Social Justice:
What is Social Justice and should we as future teachers be teaching it in our classrooms?
social justice can be defined as granting equal rights to everyone. This includes gender, race, class, disability, and sexual orientation.
In the article Creating Classrooms for Equity and Social Justice, it says "Unfortunately,too many schools are training grounds for boredom, alienation, and pessimism. Too many schools fail to confront the racial, class, and gender inequities woven into our social fabric." I feel that many students tend to drift off when learning strictly by the text. Also many of the students do not understand the material or can not relate it. When teaching by strict guidelines, many teachers become non enthusiastic and may not agree with what they are teaching. As Herbert Kohl said " don't teach against your conscience." Your conscious is who you are, and you're not apt to change it. If you feel something is wrong, then you shouldn't be forced to say or teach it. Also he stated that the teacher and the student each need to have their own thoughts on everything, and should share them. I believe it is really important for a teacher to form a relationship with their students and in turn, the students feeling comfortable enough to share their own thoughts and ideas. This will make class time more enjoyable for both the teacher and the student. There is also more than one way to teach, and I believe that this is extremely important as well. Not every student learns the same way, and it is important that teachers are able to mold themselves to their students. The teacher already knows the information that they are teaching, so they need to do what they can for the students to learn the information.
After finishing my observations I did a quick interview with the teacher on her thoughts of social justice. She explained to me that social justice is important to her, but was not really stressed in the school system. She admitted that she did not focus too much on this particular topic but has thought about it quite often. She did say that around the holidays she does special activities with her students each week. She makes sure that she covers all the holidays celebrated in her class room. She allows the students to get up and share what they do for their holidays and how they celebrate it. She also reads books and have the students color pictures of different items used during their particular holiday, such as a Christmas tree, menorah, ect. She even allows the parents to get involved if they choose to and bake any of their favorite holiday goodies for the children.
Overall, I believe that social justice is important and should be taught in classrooms. However, I don't think that we as teachers should go out of our ways to teach it. I just think its something you think about and consider doing.
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Interview on social justice:
Kelly: What are your thoughts and feelings on social justice
Teacher Honestly, I haven't really thought about it all that much because its not stressed in our school system
Kelly: I see, So does that mean you never used social justice or..
Teacher: Oh no, I have just not as much as I'd like to.
Kelly: Can u recall any instances when you did use social justice?
Teacher: Around the holidays I tend to use social justice by allowing my students to share experiences, foods, objects, readings, and coloring of pictures based around their particular holiday. I make sure that all my student's holidays are covered. I even try my best to get their parents involved.
Kelly: wow, thats a really good idea. As a future teacher thats something I'm definetly going to use and look into.
Teacher: Yeah, its really important to get the students and their families involved. Social justice to me seems important and should be stressed a little more within the school systems. However, due to time and strict guidelines it doesn't work out as well.
Kelly: Maybe, that will change over time
Teacher: We can only hope
Kelly: Yup. But I will try my hardest to make social justice happen in my classroom.
Teacher: Good for you! Well we better get going inside before the kids wake up!
Model Of Education:
"An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life." - Source Unknown
I believe that school should not only be a place for learning, but also for making new friends and learning essential life skills. I feel that schools focus way too much on strict guidelines and curriculum. Growing up, it seemed to me that schools only cared about their students passing the MCAS testing and getting through what they needed. Teachers would usually rush through the material. No one really took the time out to teach social justice or necessary skills that we would need for life. However, it is important to teach your students basic subject areas and make sure they understand it. Take the time out to recap what you taught or make yourself readily available after school for any extra help. Do not rush through material just to get it done! Trust me,students will not benefit from this and some may become discouraged. I agree with the above quote and feel that it sums up what an educational system is worth or what it could be worth. I think that it is really important as a future teacher to teach my students essential life skills, such as communication, working together, and following directions. This will follow them through their life! I will take the time out from teaching strict subject guidelines to do this. I think that students could really benefit from this. Its also really important for students to learn social justice and make friends. I feel that school is not only a place to learn but a place to make new friends. I mean come on, with out friends what do you really have? Friends are an important part of life; physically, mentally, socially and emotionally. I think its also really important that teachers form a relationship with their students as well. Students need someone to look up to and turn to in time of need. Also, forming relationships with your students will enable the student to feel more comfortable sharing thoughts and ideas in the classroom. As a teacher, you will gain more respect.
