was too offensive to many students and families.
How on earth do we incorporate a social justice education at schools such as these (where they're most needed?) I know that in any classroom, you'll have a range of opinions, but how do you successfully implement such a program in an area that is predominately so conservative or opposed to it? I'm not saying conservatism is "bad." I recognize it's another view. But I hope you get the gist of my question.
In a perfect world everyone would have a clear understanding of who they were and would accept that they held certain biases toward certain groups. Everyone would be able to express themselves freely without feeling uncomfortable or have some regret about what they stated in class discussion. The teacher would create lesson plans that were 100% effective in getting everyone heard and involved in the classroom. Then again, if we lived in a "perfect" world there would be no need for social justice education. Sexism, classism, racism, etc. would not exist.......in a perfect world.
ReplyDeleteI think social justice education is a "hearty" way of teaching. It involves critical thinking, empathy, self reflection and can be applied, if implemented correctly, to any subject. One problem, I feel, in implementing social justice education would stem from the teacher's knowledge of who they are as a person and as an educator. As a teacher in general people expect for you to have the appropiate knowledge and understanding of your subject area to effectively teach your students. As a social justice educator knowledge starts as an internal focus and how that may or may not shape the environment of your class. The book gives great examples for teachers to get in touch with who they are and what they should consider when trying to structure their classroom. The biggest concern, from a future teacher's viewpoint, would be what the book mentioned as "Institutional risks and dangers." A new teachers isn't necessarily the one to "rock the boat," especially when their job is on the line. If you don't have support from your fellow teachers, adminsitrators and parents how can a new teacher feel comfortable with introducing these kind of lessons into their classrooms? Also new teachers have a difficult time getting the respect they need, from students, to make sure a lesson in social justice eduaction is unfolding appropiately. As mentiond in the book a teacher hopes that students "will like and respect them, and leave the class feeling positively about their experience." A new teacher may make the mistake in thinking that being a student's friend could be helpful in the classroom but with that kind of relationship between teacher and student it may make it easier for students to take over the classroom. Once a teacher loses control over his/her class it may be very difficult for a teacher to intervene when issues arise that target and cause discomfort for some students.
My goal is to teach at the secondary level and these are some issues that I can see myself trying to work through. While I was reading I kept thinking aboul social justice eduation and if it fits at the elementary level. We often see children as innocent and full of life. So my question is, as an educator do we let them in on all of the "isms" in our society? Or do we maintain their innocence? Is there an appriopaite, or should I say effective, way to introduce social justice education in an elementary classroom?
Anisha, I used to teach pre-school and one of my favorite ways of incorporating diversity (I wasn't quite sure how either and the school I worked for really did try... but their ways were more like the three F's!) was to read books to the children that represented people and customs and cultures from all over the world. I taught pre-school in an extremely wealthy suburb in Sudbury, MA. There were no children of color in my class, and i think there were 3 out of the whole school - which took up three campuses. That didn't set the state well for social justice education! At all! So I read the kids (and they were 3!!!) books at story time such as: "My Many Colored Days" by Dr. Suess, and "All the Colors We Are : Todos los colores de nuestra piel - The Story of How We Get Our Skin Color" by Katie Kissinger, Wernher Krutein, "If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World's People"
ReplyDeleteby David J. Smith, and... check out this website: http://www.elp-web.com/pages/subject/childrens_books/childrens_diversity.htm
Those are just a few books... there are more but it's been about 5 years since I taught pre-school! I think we have some pre-school teachers in the class that would know better than me at this point!
My point is that I don't think that we have to expose them to all of the "isms" in our society - they will be exposed to them all no matter what we do. But if we can teach kids to be comfortable with all people and if we constantly show them that the world is bigger than their classroom by taking them OUT of their classrooms... we will plant a seed in them that will eventually grow as their education continues and they grow into actually dealing with and discussing all the "isms"
I think that social justice is a great concept and everyone should strive for it. With that said, I feel like it is almost impossible to achieve. I hope that as this class continues, I will learn more about how to implement it and begin to feel it is an achievable goal. I agree with Karen's comments about being too scared to lose my job. I want all my students to know that there should be equity among everyone, but I also believe that school rules prevent that from happening. Also, I want to teach elementary school, a very impressionable age. I can't say that I wouldn't be upset if a teacher told my child something that didn't align with my family values. I want social justice and I will try to teach my children at home about values that support social justice. It is just such a difficult issue.
ReplyDeleteI will strive for social justice, but I am not willing to lose my job over it. My reasons run deeper than just that comment. If I lose my job and am unable to teach, then how will I be able to have access to so many children at an impressionable age? I won't be able to directly talk about subjects, but I feel that with statements like "how would that make you feel?" and such I can implement social justice concepts with out directly talking about issues. If I don't have a teaching job, I can't do that.
This leads me to how I will implement it in my classroom. I do not think that in the near future we will be able to do things like separate a 2nd grade class into black and white children and ask kids to go to the group they identify with. I think the way that I can implement it is if I see a child struggling to identify with a group, I can talk to him or her about it and also possibly seek the assistance of a counselor. I think my approach may be to look for ways to promote social justice and figure out indirect ways to address them. I said before I bet I will use "how would that have made you feel?" a lot. It is not wrong to ask a child about his or her feelings and it is not wrong to discuss how they may hurt someone else. I believe a big part of being a teacher is teaching self control and self reflection. If I can get a child to think, even for a second, "how would what I'm about to say make me feel if I were the other student" I think that is a step in the direction of a successful social justice classroom.
Wow! Everyone has brought up such powerful points. I have not encountered many of the issues that some of you have mentioned being at the elementary level. Unfortunately if we don’t discuss social identities and their impact on our viewpoints students will develop their own generalizations in order to make sense of the world around them. An example of this would be when a friend and team teacher of mine who is from India told me about a comment made to her son from a white child in his kindergarten class. He told her son that he was supposed to get free breakfast in the morning because he was brown and all brown kids get free breakfast. I do not think anyone told him that but he came to the conclusion that if a student was brown they received free breakfast. I’m not even sure he meant it as a derogatory statement or just matter of fact. Needless to say my friend was offended on many levels. Did this child associate brown skin with being poor? Did he even give it that much thought? Whatever his reason he was making up his own way of placing social identities on his classmates due to the happenings around school. Even though I think Social Justice issues need to be discussed in order to prevent further misconceptions how do we go about it without insulting, embarrassing, or offending students and their families?
ReplyDeleteIf we can not get educators to incorporate themes of multiculturalism into the curriculum how can we ever achieve the ideal - social justice. I really believe there are teachers that do infuse themes of multicultural education into the classes, however, as students get older I think there is a less of an opportunity.
ReplyDeleteIn NC, teachers are being mandated to teach materials based on a pacing guide. I frequently ask my husband about "cool things" he does in his class and his response is frequently how can I do "cool things" if I am expected to follow a pacing guide and cover the Vietnam War in one day. Sadly, the quantitative experience of students has become more important than the qualitative for legislators and those making decisions about curriculum development.
I am thinking about living in an ideal world with social justice now. Within races there are a variety of cultures represented. How do we generate social justice themes that cover the continuum of individuals' identities? I am reflecting on the example from our text when whites and blacks were sent to seperate rooms and a black man self identified more with white culture than that of his race. If we offer programming for social justice we need to make it relevant for a variety of groups including all the one's represented in our school. This should not be limited to racial issues and include religious affiliations and sexual orientation for example.
Even beyond offering a relevant curriculum, we need to present the material in a way that is unbiased. When, we, as educators, look into the faces of our students we need to see blank slates waiting to be a part of the process. In order to do that we need to remove the lens by which we view others and if that is not possible we need to be aware of the lenses we use that filters our experiences and our teaching.
Once aware of our filters we need to apply what we have learned to our daily experiences with the end goal being a more compassionate citizen of the world.
I think we should make a comfortable environment for our students. This includes seating, lighting, wall decorations, etc. When a person of color is sitting in an honors class with all white people at the very least they should not be asked to speak for and represent there entire race/culture and when they look around they should see books on the shelf, posters on the wall reflecting their culture.
I am fast becoming an advocate for breaking down the privilege of teaching. I want students to see me as a facilitator- learning as much from their experience as they learn from me as the "expert" of the topic. I think when stdents feel like they have something to contribute and speak up and a facilitators is able to actively hear then we may hear more from them because they feel their voice matters.
I fear in public schools we will have to be creative in offering opportunities to infuse topics of social justice into the classroom environment, but I firmly believe it can be done. We need to find our own voice and not be afraid to speak up in order to be social justice advocates.
I think it's sad that there is such a fear that implementing social justice into the classroom will have some sort of backlash. I guess that's just the reality of today's world.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, as a jumping off point, could we not just begin by creating democratic classrooms? After all, it's the student's classroom, too, so why not let them have a say in what goes on? I'm not saying have them write lesson plans, but just giving them the opportunity to share how lessons connect with their daily lives, experiences, etc. If an environment can be created in which students feel safe doing this, it could at least be a start.
Perhaps I am looking at this with rose-colored glasses, but, as someone who has not been in a public education classroom yet, I realize that any plan I come up with is going to be coming from a beginning standpoint. I'm just trying to think of beginning steps.
