For me this reading has caused a conflict. Over the course of my UIC teaching education I have heard a lot about social justice. I have heard and read a lot about what it looks like in the classroom and specific examples of what to do and how teaching empathy is really how we relate as human beings. Now I understand that the tone of that introduction may make you think that this is going to be a rant about social justice and I guess in part it is but really it's about me and my thoughts and my ideas of social justice.
For me, chapter nine was a mixed bag. I enjoyed hearing about this possibility of a classroom where I can teach literature and have students grow not only as intellectuals but also as human beings but as I continues to read the glow began to fade. Let's be honest here this chapter was an isolated incident. We can't all be in situations where it is ok for us to talk about violence and gangs in our classrooms mostly in part because of parents and administration and other people that recognize these talks as politically charged. We also can't expect for students to be given an assignment about writing about their ancestors and some student pulls a brilliant poem about his disease that is slowly making him blind changing the lives of his fellow students. Don't get me wrong I still believe that we should try and implement this idea of social justice in our own classrooms but building a community as easy as this chapter makes it seem. I hope that all of us have stories to tell in the books we all write about teaching in the distant future but for now we are students with a handful of theories and specific examples of what teaching could be. So I am interested in finding out how you plan to implement social justice in your own classroom and how you might overcome this idea of politically correct? I also liked to know that when does the importance of the lives of your students and social justice become more important then your job and if it ever does?
And finally an unrelated comic that I enjoy
Nate,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up interesting points in your post, especially the fact that not all the time might be ok to talk about violence and gangs in our classrooms. Those incidents might create problems because of the administration and parents who play such an important role in the school system. Those are topics that I personally would not feel at ease discussing in my own classroom, but depending whether students go to urban schools or suburban schools, there will be topics that I would hold back and rather not discuss in my classroom. To answer one of your questions about when the importance of the lives of the students and social justice becomes more important than the job, I think it will depend on the students and teacher. I know we are all trying to finish a degree or program, but I feel that it is different being a teacher than the other jobs. Yes, at times you might just do your job, but teaching requires and is more than just doing your job. It is a job that creates stories/memories and impacts people in ways that we cannot even imagine. However, I think it is our responsibility as teachers to create this safe environment in our classroom where students could open up and share their experiences to a specific extent. It would also depend on the teacher if topics such as violence, gangs or other topics could be discussed, and how much emphasis is put on social justice and its importance in our classrooms.
Hey Nathaniel,
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration regarding the idea of how to properly implement some kind of social justice program in your classroom or school. I thought it might be good to relate one such example I have seen in my class observations at North Lawndale College Prep (NLCP) high school. The teacher that I am shadowing has developed a program that allows students a direct input into the disciplinary system in NLCP. Said teacher developed a mentor training program for students in which the students are trained in conflict mediation. They then use those skills to help facilitate discussions between teachers and their students. If a teacher writes up a student for some disciplinary action (swearing, non-compliance of rules, etc), then the student is given the option to sit down with trained student mentors in order to discuss what happened, and try to get the student to see their situation from a different angle. Depending on the outcome of that discussion, the detention can be lessened, or taken away entirely.
It is a great way for students to have direct input into what happens to them in school, giving them a sense of empowerment. I have seen it in action, and it works quite well.
Just one of many ways social justice can be incorporated into a classroom!
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ReplyDeleteI think you hit the nail on the head when you said: “for now we are students with a handful of theories and specific examples of what teaching could be.” We read and discuss, but seldom apply what we are taught. I hope we can abstain from becoming delusional Pollyannas that prescribe to unrealistic ideals, lest we fail and succumb to gloom. I don’t mean to undermine my education at UIC, but it feels like my observations and in-class practice did a lot more for me, but I digress. In regards to social justice, I would probably focus in on the polarity between the rich and the poor as well as the wealth distribution in the US compared to other countries. Specifics will come to me in time, and when they do, I’ll make sure to share them with you.
ReplyDeleteNice post Nate,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what you said about the realities of being “allowed” to talk about the politically charge issues that the book mentions. Though I think it is super important to have these conversations with our students, I think I would need the support of the administration and community in order to make this happen. But, I also think that if this is a cause that is part of your personal philosophy then we should try to find a school that best fits that philosophy. Nevertheless, I also wonder where those schools are? Are any of these schools within impoverishing communities? Are these schools willing to have teachers talk and inform students about these political issues, or do they want to have them follow “social norms”?