Hot Topic:
MCAS Testin
g. I choose this topic because it is a very controversial topic in education today. MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) is designed to measure students' academic progress. It is stated that The test results provide information which can help students to perform at higher academic levels and can help teachers to create curricula that are aligned with statewide standards. The MCAS can be used to determine whether students have achieved the academic level necessary to earn their high school diplomas. If students do not pass the MCAS, they will be given multiple opportunities to retake it. MCAS testing is usually taken twice throughout the school years. It is stated by the Boston times that Approximately 6,000 high school seniors are in jeopardy of not graduating next spring because they have not yet passed the new science MCAS exam, state education officials have announced.High stakes tests consist typically of a state-mandated 10th grade test students must pass in order to be able to graduate high school. They are called "high stakes" because a student’s entire high school career rides on this one test. If he or she fails the test, it doesn’t matter whether he’s gotten all "A"s in everything else and had perfect attendance, he still can’t graduate. Similar tests are now being imposed in earlier grades as well, such as the 4th and 8th grades, as "gateway" tests; a child must pass them to advance to the next grade, no matter what the quality of his schoolwork. It's just not fair to the students.
Not only does it affect the student academically, emotionally, and mentally but also a teacher's well being. Teachers are stressed to make sure that all their students are ready for the test and pass it. School systems main focus is getting their students ready for the MCAS and knowing the material that will be covered on it. This also puts a strain on students learning. Students are not able to learn much outside of the MCAS testing because that is basically the only thing they are being taught to do. Having a few teachers in my family, they have told me how much they are against MCAS testing and feel that we need to do away with it. They too feel that schools are only focusing on getting their students ready for this ONE test!! Its just not right or fear!
I feel that MCAS is a bunch of crap and should not be mandated in the state of Massachusetts. The state should be focusing on report card grades, rather than this ONE test. I know from experience because I had to take a few of these test myself in order to continue to the next level. High school was probably the most nerve racking because it basically came all down to this one test. If you failed you would get an opportunity to retake, However, if you kept on failing, you would not be able to graduate. I believe you were allowed three chances to pass the test. And the test was usually given at the 10th grade level. This put a lot of stress on students.
One of my really good friends was not able to pass this test and in turn could not graduate. It was a bummer and she was really upset. She had to stay back an extra year just to pass this test. Overall, she was an average C student and had good attendance. I feel that one test should not determine your academic standings or whether you can graduate. I mean, what if you're a really good student but not a very good test taker or what it you're having a really bad day or family problems or even if your nervous and in turn do bad on it. After researching the MCAS i can see that the state has added in more subject areas to be covered in the test. When I took the test, I only had a Math, Reading/English section. Now, they added in a History and Science. To me this is getting ridiculous and something needs to be done in order to put a stop to it!
Educational Metaphor:
"Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one." -- Malcolm Forbes -
I choose this metaphor because I felt that it was really appropriate. You start off school by going with any empty mind, but over the years your mind opens up and you begin to learn new things and even look at things differently. School opens up not only our minds but also our eyes and prepares us for life.
Educational Poem:
I found this poem a few years ago and got a kick out of it! I really like it and feel that any teacher would be very happy to receive a poem like this! To me, it sums up what a good teacher it like :)
Who nurtures new green sprouts,
Encourages and leads them,
Whenever they have doubts.
Whose sunny temperament
Makes studying a pleasure,
Preventing discontent.
With methods crisp and clear,
Lessons of bright colors
And a happy atmosphere.
While it’s snowing hard outside,
Keeping students comfortable,
As a warm and helpful guide.
With a pleasant attitude;
You’re a teacher for all seasons,
And you have my gratitude!
Works sited:
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/15_02/Just152.shtml
http://www.oswego.edu/~prusso1/diversity4.gif
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice
http://www.biojobblog.com/uploads/image/job-interview1(2).gif
http://staycspits.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/teacher-and-students.gif
www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/mcas
http://www.massnews.com/past_issues/2000/12_Dec/1200mcas.htm
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/overview.html?faq=1
http://www.poemsource.com/teacher-poems.html
http://www.etni.org.il/quotes/education.htm
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