There were two words that jumped out at me from our readings last week. Process as well as content. Often as teachers we are caught up in teaching the content--teaching to the test. We forget all about the process of learning. We are so focused on the final result that the way in which the students are learning goes to the way side. As long as students are meeting the state requirements then the teacher is doing their job. But we need to go beyond the tests. With this way of teaching, the students are being cheated out of an education that addresses who they are culturally, ethnically, racially and so on. If we take a step back and ask how can we do better and what can we add to the education system to make it better suited for all students the answer should include a multicultural aspect emmersed in with the basics of reading, and writing, etc.
ReplyDeleteIn order for the students to have an education that includes social justice we will probably have to prove how will it improve student performance on tests and why they need it to go through school and life. There will be red tape to pass through and if it does become a part of education someone somewhere will create a social justice curriculum for elementary, secondary and high school classes. I don't think that adminstrators and policy makers will allow social justice to occur in the classroom without having rules and outlines for how is should be taught. This brings me back to content and process. If the content of social justice is already a packaged deal then once again the process of how students can achieve to their fullest potential is being ignored. Eventhough I do not want social justice to be controlled by folks who are not in the actual classrooms I think it could happen.
I believe that if enough classroom teachers make an effort in their classes to begin making social justice a process in their classes and provide ways to include in the predetermined curriculum we can start making baby steps. Eventually we will start to see a change.
For social justice education to be effective, I think it is vital for teachers to initially address their biases of other individuals and groups. Exploring these biases alone is not enough however. It is also important for teachers to address any fear or anxiety they maintain related to discussions of social justice. (I was amazed at the author's discussion of this, Chptr 16) The emotions and behaviors the teacher exhibits will likely be modeled by the students.
ReplyDeleteThe text provides many examples to help teachers begin to teach social justice in the classroom. I think it is most important for teacher in this process not to project their justice and equality-based biases on their students, but to help their students think critically about these societal issues. Helping students think critically about issues of oppression and bias will allow them to take ownership of their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while making informed decisions. Helping students understand social justice related issues from a logical and realistic perspecitive is also important, as to not cause emotional and cognitive harm to the students.
I personally like the use of "teachable moments" in the classroom. When I was a teacher, this strategy was frequently used to address an issue that unexpectedly arose in the classroom. I think this strategy can also be applied when teaching about social justice in the classroom.
I too, because of lack of classroom experience, wear rose colored glasses. In some ways it may be naive, in others it may be helpful.
ReplyDeleteChapter two suggests "we are socialized to accept oppression". Maybe as a teacher, recognizing a child that thought another should have free lunch because of his skin color...including discussion in your class on an age appropriate level would affect this misunderstanding.
Page 18 suggests "offer new perspective, and thoughtfully designed learning environments". Considering the physical classroom environment, having it reflect a multicultural world, seems easily doable. Considering the audience as you create homework, class projects. Consider your audience as you plan with other teachers and discuss with coworkers.
The text offers "..how you FRAME social justice is as just as important". For me this means how I present SJ in my professional interactions. I cant affect change if I try and fight the system. Instead, I pay attention and work the system. My input at staff meetings, my input when I work in "team teaching environments", my input when students are identified as having an ld or being ag. I can offer a commitment to listening and being aware. I can look for sj allies. The book talks abouth how that is important. I believe that if I frame sj as an effort in fairness and consideration I will find allies.
Lastly, the book talks about poverty, and how it is a reality because people accept it (rough interpretation). I know I cannot solve the issue of poverty, but I take steps within my community to affect it. I cannot create a green planet on my own, but I can recycle and take individual steps to respect the planet and my carbo footprint. I can find out what currently is being done to infuse multiculturalism in my elementary school. I will find allies, people that are sensitive to this issue. Sometimes simple things like asking an open ended question might affect change.
I dont yet know the constraints...but maybe that is a good thing.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your comments regarding the pacing guides. It is apparent to me that teachers have largely become nothing more than drones, minimally straying from the curriculum to teach about real life issues. These behaviors, I think, are created by the large workloads teachers maintain. In other words, teachers have very little support and time to address and implement additional materials. I understand that social justice can be integrated into the curriculum, but it takes time and "thinking power" to integrate the material.
Secondly, I question the number of teachers who have a desire to impact society at a social justice level or think that it is even possible. As I continue to be involved in education and the public school system, I become more and more wary of teachers' degree of dedication to their students and education. It seems to me we have reached a "tipping point" that is not in society's favor.
I think it is possible to weave Social Justice into our classrooms as Dr. Greenfield mentioned. Adding a rule related to social justice in the classrooms might not be a bad idea. Instead of wording a rule, “Do not bother or hurt others”, we can modify it to say, “Do not bother or hurt others no matter who they are”. This might create awareness that about the different types of students in the classroom and reinforce that everyone is equal.
ReplyDeleteAs teachers, we will have to keep the Social Justice learning in the classroom subtle. Teachers run into all kinds of problems when the surrounding environment is not supportive of social justice endeavors. We might have to hide it from principals, parents and even co-workers. Having said that, I would think the biggest problem would be the parents. They might not want their children to learn to tolerate others. If we teach the children a social justice idea and the parents teach the opposite idea, the students will only get confused and irritated. This will lead the student to take the easy way out which would be to remember the rules for this certain class and forget about he or she leaves the classroom.
Another important blockade that stops teachers from caring too much about social justice is their pay. When we get into teaching, most of us don’t care about our pay but it does allocate our resources. At one point or another, we do get discouraged by our low pay. Although everyone believes teachers should be paid more, it is not happening. Recently, teachers have been forced to take time off without pay. This means the teachers will have to cram in their lessons in an even shorter amount of time. If the teachers barely have any time to teach in class and even less motivation to prepare out of the classroom, how will there be enough time and motivation for the teachers to incorporate social justice in the classroom?
Jeffrey, I think you make a great point when you bring up the dedication level of teachers. Although I, for the most part, have met nothing but passionate individuals in the MAT program, I have met those in other programs who have said to me, and I quote, "I can't really do anything else, so I'm just going to teach." When they themselves simply view teachers as a warm body in a classroom, what hope do we have that they are going to be the ones to challenge the institution of education?
ReplyDeleteTheoretically, I do understand and see the importance and need for social justice. I think it would be ideal to help cultivate young minds that are aware of great literature as well as each other and students that have the ability and opportunites as each other. But I still cannot undertand how to effectively do this.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that there would be a great deal of backlash in various core classes. The backlash could be coming in various forms;from the teachers, parents, or even students. I could see a teacher saying that there is no need to start incorporating social justice concepts into their word problems in math class. They might complain about how much time it takes to create or be against the need for such a "movement". Additionally, some parents, as we all know, will inevitably find a problem with talking about differences or biases.
There is also the possibility that students will feel uncomfortable as well. We are products of our parents and sometimes we arent given enough exposure and as young children, you think and feel what you have been raised.
The idea of social justice is a complicated matter in my mind.
Jennifer: In regards to your comment about being a facilitator. I also think this is a wonderful idea and I too would strive for that. BUT I think it is the type of thing that should be happening in high school and beyond. I still think that middle school and below need guidance and direction. I think middle schoolers do have the ability to have meaningful,genuine and honest group discussions but not everyday and not with every group.
It seems like there would need to be a better way to address the idea of Social Justice for this younger crowd. We can't just sit them down and throw out a topic and say "GO!".
As you can see, I'm still unsure of how to make it work. I'm looking for the suggestions!
I like the term Jeffrey used in addressing the mechanized way in which some educators approach the classroom or are forced from above to be lock step in their approach to teaching. I think we can extend it beyond the classroom and into society. I think we, citizens of the world, have become drone like in the way we view the world. I can honestly say right now between work,school, and family I have little time to think about the goings on of the world around me. I acknowledge and own that right now my worldview is limited and drone like. I am just going through the motions to make it through the day. I know I can and will be better when I am not so busy because I have been better before. Yet, there are some who go through their daily routine for a lifetime drone like with little consideration for the struggles of others.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading everyone's comments, it's clear that we all see challenges in implementing social justice education (there are many!). I think it's a huge step for a teacher to even begin to incorporate activities into their instruction that relate to social justice. After reading a few chapters of our text, I believe what will be most difficult is persistence after we -start- the process of implementing social justice into our lesson plans. There will be times during group discussions at the beginning, I'm sure, where the teacher feels extremely uncomfortable after a certain comment, or doesn't know how to handle an extremely volatile situation. It's probably very discouraging at the beginning, and it will probably take a huge support group and a sense of personal persistence to keep going with such activities. I remember our text mentioning that experience is really the only and best way to ever get to a point where you, as a teacher, are pretty comfortable with social justice education. I just hope I have the persistence and support from others to get to that point.
ReplyDeleteI just read over Emmy’s comments and she pretty much summed up one of my biggest “fears” about implementing social justice education. I feel that if teachers fully understood the ultimate goal of social justice education, they would all be questioning why they have not been teaching it all along. I also feel that teachers would first have to examine their own biases before a successful program/lesson could be taught. However, if just one teacher is striving to educate their students about the importance of advocacy, what happens when the students move up to the next grade or even to a new class and there is no follow up?
