Based on the work of WestEd for the USDOE, describe five common elements of successful magnet high schools and provide examples of ways high schools achieve each element. What ar
- Based on the work of WestEd for the USDOE, describe five common elements of successful magnet high schools and provide examples of ways high schools achieve each element.
- What are Bush’s main findings regarding the magnet program at “Jefferson High School”. Discuss ways to improve the education of all students at Jefferson High School and consider the five common elements of successful magnet high schools to make improvements at Jefferson High School.
- Which philosophical approach(es) discussed in the Ornstein reading from HW1 best reflects Hackerman’s views of social justice education. Explain your reasoning.
- According to Hackerman, what are the five elements of social justice education? Describe and provide examples supporting each element.
- As you think about the readings, in what ways can magnet schools promote social justice education? Explain your reasoning.
- Review the different features (webpages and links) of the Social Justice Mathematics and the Planning to Change the World online materials. Explain in what ways teachers can draw on these materials to teach for social change and justice. Provide specific examples.
HW. 5 Magnet Schools and Social Justice
Readings and Handouts:
· WestEd and US department of Education (USDOE). (2008). Successful Magnet High Schools: Innovations in Education. Read pp. 1-26. http://www.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/magnet-hs .
· Bush, L., Burley, H., Causey-Bush, T. (2001). Desegregation or resegregation? Students’ voices from inside the walls. American Secondary Education, 29(3), 33-50.
· Hackerman, H. (2005). Five essential components for Social Justice Education. Equity and Excellence in Education, 38, 103-109.
Explore Resources for Social Justice Education
Social Justice Mathematics website at the following:
http://www.radicalmath.org/main.php?id=SocialJusticeMath#3
Planning to Change the World: A Planbook for Social Justice Teachers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFE2ds67uXo
www.justiceplanbook.com/resources
Respond to Questions:
(1) Based on the work of WestEd for the USDOE, describe five common elements of successful magnet high schools and provide examples of ways high schools achieve each element.
(2) What are Bush’s main findings regarding the magnet program at “Jefferson High School”. Discuss ways to improve the education of all students at Jefferson High School and consider the five common elements of successful magnet high schools to make improvements at Jefferson High School.
(3) Which philosophical approach(es) discussed in the Ornstein reading from HW1 best reflects Hackerman’s views of social justice education. Explain your reasoning.
(4) According to Hackerman, what are five elements of social justice education? Describe and provide examples supporting each element.
(5) As you think about the readings, in what ways can magnet schools promote social justice education? Explain your reasoning.
(6) Review the different features (webpages and links) of the Social Justice Mathematics and the Planning to Change the World online materials. Explain in what ways teachers can draw on these materials to teach for social change and justice. Provide specific examples.
,
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Five Essential Components for Social Justice Education Heather W. Hackman
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Equity & Excellence in Education, 38: 103–109, 2005 Copyright c! University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Education ISSN 1066-5684 print / 1547-3457 online DOI: 10.1080/10665680590935034
Five Essential Components for Social Justice Education
Heather W. Hackman
The question of how to teach effectively from a clear social justice perspective that empowers, encourages students to think critically, and models social change has been a consistent challenge for progressive educators. This article intends to shed light on this issue by demonstrating how educators can utilize a social justice pedagogical lens to treat their content in ways that meet their commitment to empowering education. Specifically, this article clarifies what social justice education is by introducing readers to five key components useful in teaching from a social justice perspective: tools for content mastery, tools for critical thinking, tools for action and social change, tools for personal reflection, and tools for awareness of multicultural group dynamics. While no pedagogical approach is a panacea, this approach offers readers five specific areas to focus on in their teaching and their efforts at working toward social justice in their classrooms.
