Quality education isn’t a prize that people have to jump hoops to acquire. It is the democratic, moral, and social right of every human being on this planet. It also does wonders for our children’s general well-being and intellectual growth. These days, people are throwing around the phrase’ social justice’ like a beach ball at a football game. People started promoting social justice back in the 19th century. However, it was only a concept followed by a few. Social justice is all about the fair and equal distribution of opportunities to less privileged people living inside a particular community.
In the beginning social justice only dealt with equal distribution of wealth and property. Nowadays, the concept of social justice stretched above and beyond only property and wealth. It remains deeply planted inside our education system. Educational leaders are doing their best to promote it both on and off-campus.
One thing that provides us with big hope; today’s youths are more tolerant than their predecessors and care about social justice deeply. Thanks to the invention of social media, educational leaders and students alike can now know about our world’s issues with the click of a mouse. That said, listed below are a few ways educational leaders can promote social justice in the education system.
Incorporate Social Media
Now more than ever before, activist groups have a significant online presence. Educational leaders can utilize social media to educate students about the whole’ hashtag activism’ concept, its limitations, and benefits. For instance, teachers can assign their students tasks that require them to research various social justice groups through social media platforms.
What do these social justice groups do? How do they utilize social media to promote social justice? Are they able to leave a positive effect on society? And, most importantly, what is social justice in education according to them? Such activities can do wonders for students who want to become advocates of social justice. It promotes them as a platform to share their views and opinions.
Invite Guest Speakers To the Classroom
Sometimes, students would want to hear from someone other than their teacher. It might be an opportune time to invite a guest speaker. These guest speakers can either be artists, community organizers, or holocaust survivors. Anyone who devotes their entire life to social justice will be a good guest speaker.
Furthermore, thanks to technology, these guest speakers don’t even have to come into the classroom physically. They can stream their session through live video broadcasting software such as Zoom or Periscope. You could also hold a special keynote event and inspire innovation and change in your organization with visionary keynote speaker Chad Foster.
Encourage Collaboration Inside The Classroom
Educational leaders should always promote classroom collaboration first. It promotes team-based learning and teaches students the importance of relying on others. Instead of asking students to complete assessments on their own, they can work in groups. For example, teachers can assign groups of two to three students and research specific social justice issues.
Once they complete their research, the teachers can then ask them to present their findings and opinions in front of the entire classroom. Such a simple group-based exercise will expose students to various social injustice issues. It also allows them to work as teams to develop solutions, despite any disagreements and differences.
Always Lead By Example
Educational leaders have to lead by example, no matter what. If teachers are not promoting social justice themselves, it is useless to ask students to do the same. When the school year begins, educational leaders and teachers can set policies that value tolerance and inclusiveness. Educational leaders have to respect their students and honor their wishes. They should never make anybody feel inferior or belittle anyone in the classroom.
If comfortable, an educational leader can add a little personal touch to the classroom and educate students about social justice. Such a thing establishes your credibility as a socially just teacher. It lets your students know that you follow what you preach outside the classroom and inside it.
Engage Students In Video Lectures
it is equally vital for educational leaders to try various contemporary teaching methods and get their points across more clearly. One such teaching method is education through video lectures. Long movies such as Erin Brokovich inspired countless students. Simultaneously, more contemporary, short Youtube videos and Tedtalks do wonders for students with a short attention span.
Whatever type of teaching method you use to impart education to your students, always know that video lectures will engage students more than traditional lecturing techniques. There is nothing more impactful than visual content as it can tap into the viewer’s emotions.
Ensure Classroom Safety
Nothing screams social justice more than a classroom that welcomes students from all races, genders, backgrounds, and social stature. When a student knows that the education leader values their input, they will never even think about suppressing their beliefs. However, as these opinions teeter on the edge of social injustice, an educational leader steps in and does his or her best to provide every student a safe studying environment.
He or she takes a more streamlined approach and never calls out a student individually. Yes, something such as this may end up creating a little discomfort for the students. However, nothing will show that you value all your students at the same level more than asking them to work in groups.
Conclusion
As we move towards globalization, students and educational teachers alike are aware of the problems that continue to plague the earth, from social injustice to infectious outbreaks to world hunger. You name it! Students will look at these problems from a broader perspective if educational leaders promote social justice more at school.