ReplyDeleteI find the idea of social justice very appealing, and as I learn more specifics I will work to incorporate it into my everyday life. By extension, that means my teaching career, as well, and I suppose that addressing issues as they arise as well as weaving multicultural lessons and ideas into the course may be a good way of integrating social justice issues into my future classroom.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as this class progresses I repeatedly find myself approaching the topic personally and not professionally, as a future middle school teacher. Several other people have brought up the very real worry about being sued. There should be a way to present this information and these ideas in a more subtle, less jolting way, right? The idea that we would implement some of the procedures the authors of the textbooks use, especially in a middle or elementary school classroom, seems much too difficult and possibly inappropriate (such as separating into racial groups for discussion). At the college level these techniques seem to work quite well, but it seems to me that some of them can’t be used without some modification first to make them appropriate for a younger audience, and one where the focus isn’t only social justice (such as a science classroom).
One of the most important issues we as teachers will face in implementing social justice education is the fact that a lot of students may not be receptive to what we are trying to teach them. Say you have a class in which some students vehemently argue against equity or other topics within the realm of social justice...how do we handle that? I know it would be a huge blow to my teaching confidence if it were to happen early on. Is social justice education effective at all levels?
ReplyDeletePersonally I believe that social justice education should begin the first day of elementary school and continue until the day the student graduates. Inconsistency in its implementation is what leaves room for negative beliefs to rise. If feasible, teachers could form a school-wide team that encourages them to incorporate social justice messages into their daily curriculum. Typically students (more-so at the middle and high school levels) see more than one teacher per day. It is vital that each teacher delivers a message in support of social justice in order to give the student a positive, consistent, and persistent support system.
Needless to say, I believe social justice education is applicable at all levels. Not only is it applicable, it is a necessity. If students begin to learn the theories and goals of this idea of equity, it will become habitual. Think of it like learning a language - younger children are able to learn new languages much more quickly than adults. If they continue studying the language they will be fluent, but if their education is inconsistent, they will forget how to speak it. If we start teaching students about social justice at a young age and keep the education consistent and gradually more in depth, students will be fluent in the ideas that will help us achieve societal equity.
What are some possible ways to get this done? Devote a small amount of class time each day to discussing a current event or issue. If you are teaching math or science, this will get the students' brains flowing and ready to learn the stages of mitosis. If you're teaching social studies, the discussion could be tied into the day's lesson. Teaching social justice isn't impossible, it just takes dedication and willingness on the part of the teacher.
Working at an art center part time is far from meeting the demands placed on a full time teacher in our education system. You have raised many valid points about job security and support from administration and parents that are absent in my position. I would like to share an experience and opinion. I welcome any feedback you might have.
ReplyDeleteFive year old Sam (changed name to protect the innocent) has shoulder length black curly hair. He is somewhat shy around other kids and is slowly building self-confidence. At the beginning of a new class we sometimes do “math” to calculate how many people are absent. Then name tags are distributed as we review the roll to help us to learn everyone’s name. One day, after math and nametags, we concluded that we were missing one boy (M or F is on the roll). When Sam arrived late, another boy in the class said, “Ms Kichak, Sam is not a boy, Sam’s a girl!” “Yeah, Ms Kichak, Sam’s a girl. Sam has girl hair!” added a second boy. Sam looked at me with his wide brown confused eyes. I assured the class that Sam was indeed a boy. (I had known Sam since he was three.) When we started the art project, Sam chose pink paint. I overheard the same two boys informing Sam that pink was a girl’s color. This time Sam blinked back his tears, left his pink paint and chose another color. I asked all the students to come to the paint table. I held up red and asked if red was a boy or girl color? The students (boys and girls) agreed that red was a boy or girl color. I repeated the same question with white paint. The students came to the same conclusion. We mixed the white and red together to make pink and I insisted that you could not mix two “boy and girl colors” together and make a color that was just for girls. Pink is for everyone! Every color is for everyone! I also told them that some men had chosen to have long hair for thousands of years. I asked all the students if their Dads or brothers decided not to get haircuts and let their hair grow long would they be girls. No they responded. I asked how they thought their brother or Dad would feel if they said they were girls just because their hair was long. They decided that their brother or Dad would not like to be called a girl. I explained that boys or girls can have long and/or curly hair. Boys or girls can have short hair. The type of hair you have does not make you a boy or a girl! People can choose long or short hair.
This was one of those “teachable moments”. I am not sure how much influence I actually had on the students, but I tried! If anyone has insights or suggestions for handling this type of situation, please share.
Becoming Sam’s ally was easy. I am sure that incidents can become much more difficult.
In hindsight, it is easy to recognize the socialized behavior of these two young boys, that it is not normal or correct for boys to have long hair or like the color pink! Maybe this is where some bias of thinking someone is sissy begins. This incident may seem innocent, but to Sam it was significant. I think that no matter how trivial an incident may seem I need to try to help offer new perspectives. Not only will implementing social justice require that I try to identify and change my own oppressive socialized behaviors, inside and outside the classroom; but, also try to help others recognize theirs no matter what their age; one incident at a time for the rest of my life.
I have enjoyed reading everyone's commments. There is a lot of real fear about the implementation of social justice within the schools at all levels, and yet there is a desire to incorporate it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about teaching and social justice, I am struck by the fact that even in elementary schools, children are not blank slates. By the time kids are in kindergarten, they have already had 5 years of education in social relationships and expectations from their parents.
Some have stated that social justice education should start as soon as possible and be consistently taught. Someone else said that we should implement social justice education even if it occurred subtly and had to be hidden from parents or principals. This made me think...why are we relegating social justice education only to the schools and school age children or college students? Why are we not thinking larger? Why are we not trying to influence those first 5 years of education kids get before kindergarten by reaching out to parents?
Schools are more than a microcism in my opinion. They affect students, families, and the communities in which they exist. We have PTA groups to get parents involved, and we have social workers and school councellors who work at involving families. Why couldn't schools have manditory orientation programs for parents signing up their kids for the new school year that introduces them to social justice education. Sure it might be uncomfortable for them, especially here in the south where old prejudices die hard, but you never know what people are capable of unless you challenge them.
I doubt that would be incorporated in the public school system any time soon even if its merits were lauded and respected by all, but it is something to think about. Honestly, I think if as a nation we were really serious about respecting the uniqueness of every social identity that makes up our populace, that we would institute a program - much like the naturalization process - that required social justice education classes that you had to pass in order to be an active citizen (whether you immigrated or were born here). Sure, you could pass and then follow your own opinions, but you'd be exposed...and sometimes that is all that needs to happen before changes are made.
This is when I wish I were in control and could just make these things happen. ;) Of course that means that I need to reflect on this and ask myself whether or not my ideas are best for me or truly best for everyone.
Being aware requires so much responsibility. However, ignorance is only occasionally bliss for you; frequently misery for all others.
Santhiya, your point about teacher pay and the motivation of teachers is interesting. I don’t know how big a difference it will make, as I’m not currently a teacher, but I would guess that the more central and integral diversity and social justice are to a teacher, the more motivated the teacher is to incorporate it, even with low pay.
ReplyDeleteJeffrey, I’m not yet a teacher and it sounds like you are, and it saddens me that you observe a lack of “a desire to impact society at a social justice level or think that it is even possible.” I still hope it is possible, and that we can change the direction our society’s education system seems to be going.
Megan, I agree whole heartedly with what you’ve said.
From a theoretical point of view, I am terrified to bring social justice into my classroom because of the potential negative reactions I could recieve. I fear that if students, parents, or even my colleagues do not accept how I handle my classroom that it could have a huge impact on my ability to be an effective teacher. While I am very excited to learn more about social justice, I also hope to gain more insight on how to bring it into the classroom without intimidating the class as a whole. Luckily, I plan to teach elementary education and most students at that age level don't really understand where discrimination comes from or what it is on a deep level. I hope to reach them before this point and educate them on the importance of understanding the core of who people are rather than summing them up from their race, background, lifestyle choices or abilities.
ReplyDeleteThough I am scared about teaching social justice, I am also excited. I love a good challenge and this is something that I know will challenge me throughout my teaching career. I think I will feel a lot of purpose and I help children step outside of their boxes and make their world a more opportune place, opening themselves up to anyone or anything that life has to offer. I know that teaching social justice in my classroom will be a difficult feat; however, if I don't act to change the mindset of children for the better, I may close the door for any opportunity they have to change the world through social equality. I would feel entirely responsible if I didn't teach them about equality, a tradtiion they can implement and appreciate for the rest of their lives.
Dawn....my sister used to work at a daycare and she had a similar experience in one of her classrooms. Mind you she often worked in the room with kids who were 3-4-5. She told me one day they were giving out cupcakes and a black student took a vanilla cupcake and a white student told her she couldn't have that particular cupcake, she was only supposed to eat the chocolate ones since she was black! When she told me that I asked what she did, she said that she and the lead teacher just explained to him why he shouldn't have said that and that anyone can pick any cupcake they wanted. I couldn't help but think, would this child understand that that kind of behavior is unacceptable in all situations or did he just understand that it was not acceptable in that situation only? Obvisouly he is learning that behavior from somewhere, and how do you let the parents know, like you said without offending or insulting them? How will the parents feel if they realize they may be contributing to their child's biases towards certain groups at a young age?
