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2017

Social Justice

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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Slow Work Of Democracy: Resisting Reductionist Views Of Women And Children, Stephanie C. Serriere Dec 2017

The Slow Work Of Democracy: Resisting Reductionist Views Of Women And Children, Stephanie C. Serriere

Democracy and Education

In her research article “State your defense!": Children negotiate analytic frames in the context of deliberative dialogue," Hauver offers important contributions to the field of elementary civic education that illuminate how young people apply various analytical frames to make collective decisions. First, I highlight significant contributions of her work, namely children’s capabilities to build perspective-taking through dialogue, which I suggest can be more solidly grounded in a sociocultural framework, not a developmental one. Second, I offer suggestions toward such a theoretical framework that loosens determinism for children’s development and offers a less deterministic framework for women. My review seeks …


The Rights Of The Learner: A Framework For Promoting Equity Through Formative Assessment In Mathematics Education, Crystal A. Kalinec-Craig Dec 2017

The Rights Of The Learner: A Framework For Promoting Equity Through Formative Assessment In Mathematics Education, Crystal A. Kalinec-Craig

Democracy and Education

An elementary mathematics teacher once argued that she and her students held four Rights of the Learner in the classroom: (1) the right to be confused; (2) the right to claim a mistake; (3) the right to speak, listen and be heard; and (4) the right to write, do, and represent only what makes sense. Written as an emerging framework to promote equity in the mathematics classroom through divergent formative assessment, the RotL assumes that students can take more explicit ownership of their learning, both in writing and in oral communication. Foregrounded in the literature, this paper discusses how the …


Seeking Democracy Inside, And Outside, Of Education: Re-Conceptualizing Perceptions And Experiences Related To Democracy And Education, Paul R. Carr, Gina Thésée Dec 2017

Seeking Democracy Inside, And Outside, Of Education: Re-Conceptualizing Perceptions And Experiences Related To Democracy And Education, Paul R. Carr, Gina Thésée

Democracy and Education

This conceptual article underscores the importance of critical engagement in and through education with a view to enhancing education for democracy (EfD). As a centerpiece to illustrating this connection, we refer to our research project, which engages international actors through an analysis of the perceptions, experiences and perspectives of education students, educators and others in relation to EfD. The article presents the Thick-Thin Spectrum of EfD and a Spectrum for Critical Engagement for EfD to re(present) the problematic of political engagement and literacy on the part of teacher-education students. The findings of our study highlight a necessity for education to …


Ikeda Draws Parallels Between The Muslim Ban And Incarceration Of Japanese Americans, Aliya Uteuova Nov 2017

Ikeda Draws Parallels Between The Muslim Ban And Incarceration Of Japanese Americans, Aliya Uteuova

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

On Monday, Nov. 13 [2017], University of Maine welcomed Tom Ikeda for his talk titled "World War II Incarceration of Japanese Americans and Why It Matters Today."


Gay Thanksgiving Creates Safe Space For All Students, Olivia Shipsey Nov 2017

Gay Thanksgiving Creates Safe Space For All Students, Olivia Shipsey

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

On Thursday, Nov. 16 [2017], the UMaine LGBTQ Services and Wilde Stein: Queer Straight Alliance hosted their annual Gay Thanksgiving Potluck in the North Pod of the Memorial Union. The event was held to build and strengthen community ties while providing space for students who might not feel comfortable at home to celebrate the holidays.


Living With The Liminal: Unwieldy Unknowns Of Facilitating An Urban Education Cohort Of Student Teachers, G. Sue Kasun Nov 2017

Living With The Liminal: Unwieldy Unknowns Of Facilitating An Urban Education Cohort Of Student Teachers, G. Sue Kasun

Pedagogy & (Im)Possibilities across Education Research (PIPER)

The field of education research often overlooks the importance of supervision of the student teaching experience. In this article, I show how as a doctoral student with a focus on education for social justice, I struggled in that role of student teacher supervisor. Despite the students being enrolled in an “urban education” cohort, I felt my positioning was very liminal and perhaps counter-productive to the goal of social justice. I provide reflections and concrete examples of how racism manifested in classrooms and how the student teachers with whom I worked did and did not disrupt it, and how I often …


Pride Month Flag Raising, Wilde Stein: Queer Straight Alliance Oct 2017

Pride Month Flag Raising, Wilde Stein: Queer Straight Alliance

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Photograph of the rainbow flag displayed on a flag pole located on the University of Maine Mall in front of Fogler Library. A flag-raising ceremony is held at the start of Pride Week activities and observances.


