When teaching writing to young students it is important to discuss and assign diverse topics related to social justice. Teaching students to write about diverse and cultural topics will help them grow as writers. It challenges them to think about other topics aside from the standardized subjects that they are used to learning. Also it opens their mind to think about other peoples lives and cultural so they get a more broad understanding of the world. All of this will not only make them more informed people but will also prepare them for life beyond middle and secondary classrooms. Despite all of this there are many challenges that come within teaching social justice and equity. The challenge comes when a teacher must try to incorporate social. justice within the classroom while understanding and respecting everyones beliefs and practices. Students come from all walks of life and many have different topics and beliefs about different social aspects of the world. It is important for teachers to not over step but teach and guide the students between what is right and wrong. Finding a balance within all of this is the biggest struggle and key to making it all work.
Students are not the only ones who carry their own views and opinions about things, teachers also have their own ideas and beliefs. If you can learn to understand and appreciate where they come from and believe then you will teach them appreciate other cultures as well. This is the responsibility of all teachers. In an article from the NCTE called Understanding and Teaching Writing: Guiding Principles, they discuss how writing is embedded in complex social relationships. In the article they state that in order to understand social relationships and promoting social justices teachers must understand the relationships among students with different “group affiliation, identity, and language.” This can becoming challenging for teachers to do it is often hard for people in general to put themselves in someone else shoes but in order to create a healthy an happy classroom experience it is important to talk about and assign topics that may be diverse and cultural. The gap of unknown proportions between what students learn and what teachers try to teach is partly attributable to students diverse social aspects, the connections between these locations and curricular justice, and the wide variety of possible student responses, even when students are similarly socially located. Although the teacher’s goal ,might be to empower students or at least to raise their awareness, teachers might find that you’re making a student in your class particularly uncomfortable, even in places where you wouldn’t expect it. a related set of challenges has to do with teaching about injustices and targeted groups when teachers are, in many ways, privileged. How do teachers strike the right tone? The approach and tone may need to shift depending on the social locations of the teacher and the mix of student in any particular classroom; otherwise, the teacher risks sounding condescending, belittling, or self-righteous.
In order for students to understand and practice other social justices, teachers must assign topics that are real and authentic that are related to these topics. Giving them and example of something is real will allow them to believe it and potentially follow it. In a post by Anne Elrod Whitney called Keeping it Real: Valuing Authenticity in the Writing Classroom, she talks about the challenge of maintaining authenticity in the classroom. Whitney explains that sometimes “often schools glosses over what is most real and immediate, such as a students’ day-to-day experiences and concerns…instead we focus on the writing skills in a disconnected way, having them write “for practice” about topics that are safe, easy, and distant.” This is exactly what teachers try and struggle with when attempting to teach writing social justice. Teachers are often afraid to roll the dice on topic that are controversial and diverse and far too often will go with the topics that are easy and comfortable. When students are engaged in real-world problems, scenarios and challenges, they find relevance in the work and become engaged in learning important skills and content. Students are more likely to engage in the topic when there is a real-world audience looking at their work, giving them feedback, and helping them improve. This is just one critical part of authentic-based learning related to social justice and equity.
Lastly, a challenge in teaching social justice in writing is that writing serves many different purposes. Most of the students that will be writing bout social justices and equity aren’t oblvious to the fact that they exist. As teachers the challenge comes when teaching these students that they have the ability to make a difference in the world. We must empower these students and make sure that they know that their writing and their ideas can make a difference. In a book called Continuing the Journey by Ken Lindbolm and Leila Christenbury on Chapter 9 he discusses the power of empowering students. In the chapter they state that “Speaking out against racism, homophobia, environmental neglect, anti-gun-legislation groups, and others, today’s youth employ social media and, increasingly, mainstream television media to influence national debate. Our English classes and our schools can be an asset to these young people, whether they are finding their voices or refining their message.” Teaching student about these topics will help them be able to change the world. The challenge comes when guiding students to believe that they can do so, believing that they are writers. You can allow students to believe that they are writers if you treat them as writers. Build relationships and connections with your students and get them to believe in what they are writing is true. If teachers do so then their students can change the world.
Teachers should allow their students to write about things that help them step out of their comfort zone. if they do so they will not only grow as writers but as people. if teachers guide them in terms of social justices and equity they will be able to help change the world and make decisions for the better. teachers must acknowledge the challenges that come with teaching social justices but embrace them and face them head on.
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