ReplyDeleteJewel.....I really liked the example you gave. I think that was a wonderful idea to combine the colors to represent another. For kids that age I think you handled the situation appropiately. I'm not a teacher yet but I'm pretty sure the other teachers in the class would agree with how you handled the situation. Using art to teach social justice education proves that these kinds of issues and topics can be incorporated into any subject or activity in our schools.
I think we will have to take different approaches to introducing and integrating social justice into our classrooms at different age levels. I have been volunteering in a fourth grade classroom and have seen how the teachers have introduced cultural awareness and social justice in a school with racial and socioeconomic diversity. The approach at any level must start with mutual respect between the teacher an students. I don't want to start a section of instuction entitled "social justice" but rather integrate ideas about equality, respect and empathy for all people into every lesson. If you champion and publicize your social justice elements of instruction there will be students, parents, potential peers and administrators who will backlash against it. But if it comes naturally most students will just accept it and won't even realize that you are infusing your curriculum with larger deeper social issues.
ReplyDeleteJewel - I love what you did with the paints and trying to create a comparison that they could relate to with the long hair. That was so smart! You had a "teachable moment" and really made the most of it, in my opinion. I'm not sure I would have been able think on my feet like that, but your example will encourage and inspire me to use "teachable moments" to their fullest in the future. Thank you for sharing that!
ReplyDeleteSanthiya - Teacher pay is a topic riddled with controversy. Everyone complains about it being too low, and honestly, with all the work that is required to teach, I would agree. However, I have seen the salary chart for a NC county that is far from being wealthy, and with a Master's degree - which is what I looked at - the starting salary is comparable with what I currently make working in RTP. Maybe coming from a lower to middle income family I have never imagined making all that much money in the first place, but what are people expecting?
The average US salary per household member was 23k in 2005, while per female is was 26k and 39k for men. I know that when one of my good female friends started teaching right out of college in 2004, that she was making 26k - on par with the national average for women a year later, but more than the per household member median.
Yes, teachers should make more money than they do, but in our salary comparisons I think we forget to take into account all of the people that have no expectation of being able to make as much as a teacher does. Teacher's work should be more valued than it is and therefore rewarded financially, but I think we forget to see the larger picture...even with lower pay than desired, the gap between teacher salaries and low income salaries is so large.
We are always looking up - seeing who is above us and what they have versus what we don't have. I think we should sometimes look below us and be thankful for what we do have that we might be taking for granted. Isn't that what social justice is all about? Equity of priviledge and access? Money falls into that account for equity, but those in the middle have to remember what has made them the middle - others have fallen below.
Sorry for the rant, but everyone here is so good at listening (reading) and open for anything it seems. Thanks.
Everyone made great points! It seems the school system is concerned about the quantity rather than the quality of what students learn. Recurring theme in these comments is that we have to be creative with how we include social justice in our classrooms. I completely agree! As long as we are aware of our beliefs and know our blind spots and biases, we will find some way to incorporate social justice into our classes.
ReplyDeleteHeather, the democratic classroom you talk about, I thought teachers already incorporate each student’s experience in their classroom when they ask them to talk or answer a question?
Jewel, That's a great example! Thanks for sharing that story! I think that's the best anybody could have done in a situation. At least, now the boys are questioning the base ideas and are aware stereotyping boys and girls is not always right!
I am so relieved to hear others say they have concerns about social justice in the classroom. I felt earlier that I was going out of on a limb and in the minority because I had concerns. I feel much more comfortable now that I know other people have issues. Now I think I could look to any of you or anyone that I teach with for guidance, support, or opinions on social justice in my classroom. I don't have any personal experiences because I haven't taught yet, but I enjoy hearing about all of your experiences! It really helps me put things in perspective so I can see how other people handle these situations. Thanks for sharing all these thoughts! In regards to Anisha's story about the child saying the black kid could only have the chocolate cupcake, I find that very interesting. I don't believe that the girl intended to offend the black student, but it makes you wonder about the home environment. I have been in situations when I babysat for a family in college that the youngest child would make what could be offensive comments. Knowing him, I know he didn't mean it to hurt someone's feelings, but he was curious and taking note of people's differences. I had to work with him to understand what was ok to vocalize in public and what needed to be said at home. I did not want to "silence" him, but I wanted to teach him self restraint. I never told him "we don't talk about that." It was simply teaching him when it was appropriate to discuss topics. I think this is the situation in a lot of classrooms. It is ok for a student to ask why another kid is different, but I wouldn't want to discuss that in front of the whole class for fear of making the "different" child uncomfortable. I look forward to these opportunities in helping improve social justice in my classroom and school!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, social justice education is a very good idea and something people and communities should strive for. However, the theory of it, just like with many other things people and countries have tried to implement in the past and present, may not be something that will ever be fully possible. At least that is the standpoint I currently hold. My biggest reason for believing this are the many constraints teachers have.
ReplyDeleteIf I try to incorporate social justice education into my lessons and daily class activities it could be a great thing, however, if the other teachers or educators in the school have no desire to do this, then how effective can just my class be for the students? Also, I may have a profound effect on a student, then he/she goes home and their parents act in a contradictory way and they are back to believing the injustice. Another constraint, I see, is in the requirements put on teachers by the education systems, as stated by so many in their posts above. Plus, as an educator, where do I draw the line between what is right/wrong to try to teach students? Is it my right to try to change their beliefs? I am not sure how I feel about that yet.
Although I see all these constraints, and many others, I believe trying to include social justice education into my classroom is something I would like to strive for. As a future (hopefully) high school math teacher, I think I can do this in subtle ways. I can teach topics and try to relate them to everyone on levels of their understanding. Not just by race or sex but through other identities they have. I also like the idea, as suggested above, of introducing current events and allowing students to discuss them. I know it may not be typical to do in a math class, however, I think it would be important for students to be informed, plus it would allow us to discuss differences and find out people’s feelings and maybe try to educate them on others. I am sure I can tie them into math lessons in some way. Another thing I think I could do is to discuss with other teachers how they teach certain topics. Maybe their experiences and social identities lead them to teach a topic one way, that I, having no connection to, would have done another way. This could allow for students to look at the same thing in multiple ways and identify with something that I could not get through to them.
One last comment I have, and maybe I don’t fully grasp the concept, but I do not believe to have social justice education in my classroom I have to fully face the topic head on. Am I required to have discussions daily discussing differences? I don’t think I am. Maybe I am wrong. But in a math class I think I can incorporate the idea of social justice without having to have students discuss it all the time. Just providing an equal ground for learning material and an environment where differences will not hinder a student from gaining knowledge seems to me the best I could do. I will want my students to accept each other for their differences and strive for equality for everyone, but I also don’t believe I can force my beliefs on them. But in my classroom, respect for everyone is required.
Thanks for the positive reinforcement! Reading about the chocolate and vanilla cupcakes is another example that confirms my belief that socialization of people starts at birth.
ReplyDeleteI agree with infusing the meaning of social justice into every aspect of curriculum and our lives. This is a great way to start teaching for social justice. Wouldn't it be great if one of the required workshops/courses for continued certification for preschool and school age teachers would be about teaching for social justice? Maybe a group such as Project Enlightenment would get involved.
I also agree that we need to offer ways for parents to get involved. When my oldest son was in elementary school, the PTA sponsored a Parent Education committee. Once a month we held free workshops at the school on various topics that parents could relate to such as homework challenges, special needs, etc. Maybe with the right workshop description we could lure parents to come, learn and get involved in implementing social justice.
I do wish that teachers were rewarded for their true worth with better compensation; however, thank you Courtney, the reminder to always consider the persons less fortunate than myself is important. I am trying to examine my success through a new lens, pondering how much my efforts to be successful were and are continued to be, influenced by my white privilege.
Larry - I just wanted to put this out there are far as being a math teacher and incorporating social justice in your lessons.
ReplyDeleteSocial justice is about equity, and equity so easily represented in numbers! Percentages of privilege and access between groups, flat numbers of who identifies with what group, rates at which progress is seen with implementing social justice and so on. Your lessons could be supported with social justice based math!
Just talking about it gets me excited about something I have never cared for, hahaha. Math has always been difficult for me, but I love the possibilities of it. :)
Megan S.-- I am no longer a teacher, nor a school counselor, but am still involved with the public school system. I do not intend to paint all teachers as one color (lack of desire to affect society), but am driven to say through my experience that teachers largely do not have the desire. This is not necessarily a result of their choosing however. For example, upon completion of a BS in elementary education years ago, I not completed a diversity course. I am not sure if this would be the case for any of you. Diversity and multicultural issues were only emphasized in a Counselor Ed. graduate program I completed 4 years ago. For me this is telling of the institutions we attend and the overall aim of education. I am sure many teachers have not received adequate training in social justice education. This will probably continue to be a crux for education as the product (test scores) outweigh the process more than ever.
