| Empirical research about teachers with a formal training in social justice education reveals the need to explore how educators actually apply teaching beyond the textbook into classroom practice within many public schools whose occupation with 'teaching to the test' often puts the topic of social justice and global citizenship on the back burner. The overriding question of this study is how social justice educators translate theories of a more just society in the classroom. More specifically, the study explores how six committed public school teachers, who are graduates from a social justice based teacher education program, engage students in learning about race, gender, and class. This study explores three specific questions: (1) How do teachers' concepts of social justice translate into the classroom? Moreover, how do teachers attempt to integrate academic achievement and social justice perspectives? (2) What educational practices do social justice educators employ to openly engage students in dialogue about race, gender, and class on local and global levels? (3) How do teachers use "best practices" to effectively engage students in researching, learning, and teaching about social justice and world citizenship?... |