On Global Lgbtq+ Issues, Wilde Stein Queer Straight Alliance Oct 2017

On Global Lgbtq+ Issues, Wilde Stein Queer Straight Alliance

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Screen capture of a Facebook event announcement for a panel discussion entitled, "On Global LGBTQ+ Issues: Multicultural Panel on Global LGBTQ Issues" hosted by the Wilde Stein Queer Straight Alliance on Thursday, October 19, 2017.


We've Changed Our Name!, The Feminist Collective Oct 2017

We've Changed Our Name!, The Feminist Collective

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

A flyer announcing the renaming of the University of Maine Student Women's Association as The Feminist Collective. The Student Women's Association has had a decades long history of making UMaine a more inclusive, more feminist place. From inhabiting the original Women's Resource center, to hosting Take Back the Night every year, to our most recent success in reviving the Women's Resource Center. We are proud that SWA has been a beacon of intersectional feminism here at UMaine for many many years. This year we will be continuing the tradition of learning and growing from our past and adapting to each …


How Can An Intermediate Elementary Educator Use Critical Literacy To Promote Social Justice Through Book Clubs?, Grace Shields Mevissen Oct 2017

How Can An Intermediate Elementary Educator Use Critical Literacy To Promote Social Justice Through Book Clubs?, Grace Shields Mevissen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research is to better understand, “How can an intermediate elementary educator use critical literacy to promote social justice through book clubs?” The author researched and defined social justice, critical literacy and book clubs. After, the author administered a pre assessment, helped facilitate book clubs and a post assessment. The action research was conducted in a suburban school that is mainly comprised of white students. Two groups, having selected the same text, were chosen as a focus group. The author notes and highlights themes across all seven of the students’ experiences throughout the unit. The author …


What Teachers Need To Know About Translanguaging, Thomas Snell Oct 2017

What Teachers Need To Know About Translanguaging, Thomas Snell

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project addresses the question, what do non-ESL teachers need to know about translanguaging in order to support their emergent bilingual students? Translanguaging has emerged in the last two decades as both an epistemology of language and a pedagogical imperative with broad implications for language teaching and learning. This project traces the design and implementation of a professional development experience for teachers on translanguaging, whose goal is to effect a shift in teachers’ thinking about language so that they can understand their students more fully. It was designed specifically for non-ESL teachers, assumes no prior knowledge of translanguaging, and emphasizes …


American Indian Ethnic Studies: A Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Approach To Teaching An American Indian Ethnic Studies Unit, Bryan K. Deiman Oct 2017

American Indian Ethnic Studies: A Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Approach To Teaching An American Indian Ethnic Studies Unit, Bryan K. Deiman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Ethnic studies courses are designed to tell the stories of ethnic groups who have historically been marginalized in all or many aspects of society in the United States. The purpose of this study was to create a unit for an ethnic studies high school course centered on the American Indian experience. Adhering to the theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy, or culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy, the unit for this course was designed to decentralize whiteness and focus solely on the American Indian perspective. This unit was created with a strong emphasis on community outreach, seeking input on content for lessons …


A Secondary Ela Classroom Curriculum Study Using Culturally-Relevant, Digital Texts To Increase Student Engagement And Understanding, Marika Belusa Oct 2017

A Secondary Ela Classroom Curriculum Study Using Culturally-Relevant, Digital Texts To Increase Student Engagement And Understanding, Marika Belusa

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to create an engaging and challenging curriculum for a mid-level 11th-grade English course that would explore the use of culturally releveant, digital texts to increase student engagement and understanding. The paper that follows explores the reason why such an interactive and culurally relevant curriculum is needed in an increasingly-diverse suburban classroom. In particular, a blend of research around neuroscience, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Constructivism, the use of digital tools to enhance learning, and a look at how texts should fall under the mirrow-window continuum, was collected. Combinging theory and research led to the …


Designing A Language-Modified, Trauma-Informed Know Your Rights Training To Prepare And Empower Refugees With Beginning To Intermediate English Language Skills To Interact With The Police, Elizabeth Miyoung Kaufman Oct 2017

Designing A Language-Modified, Trauma-Informed Know Your Rights Training To Prepare And Empower Refugees With Beginning To Intermediate English Language Skills To Interact With The Police, Elizabeth Miyoung Kaufman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This study examined the experiences of Beginning to Intermediate English level adult refugees with the police, in order to inform the design of a language-modified, trauma-informed Know Your Rights training. