Social Justice in the Classroom
Each February, PCS participates in the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, exploring the 13 Guiding Principles that inform the week. In third and fourth grade, students thought explicitly about how one of the prinicples, Restorative Justice, can play a role in their classroom. Already, they’re capturing the key components of responsibility, repair, action and engagement without shying away from acknowledging that harm has been done and recognizing the varying needs in a community.
“Resolve issues that need to be resolved.” “Repair harm.” “Make sure everyone feels safe.” In this morning arrival whiteboarding activity, themes of care, safety, remedy and resolution are clear. As are increasingly sophisticated understandings — “Resolve conflicts by asking questions.” What a beautiful way to acknowledge that we don’t always understand the harm we’ve caused someone or how to make it better. What a perfect way to open space for a new perspective. One that can lead to genuine healing.
Social justice learning in our classrooms can be just as explicit and structured as other curriculum like math, reading or science. PCS is an actively anti-racist community. Part of our responsibility as anti-racist educators is making sure that anti-bias work and materials that honestly and responsibily address the realities of racism are incorporated into our daily curriculum.
Many opportunities to discuss systemic racism and individual bias present themselves authentically, whether we’re considering recent news stories, recounting personal experiences, uncovering themes in our integrated unit, or discovering historical inaccuracies or mistruths in our research. Additionally, some of our anti-racist work is explicit, intentional and prioritized into the daily schedule alongside math groups and integrated unit blocks. Students are offered dedicated time and safe spaces to work through their questions about racism, process their lived experiences, confront new perspectives, and practice new responses.