Social Justice in the Classroom

          To me, social justice in the classroom means being able to recognize the needs of your students in order to create a positive classroom environment. A teacher should be able to create this environment by acknowledging that each of their students are different. Tabitha Dell’Angelo says in her article, “Creating Classrooms for Social Justice” that social justice is “both/and proposition.” I believe that this is important because it shows the importance of promoting an equal classroom. This can be obtained by giving students different opportunities to see how positive change can happen and how they can be a part of creating change (Dell’Angelo). Students should leave the classroom feeling inspired to take this higher level of being and apply it outside of the classroom in their day-to-day lives. I believe that if a student is able to do that, then the teacher has truly succeeded in making social justice apparent in the class.  

          In order to promote social justice in the class a teacher could create a lesson plan early in the school year that is focused on equality and justice. One of the bigger parts of the unit would focus on how the students can utilize what they learned in and out of the classroom. Students and teachers should work towards creating positive change in their community. Throughout this process the class as a whole should be on a track that will lead them toward a way of being that inspires higher levels of thinking (and learning) throughout their lives. That is what I believe social justice looks like in a classroom. Equality among the students that keeps the differences of others in mind so everyone can feel like they are important and thought of.