The following is the proposal for my teacher inquiry project. The project itself is in its very beginning stages and, therefore, the proposal may be subject to change. 

My entire life I was raised in a socially conscious household. My father was a municipal bureaucrat with his thumb on the pulse of the city, so I was aware of civil issues from an early age as they were often discussed at home. My mother’s passion for diversity and deep care for her students in the inner city was reflected in her teaching as she aimed for equity and inclusiveness above all else, and this drive not only steered me in the direction of teaching, but also helped to form my early views on race, gender, sexual identity and socio-economic disparity. Being involved in the youth movement of the United Church of Canada during my adolescence and young adulthood gave me opportunities for activism that I may not have been exposed to had it not been for my involvement in the church, and the perspectives of the people I met there had a huge hand in forming my worldview. Finally, my involvement in social media has allowed me to connect with different perspectives that have challenged and reshaped my own as I navigate through the vitriol in a search of messages of hope and positive change. The definition of activism has evolved so much and so quickly with the expansion of the World Wide Web, and as we enter a new age of rapid social change, it has never been more important for education to adapt to that new age in order to prepare our students for living in and contributing to it.

It has always been my intention, when I finally reach my goal of being a primary teacher, to focus heavily on social justice education in my practice, but I wonder now if the current focus on awareness over activism is really the best route to having a population that is civically engaged, socially mindful, and full of productive Canadian – and Global – citizens. What if, instead of focusing on awareness in the classroom when it comes to social issues, teachers were to switch to an activist lens that could allow for action, both in the present and for the future? My inquiry question, therefore, is this: can teaching justice through an activist lens in the K-3 classroom help create youth and adults that are less apathetic?

The rapid expansion of the internet and social media over the last quarter century, as mentioned above, has created a space where any social issue may be brought forward, discussed and acted on in a way that has never been seen before, and it seems to me, as a frequent contributor to the social justice conversation online, that the majority of Canadians across the country are seeking positive social change. A symptom of this need for change is evident in the election of a new government that champions social justice and is committed to many of the changes that would positively effect the lives of Canadian citizens. Teaching social justice, therefore, has never been more significant, as it will allow students to find and share their voices as important members of Canadian society.

Social justice in the educational community is not new by any means. Part of our job as teachers is to ensure that students learn the reasoning behind being an active citizen, and the skills they need in order to be productive members of society, an idea that has been reinforced curricularly for a long time. There is direct significance in teaching from the activist perspective in the new BC curriculum as well, which offers a broader and more adaptable framework from which to teach and learn social justice education. The opportunity to implement a more activist approach in the classroom is here. At this stage of my inquiry, if there is any one significant roadblock to this kind of lens being taught in the classroom, it’s one of teacher fear, an example of which can be seen in education in BC right now as we attempt to include more Aboriginal content, ways of learning, and ways of knowing into our teaching practice in the spirit of truth and reconciliation. Finally, this sort of education is significant for my students because, no matter how much shielding you do, social injustice is a part of every child’s life and can manifest in so many nuanced ways. Teaching through an activist lens will not only help every student understand the injustices that affect them and the systemic ways in which those injustices are perpetuated, but also, most importantly, give them the tools and the power they need to fight those injustices and enact positive change both in the present and in the future.

I bring many perspectives to my inquiry. First, as a teacher candidate who is becoming well-immersed in the new curriculum and is passionate about testing its strengths and limitations, I have a real opportunity to use that curriculum to my students’ benefit in the course of my inquiry. In my view, teachers have always been activists in some way or another, and I’m excited for the chance to take those steps personally. Second, I bring the perspective of a young, internet-savvy citizen who is actively educating people by spreading awareness of social justice issues every day. In a world where you can mute, block and unfriend somebody at the click of a button simply for having opposing views, I try my hardest to present different perspectives rather than shut those out, as I may be one of the only voices they are getting this important information from. I can see value in starting this kinds of social justice education early, as the ability to even consider different perspectives from your own, in my experience, is quite difficult for many people. Third, I have a spiritual/religious perspective to bring to my inquiry, as the progressive and moral teachings of the United Church of Canada has shaped my views on every issue I have come across and will probably continue to do so even as my direct participation in the church diminishes.

I plan on drawing first from Canadian teacher and scholar Terezia Zoric’s article Teaching for Social Justice from an Activist Approach, which originally appeared in the Summer 2014 issue of ETFO Voice, the informational magazine put forth by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, as a starting point. As a person committed to equity through her work as the chair of the University of Toronto Faculty Association Equity Committee and a past head of the Toronto District School Board’s Equity Department, Zoric is definitely a valuable resource for me during my inquiry and beyond. I will also look at her book Challenging Class Bias as an example of a resource that is available for teachers, and some of her contributions to other works that champion an activist approach. That’s Not Fair! A Teacher’s Guide to Activism with Young Children by Ann Pelo and Fran Davidson, an American resource for teachers, will be evaluated as well. Scholarly articles include several of Zoric’s and the articles and resources she draws upon, and “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”: Privileged Students’ Conceptions of Justice-Oriented Citizenship” by Katy Swalwell, which appears in the journal Democracy in Education. Finally, I will delve into the new BC social studies curriculum for grades K-3 and ministry and school board policies to see if teaching the big ideas and content through and activist lens would be achievable and appropriate.

Down which avenues do I foresee this inquiry taking me? First, this inquiry is a deeply personal journey, as I continue to form and evolve my own teaching philosophy to include and feature my passion for social justice and positive change in the world. Second, utilizing the information I evaluate, curate and produce myself, my goal is to eventually provide a resource for teaching through an activist lens specifically within the scope of the new BC Curriculum. The broadness of the wording of the curriculum, as mentioned above, already allows teachers the flexibility to teach through this lens, but as there are few resources that make specific curricular connections to the Big Ideas and content, which is probably due to the fact that the curriculum is so new, there is little out there for teachers, both new and experienced, to make applying this approach as uncomplicated as possible. The first step in tackling teacher fear around activist approaches is to provide the resources from which they can teach and learn with their students and build their confidence along with that learning. If nothing else, I hope to use what I learn through this inquiry to form my own social studies teaching practice into one that turns out empathetic, knowledgeable, compassionate, and most importantly, active citizens committed to positive change and a better world for all.

 

Reference List:

Pelo, A. & Davidson, F. (2000). That’s Not Fair! : A Teacher’s Guide to Activism With Young Children. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press

Swalwell, K. (2013). “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”: Privileged Students’ Conceptions of Justice-Oriented Citizenship. Democracy and Education, 21 (1), Article 5.
Available at: http://democracyeducationjournal.org/home/vol21/iss1/5

Zoric, Terezia. “Teaching for Social Justice Using an Activist Approach,” ETFOVoice Magazine, (Summer 2014). Available at: http://etfovoice.ca/article/teaching-for-social-justice-using-an-activist-approach/

Zoric, Terezia. Challenging Class Bias. Available at: file:///C:/Users/Linds/Downloads/14_Terezia_Zoric_Challenging_Class_Bias.pdf