This is a critical time in our world, in our nation, creates multiple points of entry in teaching for social jus-and certainly in public education. The tense polit- tice, it ultimately does the field a disservice by dilutingical discourse and hugely contrasting ideas about the essence of social justice education and weakening the future of U.S. education leaves many families, teach- the call for teachers, schools, and communities to be true ers, communities, and administrators at a loss for how to vanguards for change. I address this issue by presenting best serve the students in their schools and our society as what I perceive to be most fundamental to social justice a whole. In a climate characterized by well-intentioned education via a definition of it and then a presentation but poorly funded policies like No Child Left Behind of five components I view as necessary for its effective (NCLB), educators need to take a stronger and more implementation. These five components (content mas- vocal stance against the furtherance of policies and ap- tery, critical thinking, action skills, self-reflection, and an proaches that serve some at the expense of many. Instead awareness of multicultural group dynamics) represent of trying to work with policies such as NCLB, educators neither an exhaustive nor an exclusive understanding of need to demand educational environments conducive social justice education. They do, however, help clarify to engaged, critical, and empowered thinking and ac- what constitutes a social justice educational approach, tion. Equity and social justice need to move beyond be- and provide for socially and politically conscious K-12 ing merely buzzwords and instead become part of the teachers a clearer sense of how to focus their classroom lived practice in the classroom. content and process.
Over the last decade, a number of authors have in- cluded the concept of social justice in their work and
DEFINING SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATIONcalled for a commitment to social justice education (SJE). And yet, a review of the literature reveals a range of Working in chorus with the goals of other educa- definitions of social justice education and its manifes- tional theory bases, social justice education encourages tation in the classroom. Those unfamiliar with it might students to take an active role in their own education see social justice education as being about treating all and supports teachers in creating empowering, demo- students equally, while others might think it involves cratic, and critical educational environments. Bell (1997) the dismantling and reconstructing of education from defines social justice as being a goal and a process. “The its very core. While having a broad definitional range goal of social justice education is full and equal partici-
pation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs,’’ (Bell, 1997, p. 3) while, “the pro-
Address correspondence to Heather W. Hackman, Human Rela- cess for attaining the goal of social justice . . . should be tions and Multicultural Education, B-118, CoE, St. Cloud State Univer- sity, 720 Fourth Avenue South, Saint Cloud, MN 56301-4498. E-mail: democratic and participatory, inclusive and affirming [email protected] of human agency and human capacities for working
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104 HEATHER W. HACKMAN
collaboratively to create change’’ (p. 4). I have distilled components: Bell’s goals of social justice education to include stu- ! Content mastery dent empowerment, the equitable distribution of re- ! Tools for critical analysis sources and social responsibility, and her processes to ! Tools for social change include democracy, a student-centered focus, dialogue, ! Tools for personal reflection and an analysis of power. Social justice education does ! An awareness of multicultural group dynamics not merely examine difference or diversity but pays care- ful attention to the systems of power and privilege that The diagram in Figure 1 reveals that solid work in give rise to social inequality, and encourages students to any of these five areas will lead to more critical educa- critically examine oppression on institutional, cultural, tional environments that benefit students and commu- and individual levels in search of opportunities for so- nities. However, it is the combination and interaction of cial action in the service of social change. Clearly, this all five components that creates an effective environment definition goes well beyond the celebration of diversity, for social justice education. To illustrate, I briefly explain the use of dialogue groups in the classroom, or even the each component and then discuss how their interactions existence of democratic processes regarding class goals contribute to a social justice educational environment. and procedures. To be most effective, social justice edu- cation requires an examination of systems of power and oppression combined with a prolonged emphasis on so- Tool 1: Content Mastery cial change and student agency in and outside of the Content mastery is a vital aspect of social justice ed- classroom. ucation and consists of three principle spheres: factual
information, historical contextualization, and a macro- FIVE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION
to-micro content analysis. Content mastery is the first component of effective social justice education because information acquisition is an essential basis for learn-
Although it is important to clarify the meaning of so- ing. Without complex sources of information, studentscial justice education, it also is vital to identify a spe- cannot possibly participate in positive, proactive so-cific course of classroom implementation. My desire for
a more equitable approach to teaching encouraged me to cial change. Importantly, factual information must not examine the literature for a more specific explanation of a merely reproduce dominant, hegemonic ideologies but social justice educational approach. I found that a social instead represent a range of ideas and information that justice approach can be characterized by five essential go beyond those usually presented in mainstream media
Figure 1 Five essential components for social justice education.
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COMPONENTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION 105
or educational materials. More specifically, the “facts’’ necessary for effective social justice education must rep- resent broad and deep levels of information so that stu- dents can not only critically examine content but also effectively dialogue about it with others. Remembering that social justice education asks students to engage in so- cial responsibility, educators must provide students with enough critical information to do so effectively; other- wise, students are set up for failure and frustration.