I might get too personal here, but I am a strong believer of teaching about social issues, awareness, and action! Students SHOULD be taught that they HAVE a voice and how to use the “system” they are in to their advantage, especially if they are within an impoverish community that tents to follow a cycle. I would even argue that many of those students have great potential to become community leaders if they are given the tools. Yet, many people are threaten by this possibility and might see it as creating agitation. That would probably leave me without a job. Yet, for me to be a teacher means to care and give importance to the lives of my students, especially because for many of them we are their voice, we are their mediator. And this is where I get stuck in a hard place, my job or my kids… Hopefully, I will NEVER be placed in a position where I have to make that choice!
Nate, I agree that the book makes it sound pretty simple the enlighten and motivate students, all while teaching them the course content--while in reality we all know it is not so simple. To answer your question about implementing social justice into the classroom, I think there are a couple ways to look at the answer. For one, just providing an education that is actually legitimate is a stride toward educational equality in some cases, as sad as that may be. Looking at explicitly bringing social justice into the classroom, however, as a math teacher, I think can be done with data that relates to the students. Provide statistics on issues related to Chicago and have the students analyze the data. This can teach about rate of change, functions, probability, and a whole bunch of other things, all while remaining relevant and interesting. This, however, gets back to the problem of bringing up issues that are politically charged into the classroom. Looking at your second question, I am not quite sure what is being asked. To me there is no difference between my students, social justice, and my job. Student and issues of social justice are the reason I want to teach, so that is always at the forefront for me!
ReplyDeleteI very much agree with your statement that providing a legitimate education is a great start on the path towards educational equality and equality in general. Students can definitely benefit from a strong platform of a quality education, which can create leeway for making room for implementing social justice in the classroom. It's important that we practice what we preach, especially as teachers. And so, it is important for us to think about the idea that it can all start with giving students the quality education that they deserve.
DeleteI wanted to add on to your comment at the very end, "To me there is no difference between my students...... forefront for me!". I completely agree with you Danielle that teaching and learning is interconnected with social justice. However, lets examine a situation where what your classroom environment is teaching something that goes against administration's/State's interest. I keep thinking of the situation in Arizona with the Raza studies. (Google, precious knowledge). Or the more recent situation in Colorado.
Deletehttp://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-colorado-student-protests-story.html
Many times as students we work the system and never see our role in the system. Empowering a student to find themselves in the system will motivate them to find relevance in the "irrelevant" subject. I guess insubordination is something that people in power never want from our students. The disruption of order is something that many people in power are afraid to face. However, in order to have a perfect democracy we must be willing to challenge the methods/ethics/efficiency of our current policy.
Hi, Nate,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post and others as well. I completely agree with you on just having theories at hand, but how effectively will they work? I do not know. This is a concern that I believe all teachers go through, because any where we decide to go, the students will be different. We will be different. On another note, there are a variety of topics one can use in order to implement social justice. For example, queer theory. But what can that bring? Also, like Danielle, I cannot separate my students, social justice, and my job, because they all intersect. For me, teaching is worthwhile if all of these things work together!
In my opinion, being a teacher is more than just a job. We are not only responsible to implement the curriculum required for our subject, but also instill in our student to become more humane and kind to each other. However, I am aware that not all teacher (current and future) are not interested in making a significant change and a positive impact that goes beyond the scope of our classroom environment. If we intend to teach in an urban setting in the city then it is more likely that we will find similar issues in our student’s lives to those highlighted in the chapter. I found the chapter inspirational and reassuring. Indeed, we are all capable of making a positive change in our student’s lives
ReplyDeleteHi Nate, thanks for your post. While I agree with everyone's critical eye in many/all of the readings throughout our class, I believe that just as we are critical, we need to be open to taking in the information each piece is offering us. I agree with you that chapter nine was more of a one-time, specific scenario/classroom situation. And absolutely we cannot expect that we'll be able to use the same material/ideas in our classrooms. However, I do look at it as a way to keep our minds open, and know that still, the most important thing in effectively teaching our students, is by first getting to know them, and making our material pertinent to them. I believe, as I'm sure you do, that in being a teacher, we will have to both try and work within our state/national "standards," and push boundaries in order to work with our students and allow more "real-life" material to be brought into the classroom. Your final question of when does social justice interfere with job security is one I think of often and don't feel sure I know the answer.
