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Social Justice in the Classroom


            Social Justice is an important aspect of education today, especially with the increasingly diverse population of students that are currently enrolled in schools in mind. But what exactly is social justice and why is it so important?
            While there are many definitions of what social justice is and many opinions regarding how it can be used in education, I find that the definition and explanation given by the article “Understanding Social Justice for Education” to be the most relevant to the subject of social justice in the classroom. According to the article, social justice in the classroom can be described as “both a process and a goal” with the ultimate aim being “full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs” (Hytten & Bettez 2011) This definition and explanation of social justice as it is used in the classroom reflects the concept of differentiated instruction, which is already in use today, and involves adjusting lessons so that all students regardless of their culture or unique challenges can effectively participate in and learn from a lesson. Other typical requirements for a modern classroom that can fall under this explanation of social justice include building cultural connections with your students and letting them bring their own experiences into the classroom. This would certainly insure that all students from different cultures can learn in a classroom because they would be able to utilize their own experiences and knowledge in school despite being from a different culture than their peers.
            Social justice is an important part of education today. It allows students from all different backgrounds and cultures, with all kinds of challenges to learn in an environment that is productive and safe for all. A lot of schools already use indirect methods of social justice such as differentiated instruction and forming cultural connections in the classroom. I feel both things are important because it shows all students that they can learn regardless of their backgrounds or challenges.

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