Ahistorical information, however, leaves students with a limited understanding of the political, social, and economic forces and patterns that create and sustain the oppressive social dynamics students are contesting and transforming. Thus, a thorough understanding of the his- torical context of all classroom content is vital for stu- dents to construct an analytical lens. Again, this content must be examined with a critical perspective because his- tory is written by the members of dominant groups and the need for a broad representation of history is essen- tial. Loewen (1996) illustrates the empowering effect that critical views of history can have on students through his analysis of historical bias in public school history books.
And finally, content mastery involves student under- standing on both the micro and the macro levels. First, as countless authors in both multicultural and social jus- tice education indicate, students need information that is connected to their lives and that helps them to un- derstand the micro-level implications of macro issues (Delpit, 1995; Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1997; Nieto, 2000). From this, students can engage in social action and formulate ideas for concrete ways to incorporate class- room content into their lives, communities, and society as a whole. Second, students need to develop a solid under- standing of how classroom content connects with larger issues in society. In a socially just classroom, these two levels are constantly interacting, thus helping students to truly understand the phrase, “think globally, act lo- cally.’’ Ultimately, both students and teachers need to be able to answer the question, “Why is this information im- portant on both a micro and macro scale?’’ Understand- ing both micro and macro implications for content mas- tery draws from student experience, invites them into the knowledge construction process, and leads to a more student-centered classroom.
To better understand these three aspects of content mastery, consider the issue of global warming. Main- stream media and information sources often portray this issue as something that seems to “just be happening’’ without any specific reference to its sources, implica- tions, or suggestions of proactive measures that indi- viduals and governments can take to stop it. This pre- sentation leaves students minimally exposed to how to accurately address the issue, or leaves unquestioned the consumption and production patterns of the United States and other industrial nations. Examining this is- sue from a social justice perspective with respect to con-
tent mastery, however, would include an explanation of the science and health impact of global warming, un- derscored by statistical data and international research. Students could examine this information through a crit- ical lens and question the progression of global warm- ing and deforestation throughout the last two centuries with a special emphasis on the industrialization period. What global and national historical, political, and eco- nomic forces have contributed to and maintained (sped up or slowed down) the progression of global warm- ing on this planet? And finally, students would exam- ine the implications of this issue globally, as well as lo- cally, addressing macro scale questions, such as: “Which countries produce the most waste? Where is this waste distributed globally? How are people in other countries affected by global warming? What policies have been ef- fective in curbing the production of greenhouse gases? Why have some countries continually undermined ef- forts at curbing global warming? Which countries are they? How do multinational corporations figure into this issue? What is environmental racism?’’ On a micro level, students would address questions such as: “What are my own consumption patterns? What does this classroom, school, and community do with our waste? How do we contribute to the problem or the solution? What is the impact for me, right now in my life, regarding global warming? What will be the impact on me in 20, 30 and 50 years?’’