ReplyDeleteI think there are some subjects where social justice lessons are easier to introduce. As a high school history teachers the possibilities seem endless - supplememntal reading assignments outside of the mandated textbooks that are written bu people from different social groups, examining the impact of events and the interpretation of those events by looking at the point of view and social identity of the author, and discussing aspects of history that have had significant social impacts like the civil rights and feminist movements of the past century - topics that many history classes run out of time for at the end of the school year. I recently read some fourth grade creative writing samples that made the students chose to write a story from a perspective other than their own - from the opposite sex, different religion or social group. While it is very early to introduce alternate perspective writing to nine year olds it still planted the idea to consider a view point other than what they are used to.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to be learning about social justice education, both in theory and practice. It is a great solution to a personal concern in entering the classroom. As an aspiring elementary teacher, however, I am a little unsure how to effectively integrate social education into the classroom with younger children. My tentative plan largely stems from my liberal arts background. In my undergraduate education critical thinking was the most valuable skill I learned. I think a good way to introduce social education into the classroom is to begin teaching that skill; to critically understand the world around you and your place in it. My main concern is the lack of consistency in other classrooms. Besides teaching social justice skills to enrich the students' lives and interactions with others, I also want to teach my students how to succeed in the system they are living in. Unfortunately, that success is built within a fairly limiting established structure. As mentioned by others, the restrictive quantitative assessment of learning is only becoming more and more central in schools. Though I value critical thinking as a part of social justice education, the standardized criteria for passing each grade do not leave much room for challenging accepted practices or views. So how do you teach them to challenge or question institutional rules, and yet also teach them how to succeed in that same institution?
ReplyDeleteBeyond academic and content concerns, I think the most effective way to implement social justice education is to create an open and respectful environment in the interpersonal relations among the individuals in the room. In other words, to present the students with yourself as an observable model, complete with an understanding of your own biases and identities. Just demonstrate how social justice theories and principles shape your social interactions with the students. In that way, the students will be observing and learning about how to develop relationships with or think about others without even realizing it.
OK, let me try this again as my post yesterday appears to have disappeared. If I am missing it and posting this twice, please forgive me.
ReplyDeleteI don't have an answer for myself yet on how to implement social justice education. I know it can be done. I'll admit a little fear from backlash, but I can override that fear with the knowledge that social justice education is right. Perhaps that word "right" is relative, but I have to start somewhere.
When I think about teaching, I think about not just having my kids memorize the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales (in Middle English as I learned it), but having my kids take from the class real world skills - knowledge, confidence, and an array of other tangibles and intangibles which will help them suceed in the world. I know that this is difficult to do when working in the framework of EOGs, dictated curriculum goals, etc. Difficult, but perhaps I am optimistic enough to believe possible.
So when I look at my future classrooms, and I think about the ideals to which I will strive, I HAVE to add social justice in the mix. What better "real world" thing can I give them than a step towards a better real world? It's funny, but when I think about my future class ideals, OI have never once thought about what books I will be teaching. Content is there, and I have my preferences, likes and dislikes, but honestly, I think more about other aspects of the class.
How much of that real world takeawaye can I do with 100 kids I see for a few hours a week? I hope to suprise myself and find ways. I know I already think in terms of re-structuring group activites in hopes of creating diverse learning groups and limiting self-segregation in my class. I know it won't be enough, but it is a start.
I keep thinking about the recurring words ans phrases...."in a perfect world""In an ideal classroom"
ReplyDeleteI do think aboout what I want as an ideal to strive for. Perfection is never there. We're human beings, and lately more than ever, I am learning it's OK to make mistakes and to even own those mistakes in front of our students. Life lessons are so important and sadly, I think too many of our kids are getting the wrong ones. I think social justice education involves making sure we're aware as teachers of which life lessons we're teaching/reinforcing inadvertently as well as intentionally.
So it won't be on my syllabus, but it'll be there.
I am having to write this over again. My window suddenly closed before i had a chance to post my comment.
ReplyDeleteThere is something relating to social justice education happening right here in Wake County. I was horrified to learn this from ESL teachers that I had been subbing for.
Apparently, ESL students have been placed in separate classes for their subject courses with mentally handicapped and autistic students. First of all, what happened to inclusion? Second, it makes it difficult for the ESL student who may be very skilled at mathematics. Yet, just because they may speak with limited English, they are classified as having a severe disability. This is happening at the high school and middle school level.
My understanding from the teachers I spoke with said that this is changing. The new system is "isolated instruction" meaning that the students are now working with teachers one on one or in class with other ESl students and are now able to learn on their respective level. There are still students who are still adjusting because they were in the former system. The former system I described did not happen everywhere but the mere fact was it did and certainly raises concerns regarding social justice.
I work with children (and some young adults, but mostly kids) with disabilities; this is my fifth year working one on one with them. I have always dealt with having to explain to my clients or other children that are not disabled the differences between them, why it is not polite to stare, why they look different, etc. Before I began this class, I had never thought to think of them as a “target group”. I suppose I had not truly thought this way because for the most part, most of my clients would not understand if someone was making fun of them or pointing them out or calling them derogatory names. I work with a lot of children with Autism, so what other people do or say, does not affect them. For example, potty training is difficult for many kids with autism because the motivation of peer pressure is not there. They do not care that everyone else their age can go to the bathroom IN the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteThis now aware to me, I am struggling with how I am going to address this issue in the classroom and be successful in finding ways to ensure my students understand. As a one on one, I can be consistent in expressing everyone is different; that it is not OK to call someone “really fat”, this being said by someone with fairly high language skills.
I am currently working with a preschooler that has Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which is Brittle Bones. Her bones break very easily, like glass is how we explain it to the other children in her classroom. She is very aware of her condition and how she is different, but she is also becoming extremely aware of how other children treat her. She often gets upset because children stare at her because she has to use a walker or a wheelchair. She is shorter than the other kids in her classroom; she can not jump, run, or skip. This makes her hard for her to participate in games on the playground, so many days she spends her time outside with me. She has a special chair that she sits in at the water table (her favorite center) that prevents her from being able to move around the table, so she has to ask for anything and everything she wants to play with because she cannot reach far due to her stability from the chair. During circle time, she sits in another special chair, while all the other children sit on colored circles that are stuck to the carpet. She has never complained about this, but it makes her stand out that she is not like everyone else. In the classroom, the other children know they must be very careful around her and very gentle, thus intimidating many of them and discouraging them from playing with her. Being with her at school and being able to observe how she interacts with the other children and how they interact with her has truly opened my eyes to how difficult it can be as an “outsider” or “target group”. It is easier for me to see this through my experience with her because she is cognitively aware of her disability and she can verbally express exactly how she feels to me. She has shown me just how important Social Justice is. Although this is maybe something we would necessarily think of as part of Social Justice because it is not race or culture, I believe it is something that we should all think of and become aware of.
Tigh that was very touching, and Im sure you are doing so much to make sure that student has a fair environment. Sometimes when life conditions silence you, it is noticable. Sometimes it is not. I agree Larry and Aaron that there are some types of instruction better suited for full use of the topic of social justice. I plan on teaching in the elementary field initially. For me, finding ways to be age appropriate is important. One thing I noticed in reading for our group project that made me think of social justice- a concrete thing...parent teacher conferences and class events. So many of them are during the day. At my childrens elementary school, the open house is during the day, midweek. I used to be at school parties and think where are all the parents. Now I feel bad. I dont think it is fair to have everything during the day. Asking parents to take time off from work. (Not that everything has to be at night...I just think it needs to accommodate working families).
ReplyDeleteCourtney C I love the spin you put on the math comment. Made my wheels turn too. It is interesting to think of ways to create a more equal instruction.
My daughters middle school teachers took some type of inservice on connecting with the kids. EVERY DAY, EVERY CLASS the teachers and lunchroom attendants shake the kids hands before class. There is a big push to try and find students, to connect with them. Watching the interactions with the teachers, you see kids self esteem boost. I wonder, what types of inservices are available for teachers now...what information is out there...to plant ideas...
just wondering.
Jewel – great story about the red and white paint making the color pink! This actually ties into what Courtney C. said in the blog post after. Students at the elementary level are not blank slates, and we should work to teach social justice to children even before they enter elementary schools. Think about the construction of gender for a minute…it starts before a child is even brought into the world! When parents find out the sex of their baby they generally decorate the nursery with specific colors, like the classic pink for girls and blue for boys. Babies don’t even have a say in what they like! Not that they can talk or anything, but you get the picture. Breaking down the constructions of gender in our society is probably an impossible task. However, breaking down these constructions in the classroom is a more plausible goal. Students at the elementary level are at a very impressionable age (well, students are impressionable at every age…maybe more so at a young age though) and can be taught the principles of social justice as a part of their daily curriculum.
ReplyDeleteAs students get older, they can learn to think critically, as Stephanie mentions in her post. Thinking critically is not necessarily an innate ability, it must be taught to students when they are able to understand the meanings and implications of various issues. Teaching social justice is an ongoing process!
I was really struck by your comment on persistence, Emmy. It reminded me of how Chapter 16 started, saying that the emotional and mental strain of social education is largely overlooked. Despite all the benefits of social justice education for the children, it is a bit daunting to think of the intensity of engagement it demands from the teacher. Even more than traditional education, it requires a deeper emotional connection with the students and a continuous need for self-reflection. I can certainly understand what Jeffrey is referring to in regards of a waning of motivation. I have heard many stories of lack of administrative support for teachers, and it would be very difficult to not be discouraged and exhausted by the effort of social justice education over a long career.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to add a comment about Jewel's treatment of the situation with "Sam." I think you reacted very effectively. One of the most significant factors was the immediacy of your response. You saw a situation and stopped the class to deal with it right away, before the students could really internalize it as an acceptable response.
This is a test. I have written two posts that won't post.
ReplyDeleteI feel that one major issue that may arise with the incorporation of social justice education is the classroom is that students, parents, and even other faculty members may not be receptive to the idea. Another concern I have personally is my ability to effectively teach my students about social education, especially in a kindergarten classroom setting. I know that the majority of my student’s opinions come directly from their parents. It was actually very interesting when my class conducted a presidential vote last year. Everyone student knew about the candidates and could also recite word for word why “they…their parents” would vote for that particular candidate. I think that to implement an effective program in a kindergarten classroom, I would first have to educate my student’s parents about what and why I was actually doing this. Another challenge of designing a social justice education program for my classroom would be that every aspect would have to be implemented whole group, as most of my students do not know how to work independently or in small groups. One “downfall” to this whole group approach is one or two members tend to dominate the conversation and “shape” the minds of other classmates (most kindergarten students want to agree with whoever is leading the discussion!).
ReplyDeleteI do like the idea mentioned in the text that I could focus on a single issue, which may make it easier for my students to identify with. The classic example I have used in my classroom is when my students were learning about Martin Luther King Jr. I handed out special snacks to only the kids that were wearing shoes that tie. The students with shoes that did not tie (Velcro, sandals, etc.) did not receive a special snack (don’t worry everyone ended up with a snack at the end!). Our discussion on the surface was very simple; the kids that got snacks didn’t seem to mind that the others had not and were relatively happy to eat their snack while the others watched those that did not have snack were upset because it was unfair. I actually did have a few students that offered to share when they realized I was not passing out anymore snacks to the other students! My discussion could be taken one step farther to talk about how they would feel if I only gave snacks to all the girls, or only the students with brown hair. Even though my students are 4 and 5 they often surprise me with the depth of their thinking!
Third time is the charm?
ReplyDeleteThere are many wonderful remarks posted here. Anisha wonders if there is an appropriate way to introduce social justice in a classroom. Jewel gave one example of a teaching moment on social justice. Stacey used "How would that make you feel?" as a tool for teaching social justice. Someone made a great point that social justice could be included in undergraduate education curriculum. Maybe it is time that it is included in curriculum for all ages (even preschool).
We are not perfect and our attempts will not be, but I think we are heading in the right direction!
I hope to teach in an elementary school. I have thought about how I will set up my classroom so that when children look on the wall, they will see people of all colors, abilities, and ages. I will also set up my bookshelves so that the stories and authors are colorful. On my desk (a place that I think intrigues elementary school aged children) I will have pictures of my friends and family who are of many colors. I hope that these small acts will set the physical stage for social justice in the classroom. I also hope to model behavior that teaches the students about social justice even when we are not talking about it.
I had an experience as a middle school student that taught me something about how I want to be as a teacher.
I attended a small, private, white, school where the thought of social justice would have been an anathema. One day our school sports team was scheduled to play a team from another school and a group of us was standing outside, waiting for the team to arrive. When the bus arrived, there was one (I think) African American student on that bus. Someone from the group I was standing with yelled out a disparaging remark about that student. I was shocked and looked over at my teacher to see what she would do. She behaved in a way I did not understand: she did nothing. I was so disappointed. I felt as though she had done something wrong.
I cannot think of her without thinking of that incident. I am grateful to her now because I realize that, whether we know it or not, we are always teaching our students through simply being who we are. And that makes me hopeful because it sounds like, no matter how we approach the topic of social justice in our classrooms, we will be teaching our students and fellow faculty members about it by being who we are.
Carter,
ReplyDeleteI did a similar activity with 4th graders using crayons. I divided up the boys and girls. Girls received an abundance of crayons in all colors. Boys only received two colors. They were then instructed to draw and color a specific picture. The boys were very upset stating the unfairness of it all. I did not answer their questions just responded blankly for them to get their work done. Some boys tried, other gave up and continued to reiterate the injustice they felt. I was told that because I was girl I gave the girls special treatment. Some girls felt bad for the boys and tried to share but I would not allow it. After the students had plenty of time to draw their pictures. I asked them to write to me about what they were feeling and why they felt that way. The boys were rightfully upset. Some girls did not care about the boys but others felt so guilty for receiving privilege they did not want to complete their work. After everyone had finished writing I let them in on the secret exercise and we had a very deep class discussion about the different privileges or limitations different groups of people encounter based on race or social class.
I had one of those moments in class today - a lesson I learned about how I can implement a piece of social justice education in a very real, and very practical way. During the "new" language excercise, I got called out for trying to write words so I could work through my translations. Even though I laughed when he stopped me, I was REALLY frustrated. Here I was, finding a solution to my problem - doing what any good student should so and finding a strategy that worked, and I was stopped. Pissed me off, actually, and I shut down after that and didn't even try to talk. I understand absolutely that Dr. G was going for that, and he wasn't beating *me* down, but it was a moment I won't forget because I got silenced (by now you all know how much I like that!) I know that I won't do that to a student - I want to work with my students in developing strategies which work best FOR THEM and encourage them.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you got the point of me intentionally stopping you from writing. : ) I wanted to simulate how many students feel silenced by teachers who do not appreciate their voice or their alternative ways of expressing themselves which go against the dominant forms of discourse. Thanks for sharing your a-ha moment!
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that others are also questioning the number of teachers who care to use social justice in the classroom, because I agree with what Dr. Greenfield says when he notes that people are often content with sticking to the curriculum, and not questioning the impact they can make on an equality level. When I mentioned in class tonight that I don't believe that the world is totally ready for social justice in the ways we can talk about them in class, I meant that in the most positive light possible. I feel like as time progresses, the world will continue to change and become more aware of what social justice is, and hopefully apply it to their lives. When I look back over the course of what America has morphed into over the past 500 years, I think that there is hope that someday, we will be openminded enough to accept people for who they are and be okay with that decision.
ReplyDeleteMarielswig I completely agree. I gave up without even getting mad. I was thinking..okay this is impossible. I cant. Then when I drew the correlation of how students felt, I realized that sometimes giving up feels like the ONLY choice.
ReplyDeleteAfter last nights class I feel more confused. I was feeling pretty good about how much I was taking in. Then the specific example of suggesting to the students to use the CNN framework..kind of stopped me in my tracks. I was thinking yes it is another creative way. I could see it being adapted in AIG as a creative way...but it made me feel wary. We have to be so careful what we say to students, because as they go home to their parents what we say may be misinterpretted (Im thinking of elementary students). The whole idea just made me cringe. I think I would reallllly have to script that out, that idea, before I used a framework like that. It underscored the point of- you have to think of this BEFORE you teach, you have to have concrete plans before hand, so you can plan for things like HOW can you do it, without offending and being "complete in your attempts".
As far as the discussion on use of the word oppressor, I completely understand it. I am glad I didnt read Chapter two right away. Im glad the backpack readings and the borderland piece and some of the more current material was presented BEFORE that. One of the assumptions in the book is if you recognize that people are oppressed...and you are privileged then the conclusion is you have to accept that you are an oppressor. That concept is bold, and polarizing.
I think also sequential. You cant think that until you spend time thinking about the mulitdimensions of oppression. (Again only my opinion).
I get the reaction discussed in class. For me, I just keep reminding myself that it is about considering someone elses experience and trying to pay attention to that. Im trying not to actively defend myself and reassure myself that I wouldnt consciously oppress.
Nancy, I loved your revelation.."we are always teaching students...by being who we are". Also the relative importance of the teacher desk- the idea that this space, where the teacher works houses all types of cultural material.
Dawn, that was a meaningful example. Thanks for sharing. That was age appropriate and Im sure it got people thinking.
Lastly, I will share an embarrasing thing that I did yesterday. I was volunteering for a kindergarten end of year party. The teacher asked me to split the kids up into groups for an alphabet relay. You would think after this class, that I wouldve had some socially just way of doing this. I told the kids "Okay..if you have brown eyes come over here". (can you here the ball drop?) All of the african american kids in class came over to that group. I cringed. I didnt see that one coming, I in no way wanted to split the kids up by color, obviously. I quickly revamped it to.."forget that...lets do something more fun...if you have a blue shirt..come over here". Lesson learned. If I wasnt in this class, I might not have even thought of coming up with a different approach.
These are some of my thoughts on incorporating social justice as a high school science teacher:
ReplyDeleteI believe I can and should incorporate social justice into my pedagogical philosophy, whether I directly teach it or not. There is a section in the book that talks about experiential and culturally based education. From what I understand, you start with the student and what he/she has experienced and privide culturally relevant teaching. You draw upon different cultural experiences to produce examples and provide relevant meaning to their lives and teach them how they can apply it. The teacher and students maintain an equitable relationship. You can approach the class like you are going on a learning process together to create active learning rather than "filling empty vessels." Of course one would still need to maintain some kind of intellectual and/or behavioral authority, but that can be tailored to the specific class. I guess what I'm trying to say is, find out what the students are interested in and then try and incorporate that into the curriculum as much as you can. Make the learning theirs.
To me, science is all about asking questions. This could work well for incorporating social justice. The students can come up with their own questions that they want to explore. I could encourage them to think of examples from every day life that they are curious about and help steer them in the direction of making it relevant to the content I have to teach. This is an approach I liked from the book: "provide structure and ask questions until participants begin asking questions of themselves and of each other, to generate the data for critical thinking."
It will take reflection and creativity to ensure equity in the classroom. I will continue to enlighten myself on these issues, which can go a long way I imagine, and hopefully I will find outside sources with ideas for my curriculum.
After reading all the comments I think there are several good ideas presented that I could use to incorporate social justice into my classroom. Some ideas, to me, seem stronger and more appropriate for me and what I want to do, but I like hearing others thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI also notice that others seem to be experiencing the same concerns that I have when it comes to trying to do this. The school or community backlash is always a concern. It's sad that we have to worry about that so much, but its also a reality. I also find it hard to imagine how effective it will be if I am the only teacher in a school trying to implement these things. I guess all I can really do is plant the seed.
Another internal problem I am having is with the extent to which it is ok for me to practice social justice education. I believe that I need to offer a "level playing field" for everyone to learn and prosper despite differences they may have. I believe this is the concept of social justice education. Am I wrong? However, I do not believe it is my right to try to change anyone's views. I plan to eliminate injustices and require mutual respect among everyone in my class, but I can't push my views of equality onto anyone if they don't want to see it. In my class it will be a must, but outside of my class, I can not enforce them to continue to believe it.
Maybe I'm reading to much into things. Maybe that is not expected of me. Maybe I just need to make my classroom socially just. But then I wonder if that is enough in a school setting. However, then I wonder what right I have. In the end, it leaves me feeling confused. I would love for everything to be socially just, but I keep thinking it's a process that can't and won't happen overnight. Does that make me a bad person cause I feel more realistic about it than what it seems others think? My head hurts.
Hopefully I am Mariah now and not milner81...
ReplyDeleteFrom reading a lot of comments here, I think I came at this from a different angle. I was thinking about it more from what Heather said towards the beginning about creating democratic classrooms. For many of us, we will be teaching sciences or math or something that does not lend itself to a full day of class discussions on social justice. But what we do as a teacher, how we treat our students, the assessments we design, the assignments we assign, the way we lead classroom discussion, how we evaluate our students, how we create a sense of equality, and encourage our students to learn, can all be done with the intention of making our classroom more equitable. In doing so, we are incorporating social justice.
The pacing guides and the curriculum are a serious restraint. Oh don't get me started, I already feel my blood get hotter just mentioning it. But there are excellent teachers out there, who despite the odds have been able to teach "outside the box" within the curriculum. My goal is to observe as many of these teachers as possible. Also, it would be really nice and helpful if some social justice PhD would write supplements to state curriculum standards to help us on our way:) As Dr. G said last night, we need to be thinking about these things now, because there is no way we will have time once our classes start, especially 1st year teachers.
Larry, Don't hurt your head! It won't happen overnight, and you may be the only person implementing it, but is that a reason not to do it? It's like voting...some people say, oh I'm just one person, I won't make a difference. But until everyone steps up and at least tries to have their voice heard, nothing happens. As soon as everyone votes, then maybe we'll have greater representation. Who knows, but we have to at least give it a shot. I wonder how impossible the task at hand seemed before the civil rights movement. We may not reach absolute social justice, but man we still have a ways to go. There are still African American communities in towns that are separated by interstates from the rest of the community and necessities as an intentional segregation design from decades ago. This is f@#%'d up! This shouldn't be the case in this day and age. And don't forget about classism, this country is controlled by the wealthiest people in the nation that represent 1% of the population. FACT. not conspiracy theory. They control the news, drive consumerism, politics, and the insanely increasing disparity between the rich and the poor. Where's my trickle down? Hmm, not really working out. Oh yeah, and the fact that gays and lesbians don't have the same civil rights as heterosexuals if they choose to get married. That is a violation of the constitutional principle of separation between church and state Ok. I'm going to get off my soapbox. But the point is, these things need to change. Having complete liberation where everyone says f it and starts their own communities and micro economies and where public schools teach in every language, may be way off. But there are some things that we are much closer to and we need to keep working to get there.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that wealthy people are bad or that any individual is making this happen. But it's like a machine. Everyone contributes just a tiny bit and maybe without even realizing it because it has been normalized and then it takes off with momentum. Each of us can take momentum out of the system and begin to force it in another direction.
With respect,
Mariah
I am not saying I will not implement it even if I am the only one, but what I am saying is I feel like the reality of it is that it will not happen overnight. I will make my efforts, as I feel I have my entire life, but that can not change the reality of the uphill climb we, as a society, face. I will plant the seed, and do what I can and what is within my power, but it still is a reality that some people just don't believe in equality. It is sad. Sad for them and for us. But it is still the case.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of offending people(which I hope not to do), I feel like some people are being too idealistic about this. That is just my opinion, but I feel like the reality of it is that this process will be a long and hard one. I just feel as though some people think they have it all figured out and if we are not onboard 100% then we are being narrowminded. I want social justice in my classroom, but I also don't believe I have the right/power/authority/place/whatever word you want to use to discuss this stuff on a daily basis in my classroom. It is not because the curriculuum does not call for it or because I am afraid that I will get fired, but it is because, in a high school classroom setting, I do not think I should have the podium to push my views on any of my students. I can expect everyone to treat each other equally, and open the class up to discussion if needed, but I can not tell someone they are wrong if they believe something due to their experience, religion, etc. I can tell them it is not allowed in my classroom, but that will not mean they won't still feel it or still act upon it outside of my classroom.
For some of you, my questioning of whether to fully incorporate discussions into my classroom, or other things I have said, may make you believe it is because I am "the poster child" for the advantaged and don't want to lose that, but I will say that no one in this class knows where I have been or what I have done in my life. Equally I do not know the same about any of you. This is one reason why being lumped into these groups puts me on the defensive when reading this text at times. However, Dr. Greenfield stating that it is more about the generalized group than the individual helps me to take it less to heart. I just don't want to be viewed for what people see on the outside or what group I fall into because of my outward appearance or what I grew up as. I'm sure everyone feels the same way, so just being lumped into that left hand column labeled "oppressor" really bothered me. I'll stop now.
Joann,
ReplyDeleteDon't be embarrassed, it's a learning process. Isn't it so soothing to know that your mindset has changed so much because of this class? I think we've all had moments and will continue to have moments where we think before we speak and don't realize what we've said or how it is percieved until after the fact. We're all human and none of us are perfect social justice experts, so faults will be made, and that's okay. At least you were able to recover from your mistake quickly and you didn't continue on with the orignial groups that were set up! I commend you for being swift enough to note what happened and correct it. I think that's a lot of what we will all have to do, moving forward, as defenders of the social justice idea. We will have to change our ways of thinking, and in part, will hopefully change someone else's mindset as well.
:)
Larry, I think you have hit the nail on the head. No one wants to be judged by "identity groupings" but by individuality. This must also be how it feels to walk in the shoes of a targeted group member, who does not want to be positioned by identities like gender, race, language, etc, but accepted for individuality as well.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of what we've been doing in class activities and discussions and in our reading is putting ourselves in someone else's shoes, which is a big part of creating our understanding of social justice and diversity education. Larry, I definitely get where you're coming from. Being labeled as an oppressor hurts especially when people like us are taking steps to end oppression in our society. But then again we have to put ourselves in the shoes of the oppressed and think how they must feel. I think the Anzaldua article really placed us in that perspective. Reading the untranslated Spanish was frustrating (mainly because I could understand some of it but not all of it, which is probably worse than being completely lost). Then I thought about what people who speak other languages must go through every day in the US. That's another way we oppress those people, and a lot of English speakers get mad at those who cannot speak English well. The next time I hear someone say "if they come to our country they need to learn English" I'll probably have to throw some 'bows.
ReplyDeleteI've had an interesting thought while I've read through our blogs. We are in this class because for some of us it is a required class. I believe that many of us on a whole are more open minded than some of the population.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with all these feelings of guilt coming out, and this worry of saying or doing the wrong thing, does anyone have a view that others would label as a "prejudice", and yet feel they are entitled to their opinion? Is there anyone that feels silenced by the idea and discussion of social justice?
If so, is social justice a more deceitful/manipulative form of silencing? Promoting equity without allowing for open descent with the preservation of your good name?
I just wanted to put that out there as a twist.