ReplyDeleteHello Nate,
ReplyDeleteI felt some of the sentiments that you did reading the article. I did feel good that the teacher was able to overcome her obstacles in the class, but I also wonder about her other classes. Do all of her classes have the same results, or is this a happy occurrence that she can talk about. I am not sure exactly how I am going to implement social justice into my curriculum, but I know I am going to. Since I will be teaching social studies, I will probably have a running theme in my classroom where I ask students about their own opinions and what they think they could do about what ever event we are learning about in the classroom. I will also ask them to relate what we learn to contemporary events and ask them what can we do about these events. If they seem interested, I will also want to present to them materials, or pathways to organizations that they can get involved with in order to help create change and further social justice in their community, or in the world.
Nice post Nate,
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point about us as just "students with a handful of theories." Even when suggesting alternative curriculum to my cooperating teacher during observations, she told me that she was "idealistic" like me once and that she "learned" like I would. This was not the most hopeful thing for me to hear and now reading your post, I understand that we are, in fact, just students. That does not, however, mean that we need to give up on implementing these ideals like integrating social justice into the class. It may be difficult, but not impossible. Right now, I plan to integrate social justice into my classroom by educating my students on the REAL history of the science they are learning as well as connecting it to their personal lives. As for your question about the lives of my students being more important than the job, I see no difference. The lives of the students should be the job. Fitting in an education on the content and social justice comes next.
Hey Nate,
ReplyDeleteI think what's important to take away from that chapter is that the teacher saw a window of opportunity and decided to act. Our strategies won't always work, and there will be students who refuse to cooperate no matter how hard we try. If we can find something they're interested in, it's our job as a teacher to show them what those interests can lend to scenarios inside and outside of the classroom. Isn't the importance of our students' lives and social justice equally important? Our students deserve opportunities that I'm sure some educators haven't given to them. I can't imagine being a teacher and not being concerned about my students.
You make a great point. I do feel that most of these people that write about successful classroom ideas and settings toot their own horn a bit. What I am most interested in is how much did you fail before you got it right? What is luck? How do your other classes look? This is all stuff that I enjoy reading about because I feel that we can learn more from what we have done wrong. In regards to Social Justice and empathy, I'm not quite sure how I would go about implementing it into my curriculum. However with Spanish I believe a big part of the course is culture. In teaching Spanish I feel that you cannot just teach the language and be done with it. There are rich cultures that need to be learned about in order to fully understand what Spanish is about. The same goes with any language really. I feel that the culture aspect will help with the students' understanding of the world around them. I think things like this are really important but not the easiest to teach.
ReplyDeleteHey Nate-
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post- thoughtful as usual. For me, this job would not be worth doing if my classroom had to be censored from the "politically charged" topics. What I love about teaching English is that we have the freedom within our subject to explore all kinds of topics that are controversial and difficult. And I agree, that not all classrooms/environments are going to be ideal- where students are constantly engaged and enthused to delve into life's various conflicts. But I see teaching as a responsibility to provide opportunities for those moments to happen. Take advantage of any situation in which a social justice teaching moment can occur. I met up with some people at Oak Park River Forest HS last week and one of the teachers had just gotten out of a small assembly where an African American studies professor from Arizona was talking to the kids about the "N" word. It was very politically charged and emotional for the students and teachers involved. But it was learning moment for all involved. A real, authentic, learning moment, that everyone in that room will remember. All because this teacher asked this professor to come speak, and provided the kids with this opportunity.
My biggest fear is not being allowed to delve into controversial topics and social justice. The class i'm currently observing in AP US history, and the content of the course is entirely focused on the AP test. They often skip over the sections that might question nationalism or evoke thought that contrasts US interests. I feel that this doesn't properly prepare students for college history courses, and i wouldn't want to teach in this scenario.
ReplyDeleteNate,
ReplyDeleteI can completely relate to your reaction to this week's reading. As a future math teacher, it may seem as though I couldn't possibly have much of an input on this topic of social justice. However, as a future educator, I am able to relate to your sentiment. Although it may be useful to incorporate topics which result in deeper student connection and relate more directly to students, it is simply unrealistic to believe that one can make this the core focus of a class, and have it revolve around social justice. To answer your questions, I don't think it the lives of your students AND social justice (together) should ever overcome your job/duty as an educator. You can look after and care for the "lives of your students" by simply making them active participants in their own education. By providing students the opportunity to expand their knowledge in a multitude of topics, you are indirectly looking out for your students.
