About the Book
This edited collection illustrates different possibilities for social justice practice in various grade levels, disciplines, and interdisciplinary spaces in P-12 education. Chapters in this unique volume demonstrate teaching with a critical lens, helping students develop critical dispositions, encouraging civic action with students, and teaching about topics inclusive of race, class, gender, and sexuality. Based on empirical research, each contribution is rooted in a critical theoretical framework and characterizes findings from sustained study of pedagogic practice, spanning subject matter from social studies, English Language Arts, music, mathematics, and science. Through this work, both pre- and in-service teachers as well as teacher educators will be inspired to practice social justice in their own classrooms.
About the Author :
Summer Melody Pennell is Assistant Professor of English Education at Truman State University. Her research interests include social justice pedagogy, English education, queer theory, Young Adult literature, and qualitative methods. Her publications include manuscripts on her theory of queer cultural capital and teacher education.
Ashley S. Boyd is Assistant Professor of English Education at Washington State University where she teaches courses on critical theory, English methods, and young adult literature. She earned her BA in English, MAT in secondary English, and PhD in Education from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Hillary Parkhouse is Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research interests include critical citizenship education, global education, youth civic empowerment, and critical pedagogy. She has published articles on undocumented immigrant youth activism and teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students.
Alison LaGarry is Clinical Assistant Professor of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research interests include social justice pedagogy, arts education, educational sociology, and qualitative methodology. Her publications include manuscripts on social justice teaching methods, and arts integration.
Review :
"A real strength of this book is its scope. It offers images of students ranging from pre-K to high school, in language arts, math, science, social studies, and arts-based classrooms. It delves into topics including gender and sexuality, anti-racism, immigration, ethnicity, linguistic diversity, among others. And instead of providing a chapter for everyone, it provides a kaleidoscope of possibilities for teachers committed to the ongoing, increasingly difficult, work of social justice in their classrooms."--Mollie Blackburn, Professor, School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University
"Teachers, and teacher educators, agree that meaningful education must be oriented toward equity and justice. These terms and concepts are ubiquitous in educational texts, but are rarely illustrated in action. This text fills that gap, providing much-needed real-world models of justice-oriented teaching practices. Spanning a wide range of grade levels, disciplines, and pedagogical approaches, authors present methods, projects and materials based on classroom experiences. The editors have collected narrations of practice that will inspire educators in their efforts to apply critical approaches to interdisciplinary, liberatory instruction in ways that will benefit all learners." --Julie Gorlewski, Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning, Virginia Commonwealth University
"A powerful collection of case studies, Possibilities in Practice: Social Justice Teaching in the Disciplines, is a serious engagement with social justice pedagogy as an approach to teaching and its application in everyday practice. With tangible examples of teaching from P-12 and across disciplines, this book shows us social justice pedagogy in action."--Luis Urrieta, Susan and John Adams Professor of Education, University of Texas at Austin