Larry I dont think you are being narrowminded. Everybody has a right to their own opinion and what works for them. Im impressed that you are saying what you think. I agree implementation is a LONG way off. I also think you cant change beliefs, but you can present as fair a playing ground as you can. I dont think I have it figured out...I just feel like its simmering and I want to know concrete ways that have worked for other teachers. Your line "I cannot tell someone they are wrong, if they believe it because of experience or religion" stands out to me. I am thinking about this from elementary school perspective...thinking about highschool students that will challenge you everyday...that would be completely different than the lens I've been considering and very complex. And I think more than a few of us have heads that hurt:)
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that social justice is a continuing work in progress. Tigh, you raised an interesting point regarding what other types of students outside of race and culture need focus for this. I also had experience working with autistic students. There are many concerns for social justice with these students. Many of these departments are not equipped with what they need either.
ReplyDeletetesting...
ReplyDeleteElise, regarding the middle schools...It is different from the high schools in relating to social justice. Especially with middle schoolers, we are mostly concerned as teachers just trying to stay on pace with the curriculum.
ReplyDeleteHowever, especially with language arts and social studies, there are forms of padeia that can be used with middle schoolers to get them to express themselves on these types of issues. At the middle school level, the padeia is just placed on more of a middle school level.
I also did an activity with my sixth grade at West Millbrook on social justice. It was with the Berlin Wall. I had them view a Discovery Education lesson and also had them get into groups to illustrate and present how they would escape over the Berlin Wall and how they felt about it. It was remarkable how they were able to be so creative and the parallels to the real stories were uncanny especially since not one student was born before 1996!
After we discuss social justice more and more in class and through our readings I am losing my grasp on it. There seems to be so much to do that I feel like I am in quick sand and that I am struggling to connect all the dots which only allows me to sink that much faster.
ReplyDeleteI have started analyzing all of my thought I have towards people of color that I did not know I had about them. I, like most of you always thought I was an open minded person who wanted everyone to be who they are. I did not think that I was an oppressor. But now I am seeing the error of my ways.
So much work to be done if I can only stay afloat!
Joann, I enjoyed your story! Great save.
ReplyDeleteLarry, I know what you mean about your head hurting. And you make a good point about not feeling comfortable using the classroom as a place to push your views. I think the older the kids you teach, the trickier it may be to discuss social justice issues. But I think it cannot be wrong to encourage students TO think about things in different ways, as long as you don't tell them WHAT to think.
As I was reading the comments posted since last night's class, I was thinking about the concerns about backlash from parents, other faculty members, administration, and the community. Part of me feels as though, if what I say to other adults is phrased respectfully and professionally, there will be little room for backlash. Part of me says so what if there is backlash? Most changes worth having are going to provoke backlash. And part of me says, if what I say as a professional is what I believe to be true (or just, or fair), then I might need to say it regardless of what feelings it evokes from other adults.
I do not see myself having any lengthy discussions with elementary school students about social justice, but I hope that when things come up, I will say things to them that will cause them to think, not tell them what to think. Then, if anyone objects, I will know that, as a teacher, I have done what I should do: teach students to think.
Courtney: In response to your little "twist" there I think I might fall into one of your categories. Our discussion yesterday made me uncomfortable and I understand that part of this entire process is feeling uncomforatble but last night I felt like I was sticking to what I thought. I didnt speak up on the topic probably due to the fact that others were speaking and I'm not the type to fight to get a word in. To clarify.... I am not entirely sure where I would fall on the language debate. I understood the logic that Dr. Greenfield was using in saying that no one makes "our" English the correct English but I still think that there is something more correct about it because it is established.
ReplyDeleteOk. Right now would be the point that someone would yell at me "Established because some white old people said so" but in a way yes. Because they came over, and yes by force but also by other means, took over a country and made it their own. And that is the nationally recognized language. We need a language to communicate with eachother easily and for trade purposes and for basic day to day activities.
I have no problem with anyone speaking other languages and I fully support the idea of bilingual children BUT in a general public system and in a country there needs to be one or 2 at the most standard lanuages. Just at least for the ideas of organization, structure and communication.
If someone went to Russia they would be expected to learn Russian in order to go to school and fully acclimate into the society. I fully support the idea that was proposed in California of helping the students but I still have trouble seeing our use of English as an "oppressive" action in America.
I just wanted to emphasize a quote Dr. Greenfield said last night that is AWESOME and as we were rushing through an exercise I don't think everyone heard it (realizing that some of you may have heard it before)
ReplyDelete"The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House."
by Audre Lorde
There's so much to say and so little time to say it! I enjoyed reading everyone's posts and am proud of our process...
I have to agree with Elise, and many others in that I have so many concerns about the implementation of Social Justice in my classroom. I want to ensure that what I want to present to my students is effective and I am worried that either some of my unintentional biases will prevent me from being effective or that I may not truly know enough information to properly inform my students of different cultures, races, etc…
ReplyDeleteMy second concern is where to cross that line of taking it from Social Justice to offending family values. I have talked to several people that I know this is also a concern for.
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ReplyDeleteI'm beginning to see the differences between social justice (sj), how to teach about sj, how to integrate sj into my curriculum and instruction, and how to implement sj into my classroom and the world around me. Reading your comments, I feel like a baby when it comes to sj, never having taken a course on diversity or multiculturalism. (One would think that during 16 yrs of teaching in a high school that this would have occurred somewhere along the way...) It's kind of scary and exciting at the same time, and it helps me to begin to understand why some people have possibly taken offense at something I've said or done, or the way that I've taught a particular topic in the past. As "cool" as I might have imagined myself years ago as a teacher (right out of NCSU in 1976), certainly after this last 10 year break (returning to teaching last spring), I have few illusions about how easily I might relate to students, my age alone initially creating a barrier, not to mention all the other "oppressive baggage" (thank you, Dr McIntosh) I bring to the table - white, male, living in a big house, etc. At the same time, I've found ways to use each of these attributes to my advantage in reaching these students and helping them to better relate to one another. It helps to be able to poke fun at oneself and to sometimes feign ignorance over certain language use ("Okay, Donelle, why don't you and Tashia work together in the back of the room and see how you can make out.") Teaching US History provides lots of ammunition for sj, and although I've always figured myself to be sensitive over certain issues, e.g., the genocide of Native Americans/Indians and the discrepancies between our founding documents and the actual practice of those ideals for entire groups of people, I can do a lot better job. I've begun listening to a series of lectures by a professor Loewen who wrote the book "Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Book Got Wrong." Goodness! I'm ready to revamp my entire curriculum! I hope to share with you more about this in future blogs.
ReplyDeleteCharley regardless of where you are on the continuum about sj, when you really care about your students -that comes across. I have no doubt that you will be a more informed teacher because of this course. Last night during the excercise where we all taught eachothers groups, I was impressed as Moriah contributed to your discussion about oppression. She was playing a role of a 7th grader and said something that was unfair to her. You acknowledged what she said and then said Im sorry that happened to you. The way that you said it, it came across as so caring. I have no doubt that you will try to create a fair, thought provoking curriculum!
ReplyDeleteLast night as Dr. G read the secret identities, I felt like I was listening to "spoken word". The listing of secret identities was powerful. I could see using that in highschool or in a middle school workshop. I wanted to find out who had no friends and be their friend. I wanted to find out who was a mormon and learn more about their religion. I wanted to find out who had mental illness to say, Im sorry how are you coping. Just the cumulative effect that we all have "things we carry"....it was moving.
thanks for sharing....
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ReplyDeletethanks, joann. one thing i heard a few years ago and have tried to remember is that kids don't care what you know until they know that you care. i embrace that concept and try to communicate that to my students. reflecting back on this past year, i do feel like at times that i was striving to integrate/implement (haven't figured out the difference yet) sj in my teaching. the method i used - since i didn't know at the time that there was a name for this kind of thing like sj - was the "teachable moment." In Ch5 of our text the writers stress the differences between facilitation and curriculum design, and the idea that facilitation of sj means a willingness to step out of the "I am the fount of all knowledge and you are my loyal empty-headed subjects; let me fill the air between your ears with wisdom" role and delegate much of that role to one's students. In the past we called this moving from being the "sage on the stage" to the "guide on the side," allowing our students to construct much of their own learning. The US History curriculum's pacing guide moves rather swiftly, and many times it seems that I just need to "cover the material," but my students know two things: 1. they can stop my at any time if they have a question, and i will take time to explore and discuss it with them, and 2. sometimes they know by the tone of my voice that i'm not exactly agreeing with what i'm having to impart to them. again, they can stop me, as they have done, and ask, "Why did you say that like that?" I answer them with a question, and it's off we go exploring the topic more deeply, questioning the history book's assumptions, looking at historical events from more sides than just that of the winner. (napoleon said something to the effect that winners write history.) Another method I use is the indirect approach. Rather than hit students over the head directly with a definite issue of social justice, I might allow students to discover the issue indirectly by, e.g., handing out a magazine to discuss the main article only to hope and allow students to be drawn to the title of a secondary article that concerns sj. (I'll illustrate this tomorrow night during our presentation.) High school students tend to think that the best things they learned at school were never the main subject but "something else" that was happening or discussed in class, so I plan on creating more and more "something else" opportunities.
ReplyDeleteKaren, thanks for sharing the quote Dr. Greenfield said in class...I totally missed it but it's definitely something interesting to think about!
ReplyDelete