I can relate so much to the “Building Community from Chaos” as many of the students from the school I am observing come from the same background and describe their neighborhoods as “filled with guns” or some being parents at such young age. I really like Christensen’s quote “to become a community, students must learn to live in someone else’s skin…” (61) Many students tend to just become used to working with certain people and that shouldn't be the case, so I can create a community I try everyone try and work with students they wouldn't regularly work with and even just working on a simple activity can get them to know more about one another.
ReplyDeleteNate,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up really good points in your post making me thinking outside the box. I feel that certain things do need to be discussed in class even if they are sensitive topics. As long as the teacher is able to approach the topic the "right" and "best" possible way, it can be a success for both, the students and the teacher. I put "right" and "best" in parentheses because right and best are defined differently by everyone and there will not be one approach that is perfect. We have to take into consideration the level our students are at, what is currently taking place in our community and if our students are able to have a mature discussion about it.
I have to agree with Edgar in that social justice and education overlap. Having your students want to learn will benefit them in their lives. They do not need to accept what is given to them and through hard work and dedication, they can succeed. I would like to note that a teacher in a department meeting I observed stated that a teacher's number one duty is to teach the content, but I cannot prioritize any job of a teacher over another.
ReplyDeleteI think social justice is a controversial topic to teach depending on the setting of the school. Of course in all settings, parents may not appreciate "violent" material being thought in a classroom. However, I noticed in the classes I observe the students have normal conversations of friends or family affected by gang violence. I was suprised the teacher did not interfere or ask students about it. The class had to write letters to people affected by the Micheal Brown shooting. One girl asked the teacher if they could make thier own RIP board for their loved ones. The teacher told her it would be a great idea and that it would not be for a grade but something the students could work on together. I thought this was a good idea because students have the choice to share their losses with the teacher and classmates without verbally sharing sensitive material.
ReplyDeleteYoung Grizz,
ReplyDeleteNice post. I also thought that the example that was used in chapter 9 was incredibly specific and had a hard time connecting it to how I myself would use a situation like it to create a safe classroom environment. I also agree with your sentiment that we have a collection of theories and strategies to use when we start teaching and as of right now that is all. This semester has felt odd to me because at times I feel like I am over-packed for this trip that is coming up (student teaching) because I cant possibly use all that I have learned at UIC in one semester. But there are other times where I feel totally under-packed and do not have the proper tools to address specific situations that arise in a classroom setting.
Hi. I think it depends on the nature of the school and the nature of the class(es). For e.g. in the school where I am doing my observation gang violence is a fact of everyday life (very amusing how now they try to call it "gun violence... Daley started this nonsense... to deflect blame away from Chicago/himself... tried suing gun manufacturers.. etc).. so now it's called "gun violence", because the guns shoot themselves.. right? (btw.. I'm not a gun owner.. nor nut.. I'm very ambivalent on the issue.. ultimately it's a constitutional issue, so guns aren't going away, notice how the courts struck down every single stupid gun law Chicago tried passing in the last several decades. Anyways, certainly at my school such discussions wouldn't be an issue. It would be interesting what thoughts would be in a school where gangs, and gang members were a part of the student body. (I would always cover my behind if unsure and check with superiors). Personally I also think issues of "social justice" are things students can kind of arrive at themselves.. certainly in social studies classes.. such issues may come up as they resonate throughout history.. I would never lead the students a certain way but would initiate discussion through a historical event or a current events and allow the students to work the issue out themselves... while taking care to ensure they could understand and respond to an opposing response. My job isn't to "insert" issues of social justice into the classroom. My job is to get the students to think about the pertinent issue(s) and have them work things out for themselves. (and history/social studies allows for this fairly easily I believe). Ultimately,. if these issues are as "just" as some believe. the students will arrive at these "preferred" positions by themselves.
ReplyDeletebtw Bart. Bummer that you cannot at least spend some time on the issue of nationalism, as it's an interesting topic and a subject of much historiography that you deal with on a graduate level. Personally I would try to at least have the students think about it.. I'd try to insert some material on it but I have been told many times about AP curriculums/i. that there is intense pressure on covering a boatload of material and yes, it's all about passing the test.
Nate, nice post!
