“We are in a revolutionary situation, no matter how unpopular that word has become in this country. The society in which we live is desperately menaced, not by Khrushchev, but from within. So any citizen of this country who figures himself as responsible-and particularly those of you who deal with the minds and hearts of […]
social justice
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
We Must Teach the Worst of our History; Not Glorify It
As I write this, it’s not yet 24 hours since Charlottesville, Virginia erupted in violence at the hands of white supremacists. What happened there, how we respond to it, and what must happen next is an essential conversation for all Americans, but especially educators. Those white Americans whose reaction was to claim “this isn’t America!” […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Equity in the Classroom: Content, Pedagogy, and Results
Recently the conversation about social justice in education and generally has shifted from equality to equity. As many before me have noted, equality focuses on every student getting the same resources or supports. Equity, on the other hand, requires that we give every young person what they need to be successful. This idea has also been […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
What Will it Take for White Teachers to #TalkAboutTrayvon?
Image from Flckr user @dignidadrebelde I received an e-mail today from Showing Up for Racial Justice reminding me that today is the 5th anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death. It is hard to believe five years have passed already. It is sobering to reflect on the growth of the Movement for Black Lives alongside the growing […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why Choice Matters: Reading as a Matter of Social Justice
Once upon a time I was a high school American Literature teacher who believed in the survey method of “these are the canonical works that all students should read before they leave high school.” I spent years patting myself on the back for getting struggling readers to love The Crucible, Of Mice and Men, and The Great Gatsby. We […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instructional Strategies, Social Justice
Teaching Our Students to Live Well Together in Acrimonious Times
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] As I write this, there has been yet another terrible attack in a European city. Bombs in Brussels, Belgium have killed over 30 people and injured almost 200 (at this writing). […]
Posted inCommon Core, Elementary School, Social Justice
Social Justice Test Prep?
I teach at a school in New York City where approximately 50% of students “opted out” of state exams last year. I’m proud to be a part of a school community where families are using their power to send a message to our state policymakers and lawmakers about the overuse of standardized testing. That said, […]
Posted inSocial Justice, Uncategorized
Why Teach About Social Justice in the Classroom?
Social justice can have a very concrete meaning for young children. To them, it is about what is fair and what is not fair. You can hear it from them when a teacher always allows one or two students to do all of the coveted classroom jobs. To them, that is not fair and the […]