Socially Just Conditions for Learning - Essay Example

? Socially just conditions for learning Socially just pedagogy is further positioned as educational practice directed on exclusion of disabled students from marginalized cont ext. Moreover, there is a need to include social theories in pedagogical practices. The students with special educational needs, minorities or students from underprivileged families very often are not autonomous learners. Therefore, it is necessary to change pedagogical practices with regards to social aspects of student’s lives. Introduction In the modern globalized context it is relevant to apply innovative approaches to all spheres of human activities. In the sphere of education it is especially important to focus on social aspects, because teachers are responsible for upbringing and educating of new globalized citizens. Therefore, sociological implications of pedagogical practices should be correlated with political and cultural regulations of the country. Socially just pedagogies are focused on education of students with disabilities, from socially unfavorable families and environment. As far as we know it: “Educators … should reject forms of schooling that marginalize students who are poor, black and least advantaged. This, points to the necessity for developing school practices that recognize how issues related to gender, class, race and sexual orientation can be used as a resource for learning rather than being contained in schools through a systemic pattern of exclusion, punishment and failure (Rossi, 2004). Consequently, we can see that now it is time to change social aspects of pedagogies for tolerant and multi-faceted educational practices. Teachers should take into account a student’s will for knowledge, improve and advance it and not to oppress him because of social stereotypes or perverted social patterns (Ukpokodu, 2007). Children impairments Children with physical or cognitive impairments are often criticized by classmates and in this case a teacher should be a “trigger” of tolerant and correct behavior in relation to a child. There is a marginalized disposition of students with disabilities and modern researches and studies are focused on reconceptualization of the students’ “inclusion” in the educational process (Chubbuck, 2009). A fundamental nature of impairment and disability should be promoted as a form of social artifacts. Another important measure to be taken by the modern teachers is to interpret pedagogical doctrines within social and globalized contexts. To begin with, teachers should realize the fact that their students, which are generally positioned as skilled and productive individuals, may be not “able”. Moreover, concerning students with disabilities, it should be noted that they require more help, patience and tolerance from their teachers. In accordance with the study conducted by Christensen, Young, & Marchant (2007): “An inclusive society, therefore, is not a society of equals in a principled way, but a society in which everyone has the qualities to meet her needs in an entrepreneurial way” (p. 82). Modern approaches of teachers to education A people-centered approach is the most relevant step to be taken by teachers in the beginning of educational practices change. A teacher should be positioned as a mentor, helping to bridge an inner emotional gap within a student with special needs. There are two important questions for each teacher: “what do my students see?”, “what are their real ideas in the educational process?” Consequently, education in the modern globalized context is moving from telling students what is true to asking students what it true. Children have their own opinion. They have their own voice and it should not be suppressed in the educational process. A socially just teacher is a mentor, who has an ability to listen to his students and take into account their ideas (Keeffee and Carrington, 1996). I can further claim that a teacher’s socially just practices are being developed under the influence of childhood impressions. In my childhood I wanted to help other people very much. The National Guard membership was my dream and I thought that I am responsible for saving human lives or I can help them to resist different challenges of their lives (Gale and Densmore, 2000). The National Guard, to my mind, was the only humane way to help people. Nevertheless, unlike principles of army or National Guard my practices are more tolerant and humane in the process of education. I do not thinks that a student has to do what he is told, like in the army, he should have a chance to add something, to agree or disagree with a teacher if his ideas are argumentative ones. Therefore, I can claim that currently I am a supporter of people-centered approach in the education. This type of education provides students with a favorable atmosphere for knowledge gaining and friendly communication Christensen, Young, & Marchant (2007). I can further claim that one of the greatest benefits of this approach contributing much into socially just education is appreciation of the student’s wisdom, his independent thinking. Moreover, it is very important for teacher to show respect to student’s life and life challenges. In other words: “This approach is not value neutral. It relies on empathy, respect for each person's wisdom and finding one's own leading into a pro-justice lifestyle. But it does not believe in imposing itself by setting up experts who should tell people what they should do with their lives” (Connell, 1993). Currently, there is an evident shift of accents: from facts to learners. Still, the most challenging issue remains open: how to deal with students from different social levels in class or with diversified students? It is possible to answer to this question comparing and contrasting students with the members of social movements. The representatives of middle-class movements (e.g. supporters of anti-globalization trends or peace movement) are focused on the lives of others. Unlike them, working-class activists are fighting for their own lives. Their experience of oppression may negatively influence on their educational process. They are waiting for empowerment from their teacher and not just clarifying to them why injustice happens. A good example is given by David Croteau cites Fantini & Weinstein (1968). He compares social injustice with a bad weather: “A lot of times I don't like the weather, but I don't wrack my brain trying to think up a way to change it... If it's raining...I go inside. I don't try to stop it from raining” (p. 34). In other words, students should be aware of social challenges and teachers should facilitate socially perverted templates or patterns