In her article in Education Week, Professor Crystal Belle from Rutgers University wrote, “If we truly want to change the world we live in, education is the best place to start.” Many of us who work in schools couldn’t agree more, which is why we chose this challenging but also incredibly rewarding profession. Schools that strive to achieve transformational goals with our students serve as vital social equalizers in our society. However, Belle believes this happens best when implementing specific classroom strategies. In her article titled, What Is Social Justice Education Anyway?, Belle recommends starting by acknowledging who is in the classroom. Effective teachers take the time to learn about their students’ backgrounds, family values, cultures, and communities. They then form a solid understanding of the knowledge students have before they enter the class as well as where their potential gaps in understanding may be. In this way, Belle recommends building upon students’ interests and then helping their knowledge base expand to cover their curriculum.
Belle also recommends developing clear end-of-the-year outcomes and then creating curriculum maps that help teachers plan backwards to ensure essential materials and skills are taught. While doing so, Belle recommends being honest about one’s own areas of growth and any implicit biases that were developed through previous experiences. Finally, Belle encourages students to question everything. She noted that students continually need to develop their critical thinking abilities, and teachers need to provide them with a safe and dynamic classroom as a springboard for each of these goals.
The many steps Belle outlines are not always easy for classroom teachers. They require continual focus and attention to details. But if educational practices are to change the world for the better, they are well worth the effort.
