In our closing blog on Teaching for Social Justice this semester, we have put together some thoughts as a class.

We will discuss our thoughts on the following essential questions:

1. What does it mean to teach for social justice?

2. What does teaching for social justice look like as a teacher?

3. What does teaching for social justice mean for students?

From a teacher’s perspective, we need to strive for equity in the classroom. Teachers should always approach their teaching and their dealings with students in an equitable manner by not making assumptions about students’ backgrounds despite demographic knowledge of the particular district/ school they are teaching in.  Teaching for social justice takes critical literacy a step further in the classroom and asks students to consider action steps towards a more just society.  Students must be taught to question the status quo and think critically. They must become aware of acts of injustice and ask themselves how they can address and confront some of these issues.  A social justice classroom asks: What can we do to pursue equitable endeavors in the classroom and in the community?  Social justice isn’t just about awareness; it is also about activism.  It’s about putting hopes for a more just society into action.  Teachers can identify what causes are important to them but also recognize that the causes of their students may differ from the issues that affect the teacher.

Each content area teacher needs to incorporate social justice topics into his/her discussions.  Teachers must decide how they will use the content of their disciplines to address social justice issues throughout the year, not just on one special day set aside to celebrate diversity and difference.  Social justice teaching is not just for English and social studies teachers; math, science, and foreign language teachers must engage in social justice teaching practices as well.   To look at social justice in a mandatory way, teachers could imagine a common core standard that would require them to include social justice topics in lessons, much like the reading of nonfiction texts is required. 

In a social justice classroom, the teacher has to serve as an agent of change and as a role model for students to emulate.  Teachers must create a class atmosphere where students’ prejudices can be identified, evaluated, and deconstructed in a respectful manner.  Teachers can have an open forum in the classroom but must define dialogue ground rules at the start of a class/course to make sure that everyone’s dignity is maintained and respected while at the same time allowing students to talk about their beliefs and preconceived notions about subjective ideas.  It is also important as a teacher to know your own biases so that you may confront them before entering the classroom. Teaching acceptance and appreciation for one another is above all most important and preserves the moral, ethical codes inside and outside of the classroom.