For four key reasons, content alone is insufficient to create democratic, empowering classroom settings, or to adequately prepare students to become active agents of change and social justice in their lives and communi- ties. First, the mere possession of information does not necessarily translate into wisdom or deep knowledge. This is evident, for example, in that individuals in the U.S. have “known’’ about the historical and current man- ifestations of racism, and yet that knowledge has not been enough to motivate change on the deepest of lev- els. Closer examination reveals that content without his- torical context, especially when combined with lack of analysis, results in the inability to challenge racism in any significant way. Second, the possession of informa- tion alone does not necessarily provide students with a pathway for action. In my classes, for example, I have witnessed students feeling overwhelmed by the infor- mation presented and, as a result, feeling “stuck’’ and unsure of how to act to change unjust social patterns. Third, presentation of information as truth devoid of cri- tique runs the risk of creating a dogmatic and prescrip- tive classroom environment. In a social justice classroom, all content is subject to debate and critique. And finally, information presented outside a context of power and
Tool 2: Critical Thinking and the Analysis of Oppression
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106 HEATHER W. HACKMAN
oppression runs the risk of recreating the marginaliza- students in our public and private educational environ- tion experienced by members of oppressed groups, such ments are taught to feel disempowered (“I can’t change as students of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer stu- anything; I am just one person’’), complacent (“I don’t dents, women, or poor/working-class folks. have time to change anything’’), or hopeless (“Nothing
To avoid these pitfalls and the paralysis, hopelessness, will ever change anyway’’). cynicism, and powerlessness they often invoke, educa- One of the most effortless forms of cultural imperial- tors must help students to use critical analysis and the ism is to convince those living within systems of inequal- careful consideration of issues of oppression to provide ity that there is nothing they can or should do about both deep knowledge and a direction for the application it (Young, 2000). Those who dare to critique and chal- of that knowledge in students’ lives. Paulo Freire’s (1970) lenge the status quo are labeled a threat to the fabric praxis loop is a wonderful example of how information of democracy and freedom in the United States. Our needs to be combined with tools for critical thinking to current sociopolitical climate is an example of a soci- bring the power of that information to fruition. In par- ety where dissent from the dominant ideology is seen as ticular, helping students use information to critique sys- “un-American’’ and unpatriotic. Educators need to dis- tems of power and inequality in society, to help them rupt the notion that silence is patriotic and teach stu- ask who benefits from said systems, and to encourage dents that their rights as citizens in this society carry them to consider what aspects of our social structures responsibilities—of participation, voice, and protest—so keep those inequalities alive are all important and neces- that this can actually become a society of, by, and for all sary ways for students to become more engaged in social of its citizens. Students need to learn that social action is justice education. fundamental to the everyday workings of their lives.
The term critical thinking has become so overused in Specific classroom and teaching tools for action and education that it has lost some of its meaning. Think- social change vary, of course, according to the content ing about an issue is not equivalent to critical thinking, and the political perspective of those involved. For some, which requires: (1) focusing on information from mul- Saul Alinsky’s (1971) radical approach to taking power tiple, non-dominant perspectives, and seeing those as via grassroots protests and street actions and its redistri- independently valid and not as an add-on to the domi- bution to the masses via economic and political access is nant, hegemonic one; (2) de-centering students’ analyti- fitting. To others, Freire’s (1973) “problem posing’’ pro- cal frame and opening their minds to a broader range of cess for the achievement of awareness and education as experiences; (3) analyzing the effects of power and op- the practice of freedom is the more useful approach. And pression; and (4) inquiring into what alternatives exist still for others, Zúniga’˜ s and Sevig’s (2000) focus on social with respect to the current, dominant view of reality of change through intergroup dialogue or Christenson’s this issue. The first two points are particularly important (1998) route to social change through writing and liter- in that if I critically analyze other cultural perspectives acy development are important approaches. Addition- while never leaving the safety and comfort of my own, I ally, some approaches and tools for social change will be do nothing more than reify “the other” or “exotic other” grounded within “the system’’ (Oakes & Lipton, 1999), status of those groups and perpetuate the dehumaniza- while others will embody Lorde’s (1984) notion that the tion of those groups. Therefore, critical thinking is the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. process by which we consider perspective, positionality, Whatever the approach, there is a long history of social power, and possibilities with respect to content. action and social change in this country for both domi-
nant and subordinate groups, and teachers who expose students to this history and the broad assortment of tools for social change will prepare them well for social justiceTool 3: Action and Social Change work.
