VIDEOS

1. Social Justice Belongs In Our Schools - Sydney Chaffee

Sydney Chaffee is a social justice activist who travels worldwide to educate educators themselves on incorporating social justice themes as a central part of their teaching philosophies. Although an American video, the quality of the content persists that schooling with this overarching theme in every region is beneficial, as limiting jurisdictions and components of social justice topics from some is not positively motivating students to become active citizens in our society. Although there has been a push against the motives of this implementation, such as some believing that teachers are there to teach subjects only, and the purpose of education is to educate. This TEDx talk discusses the simplification of this statement, instead persisting that we as educators teach people, not subjects after all. We need to remember as educators that our students have a sense of identity personal to them, and in our care, they become subject to opportunities to develop and grow these identities. These identities are diverse, and there are victims of injustice acts daily within contexts such as race, disabilities, gender, homophobia, bullying, opportunity gaps, plus many more that cause trauma and negative sense of self and understanding. Therefore through the implementation of a social justice theme where these intersectional factors are considered and discussed, students are provided a space where they can develop the tools and skills that can help them become active citizens to create change outside of the classroom.

 

2. Student Perspective - Edutopia

As a teacher, you owe it to your students to let them know you will be there for them by having these conversations and making sure marginalized students are a part of these conversations. Teachers need to ensure we are checking our privilege as we discuss these social justice topics, as we have to ensure we are creating a safe and inclusive brave space. Students within this Edutopia project fell victim to their identities by some educators' lack of integration of topics of marginalized groups. A place of acceptance needs to be fostered and have a student-centred focus; embracing the act of unlearning negative connotations and prejudices previously ingrained. This allows rich learning experiences and activist qualities to develop both at a teacher and student level, as we can examine and reflect critically as teachers to become aware and unlearn bias. These students express the need for the system to continue to create new ideas and perspectives devoted to inclusion and an overall socially just society like at this present educational institute. The teachers here are okay with being vulnerable with the students to engage in discussions that bring humanity that can't be translated beyond the classroom.