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question of how I plan to implement social justice into the classroom, the best I can do is listen to them and not be blind to what my students are going through. As I struggle continuously about what lesson to teach my students at John Marshall, it is crystal clear that icebreakers and getting to know you warm-up activities, like the ones the teacher struggled with in chapter 9, are just not going to be effective. Most of these students see school as a detention, and many are confrontational and defensive. But behind these tough exteriors, many just want to be heard. While the reality is that few of us are going to get a student with a rare blindness disorder that pierces the hearts of his fellow students with his poetry, we are going to make an impact if we are open to finding what makes our students people, and understanding the obstacles that stand in their way. In short, I have empathy that many of my students are dealing with poverty, violence, and dis-interested parents, and will adjust my teaching strategies to incorporate these obstacles. I will do this by finding readings and lessons that involve characters and situations that are similar and/or different from their daily lives. The quote that most represents this from the book is in the introduction to part 2: "resistance to schooling-as-usual doesn't have to take the form of grand or symbolic gestures. It can also be found in steady, purposeful efforts to make the curriculum more meaningful, the classroom community more affirming, the school more attuned to issues of equity and justice." As a beginning teacher, I will understand that I'm going to make mistakes and learn from experience.
Nate,
ReplyDeleteThose are great questions. As I go through my observations, I find my mentor teaching instilling empathy, or attempting to, within his students everyday. I think what really works is the way the students view themselves. My mentor teach works towards teaching their identity. Once they have a ground position in the world, they have appear to be more stable in their stance towards others. They're able to resonate ideas and situations with others more easily. Therefore, I'd like to teach about my students' background and history. By doing so, I feel as though I will strengthen their own identity so that they can therefore transfer their understanding of other profiles more easily.
Nice one!
Best,
Saarah Mohammed
I believe that you are right, Nate. The concept of this working so well in the classroom seems like something straight out of a book or movie. These incidents are rare, but a discussion on social justice and sharing thoughts, personal stories, etc can happen if the classroom is an open, comfortable, and safe environment. It all depends on how you add the teacher run the classroom and see fit as to what the students can handle and participate in.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post!!
ReplyDeleteThese days when I read this kind of stories I have 2 reactions. The first one is to feel inspired and encouraged that somehow there is a solution to the many social problems a teacher has to face; the second one is more sobering, because I personally feel teachers are expected to be some sort of super-heroes/ missionaries ready to give up their time and personal lives in order to produce these social changes, while their performance is being evaluated on how well they implemented the newest micro- managerial tasks ordered by the newest educational reform. I wonder how Mrs.Christensen's students did on their ACT and how many pursued and stayed in college?
In the beginning years of my teaching career, especially, I plan to work in CPS. With that in mind, I think wrestling with issues of having literature or language as the center of an English curriculum will be my biggest challenge. Social justice is already at debate when exploring the social layer of Urban America, so to have my students exploring ideas and works like Gaughan, for example, it could either go really well or really bad. I feel as if it could be potential a good thing because many of them would probably have similar stories of prejudice, racism, and discrimination but the way the handle and express their stories could cause problems.
ReplyDeleteSo though I see the good this could make, I don’t know if I would feel comfortable completely embracing it. I would be working with students where factors such as age, race, gender, location etc. affect them, and as a teacher, it would be my duty to create a warm environment in the classroom, a “safe house”, where students feel empowerment and rise above their situations. Constantly having them explore stories and situations similar to theirs could backfire, and cause them to feel as if there is no escaping racism, prejudices, and discrimination. It could cause them to be prejudice. Where they may have seen their situation as just a onetime ordeal, reading similar stories may make them feel as if everyone unlike them are like that. It is honestly a hard call and depends heavily on your group of students, their backgrounds, locations etc. This was a piece that really got my mind going on trying to decide what stance did I most agree with.
A great way to bring social justice in the classroom though, besides in literature is community projects. For most students, the school they attend will also be the community they live in. And you can ask them things they like/dislike about their community, so you are not making assumptions from the 8 hours a day you spend there a day. Also, it’ll avoid them getting the idea you view their community in any negative way because the ideas that come to the table with be student generated. After brainstorming ideas, students can decide on one they would like to go further with. And you all can create an awareness campaign for the classroom, school-wide (assembly/rally), or community (invite parents and community leaders). It can go further than a campaign as well and be more hands on and in the community. Allow them to get as creative as they want and help them find resources to make the project come to life. You’ll be surprised at how engaged the students get and the different ideas they produce.