The third component, tools for action and social change, is critical to help move students from cynicism and despair to hope and possibility. Upon learning about Tool 4: Personal Reflection issues of oppression and privilege, dominant group members may feel mired in the reality of their privilege, Using these first three components is typically the ex- and subordinate group members may re-experience the tent to which teachers engage in social justice education frustration of oppression. Teaching about issues of op- (Hackman, 2000). A fourth component, personal reflec- pression without proffering social action tools for stu- tion, reminds teachers to reflect critically on themselves dents ultimately creates a classroom atmosphere that and the personal qualities that inform their practice. In lacks hope and creative energy. If the goal of SJE is to Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom support critical thinking, then we must create classroom and Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope, bell hooks spaces that provide the opportunity to do so. It is also (1994: see also hooks, 2003) articulates three central ways necessary to intentionally teach these tools because most in which the ability to be critically self-reflective lends
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COMPONENTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION 107
itself to an effective social justice teaching environment. ful life. Being a “nice person’’ or asserting that “I treat The first is the issue of power and dominant group priv- all students the same,’’ or that “I don’t see color in my ilege as it connects to the range of one’s social identities. classroom,’’ indicates the lack of critical interrogation of The popular essay by Peggy McIntosh (1988) on white one’s positionality. privilege illustrates self-reflection regarding power and Ongoing self-reflection also reminds educators that privilege. McIntosh reveals that she had never thought there is always more to consider, and helps to keep their about her privilege before because it had previously been minds open to other possibilities. Teachers can reflect on invisible to her, and that she had never imagined the im- such questions as: Where did I get this information? Why pact of her privilege on members of the target group. do I think this? Do I know this for sure or is it merely an Her first point can be further broken down into three old idea mistaken for fact? This form of self-interrogation key aspects relative to self-reflection and one’s privi- also helps educators to be more cognizant of their power lege as a member of the dominant group: (1) Dominants in the classroom (Hackman, 2000, Kreisberg, 1992), and are actively taught not to see their privilege: (2) Dom- opens the door for the democratic and dialogical class- inants are taught to see their life and its privileges as room processes that social justice education requires. the “norm’’ for society and humanity; and (3) Dominants The final issue regarding the importance of self- have done nothing to earn this privilege. Unless these reflection is that it provides the educator and students three areas are critically reflected upon, the invisibility sites to take action. Education as the practice of freedom of privilege persists and continues to support larger, op- (hooks, 1994) always begins with the individual’s will- pressive structures in society and in one’s teaching. On- ingness to grow and change. As such, to make a con- going self-reflection allows dominant group members to sistent commitment to self-reflection and personal in- begin to extricate themselves from the trappings of this terrogation gives educators and students alike a place invisible privilege and work to be more effective agents to enact social change and growth. Having the self as a of change in their classrooms and communities. Teach- site for change is a useful way to prevent the feelings ers can undertake self-reflection for themselves through of hopelessness and powerlessness that students some- a continual critique of their practice, ongoing dialogue times encounter when discussing macro-level social is- with colleagues, and a persistent exposure to new con- sues. In addition, self-reflection can serve as a constant tent areas. Utilizing pedagogical tools, such as reflective motivator, as it knocks teachers and students out of com- writing exercises and assignments that connect content placency and steers them in the direction of the solution to student lives, teachers can extend the importance of instead of the problem. This seems particularly true for self-reflection in their classrooms and build the habit dominant group members in their work to resist the se- of critical self-reflection into the educational repertoire duction of privilege and to maintain the commitment to of students. social justice work on all fronts. Especially in regards to
McIntosh’s (1988) self-reflection exposes that she had white privilege, ongoing self-reflection helps Whites con- never considered herself to be part of the problem of tinually work to challenge racism and be vigilant about racism because she was a nice person. Lack of self- the deconstruction of white privilege in society. reflection allows dominant group members to live with Subordinate group members also can utilize self- the delusion that simply being nice means they have no reflection by examining how internalized oppression has connection to racism, sexism, or other forms of social in- impacted their lives and communities, and how their equality in our society, and therefore have no responsi- dominant and subordinate identities interact. For exam- bility to work toward the solution. Lack of self-reflection ple, there was a period in my own development as a may prevent P-12 teachers from creating the kind of woman where I was rightfully angry at the system of empowering and affirming classroom spaces that effec- sexism in our society, and in the process of challeng- tively support academic success for all students. Simi- ing it on both micro and macro scales, I was unfortu- larly, lack of reflection may evoke a response to the real- nately not as aware of how internalized sexism affected ities of racism such as this one, which I hear frequently my growth and development or my efficacy as a change in my own classes, “That’s horrible! I had no idea things agent. In addition, this lack of self-awareness kept me so were this bad. People of color should really do some- entrenched in my subordinate experience that I was un- thing about this!’’ Only when students also understand able to make the connection to my dominant identities or their white privilege do they realize that, as white stu- see how I was reproducing oppressive dynamics similar dents, it is not enough to be a nice person and that they to the ones I was fighting, albeit in terms of race and dis- have at least an equal, if not more important, part in chal- ability oppression.
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