of behavior. It is better to teach students life and not only facts from the books. If to interpret these ideas, we can see that socially just education is possible in case a teacher is a tolerant and understanding person, who can think about different students in a different way. It is necessary to concentrate not on their race, social status of their families, religious beliefs etc but to me concentrated on their individualities, ideas, considerations (Thomson, 2002). To put it simply, a student should be assessed by the teacher in accordance with the well-known proverb: a good dress is an invitation; a good mind is a letter of recommendation. Literature overview of innovative teaching practices Of course, there is another vision of socially just teaching. In accordance with Denise Zinn and Andre Keet it is necessary to focus on three level model of pedagogical practices change: structural level (demography of teaching staff), cultural level (cultural level defending racial or other types of discrimination); personal level (personal concerns of teachers and their impact on future pedagogical practices). On the one hand, this methodology is effective, because it is focused directly on teachers’ personal concerns (Hamovitch, 1997). In accordance with other researchers and scientists in this field, social aspects of education are considered from different perspectives: Freire is focused on education as liberation; Connell considers education as a public asset; Zinn and Keet are focused on several crucial levels of pedagogical practices development. They claim that teachers should develop their practices on structural, cultural and personal levels. Reimers suggested focusing on global context. Thus, the author claims that it is necessary to take into account cultural peculiarities, language knowledge, values etc. Bourdieu (2001) underlines that it is important for a modern teacher to develop skills and behaviors appropriate for diverse students. Exley is focused on cultural aspects of knowledge within different cultural contexts. Collins, Kenway, McLeod (2000) discuss gender debates. Personal Reflection As far as we can see, there are different approaches to development of socially just pedagogies. The main emphasis is made on globalization of pedagogical practices. Teachers should be mentors of modern global citizens. This approach is relevant nowadays, because students come from different environments, have different cultural values, systems of beliefs etc. virtual bag of students is a helpful tool of knowledge gaining. Moreover, socially just pedagogical practices are effective for creation of a favorable learning atmosphere. Every student should be treated as an individual and every student should be taught various worldviews, tolerance to classmates, patience etc. In accordance with my personal experience, I can claim that there were few minorities and only girls were my classmates. There was a lack of socially just practices at my school, because islander students had many challenges while getting acquainted with ingrained cultural and societal beliefs. Unfortunately, I have experienced numerous challenges caused by a lack of social just practices. A challenge of so-called virtual school bag is also rather problematic unsolved question. The point is that children come to school and cannot use their knowledge to the fullest extent. Therefore, we can refer to the ideas of Pierre Bourdieu, who claims that “making changes is no simple matter, and the game of schooling differentiates between children and between different kinds of knowledge and that educational and social mandates of schooling are contradictory. Yet it is possible to work on “changing educational probabilities” when teachers understand and incorporate children’s funds of knowledge and resources, so that children can use what they already have, so that each child gets to bring their school bag from the corridor to the classroom and make use of what is there for school learning” (Marshall, 2001). A teacher in this case is positioned as a trigger of just and fair relations in class and a creator of a friendly atmosphere of learning. Conclusion Therefore, our basic claim is that it is time to change educational practices and to shift accents from facts-centered educational approach to a person-centered educational approach. It should be noted that modern teachers should be more concentrated on global issues and take into account individual’s traits of their students. For example, a student should be aware of worldviews of his classmates, to take into account their personal traits and get knowledge in a favorable and friendly atmosphere. To be socially just means for a teacher to have a wide outlook, an open heart, a great tolerance and patience and the ability to help their students not as severe instructors, but as friendly mentors. Works cited 1. Christensen, L., Young, K. R., & Marchant, M. (2007). Behavioral Intervention Planning: Increasing Appropriate Behavior of a Socially Withdrawn Student.Education & Treatment of Children, 30(4), 81+. Retrieved September 29, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5024297039 2. Chubbuck, S. M. (2010). Individual and Structural Orientations in Socially Just Teaching: Conceptualization, Implementation, and Collaborative Effort. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(3), 197+. Retrieved September 29, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5047614162 3. Collins, C., Kenway, J. and McLeod, J. (2000). Gender debates we still have to have. Australian Educational Researcher, 27 (3), pp. 37. 4. Connell, R. (1993). Social Justice in education. In Schools and social justice (pp.11-19). Philadelphia: Temple University Press. 5. Fantini, M. D., & Weinstein, G. (1968). The Disadvantaged: Challenge to Education. New York: Harper & Row. Retrieved September 29, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=54336605 6. Gale, T. and Densmore, K. (2000). Playing fair: Who gets what and why? In Just Schooling: Explorations in the cultural politics of teaching. Buckingham: Open University Press. 7. Hamovitch, B. A. (1997). Staying after School: At-Risk Students in a Compensatory Education Program. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. 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Thomson, P. (2002). Vicki and Thanh. In Schooling the rustbolt kids: Making the difference in changing times (pp.1-18). Crows Nest: Allen& Unwin. 14. Ukpokodu, O. N. (2007, Fall). Preparing Socially Conscious Teachers: a Social Justice-oriented Teacher Education. Multicultural Education, 15, 8+. Retrieved September 29, 2011, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5035229518 Read More