Cultivating Social Change Through Our Practice

This final project encompasses a comprehensive reflection on: a) your practice as a teacher/educator; b) knowing your students; and c) the thoughtful selection of literature and instructional materials, to help you and your students understand social issues that impact their self-perceptions and their life opportunities. You will write a 5-7 pages (double-spaced) paper addressing the following:

Context:

Describe your classroom artifacts and room configuration. Is student work presented? Is wall dcor motivational? Do artifacts in your classroom show you to be an equity-oriented teacher?
What can you still add or change to reflect and promote equity and social change among your students?
Choose a poster, lithography, photography, illustration, etc. that you may want to add as part of your classroom dcor as a source to ignite interaction, empower your students, and promote equity and retention. Explain your choice.
Interaction:

Describe how you are trying to structure your interactions, so they will make your students feel safe in your classroom.
State what you do to motivate your students and to promote their self-confidence by setting high expectations and building alliances with them
What kind of feedback do you give to your students on their assignments?
Do you have classroom interactions regarding college, jobs, or professions? Explain
What can you do to assist your colleagues to understand the impact of their classroom talk and interactions?
Literature and Materials:

Do you use literature or artifacts in your instruction that promotes your students empathy for others and desire for social change? Explain
Choose one childrens picture book or young adult chapter book (that you had never read or heard of before this course). You can choose from the list or website below, or any other source. Write about ways the book can help you encourage discussions of social realities, empower students, promote empathy, and cultivate social change.

Immigration

They called us Enemy by George Takei

Inside out and back again by Thanhha Lai

A different pond by Bao Phi and Thi Bui

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Nowhere boy by Katherine Marsh

Ableism

What about me?: A book by and for an autism sibling by Brennan Farmer and

Mandy Farmer

Special siblings: Growing up with a sibling who has special needs by Jessica

Leving

Something to say about stuttering by Eden Molineaux

Out of my mind by Sharon M. Draper

Fish in a tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

My brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete

A friend like Simon by Kate Gaynot

Little big sister by Amy McCoy

Social Diversities

We are family by Patricia Hegarty

Listening with my heart by Gabi Garcia

Through my eyes by Ruby Bridges and Margo Lundell

The story of Ruby Bridges: Special anniversary edition by Robert Coles

Last stop on market street by Matt De La Pea

The invisible boy by Trudy Ludwig

Other possibilities –  website from Loyola University:

              http://libguides.luc.edu/c.php?g=49784&p=320649

Conclusion:

Synthesize what you have learned from this course and what tasks lie ahead for you as you work to incorporate this learning into your classroom practice.
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