What social justice issues should you address in your classroom?

Diversity and inclusion can be seen through the lenses of culturally responsive teaching. Marcus Guido stated that “it empowers students with the skills to address social justice issues—bullying, discrimination, exclusion, and unfairness. Researchers have identified culturally responsive teaching (CRT) as a pedagogy that acknowledges and embraces students’ cultures, languages and experiences - and relates them to classroom learning. CRT teachers are actively aware of the various backgrounds in classrooms, and act as a facilitator of lessons that can resonate with each. CRT can be majorly beneficial to closing achievement gaps as well as addressing inequities in the classroom and creating strong partnerships with students.

Classrooms which are diverse are training grounds for a healthy society. The greatest human strength is the flourishing of ethnic groups, race and nationalities unified to live in harmony and respect for each other.

Teaching a child how to grow food is one of the most radical, transformational tools available. From personal health to food security to the raw pleasure of experiencing 'taste' for the first time, the social value is priceless.

Talking about human rights and democracy in the classroom is crucial because it helps students become aware of the world around them. Discussing issues like fairness and the importance of people having a say in decisions helps kids see the big picture. It's not just about facts; it's about understanding different perspectives and becoming responsible citizens who care about making the world a better place. These conversations also teach values like kindness and acceptance, making sure everyone feels respected. So, by talking about these important topics, teachers help students grow into caring, thoughtful individuals who can make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.

In addition to the human rights, mental health and self-awareness would be considered. The way qto treat yourself is exactly the same with the way to treat others. Children who judge, discriminate or bully others would disrespect themselves.

One aspect of addressing social issues is about discussing basic human interactions which are essential to the existence of a peaceful society. Negative interactions between individuals and countries should be discussed however perhaps society could follow Robert Fulghum “ All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten”. This book discusses a list of items that are taught in kindergarten. If society follows and practices this list our achievements could be endless.

In my experience, addressing social and environmental justice is important. Students need to understand that unfortunately, the world isn't perfect. There are injustices that take place on both social and environmental fronts. However, how we react to them will make all the difference. Being exposed to the issues of poverty, inequality, racism, climate change, or pollution to name a few is not a bad thing. What's important is to ensure that the teacher's own biases are dismissed, so as to not project them on to the students. Students must be given the space to make their own decisions regarding matters and educators, students, parents, alike have to be able to accept those decisions and be able to engage in appropriate dialogue for clarity.

Classrooms are great environments to break stereotypes and learn to respect individuality. Especially in today's climate, so many kids are taught to make assumptions based on externalities and group identities. But in a classroom of kids from diverse backgrounds, kids can see just how unique they are. They can learn to distinguish between characteristics that are truly important- like their character and personality development- and those that they can't change, like their ethnicity or sex. We can train kids to stop thinking in terms of "You're XYZ, therefore..." Instead, they can be guided to focus on each other as individuals, and come to appreciate and respect each other as such.