Directions:
Essay 3 is one of my favorite essays. That is because I get to ask you to think about social justice within your own communities, and I get to hear your voices on issues that matter to you (hopefully). But social justice issues are controversial, and often, I get a little bit of pushback with this essay. Students will say that this is an English class, and we need to learn to write and not concern ourselves with these controversial issues. But I disagree.
The TED talk below is from a fellow teacher. Her audience is other teachers like me, BUT I think she does an amazing job at making it clear why I think it is important for you to think about these things and write this essay, So, I wanted to share it with you to hopefully make my purpose for your assignment more clear. And don’t get me wrong; I don’t do this perfectly by any means, and I am always open to your feedback. Yes, I want you to learn how to write a strong, academic essay, but there is more….
Let’s discuss . . .
Step 1: Watch!
Step 2: Respond!
Post your response to the discussion board — Reflect
- What is the role of education in social justice/change (according to the author or according to you)?
- How does teaching students to engage in activism helps them build important academic and life skills?
- What kind of political power/agency do you think you have? Any?
- In her speaker description, it says, “Sydney Chaffee believes that teachers and students can change the world together.” Do you think that’s true? Why or why not?
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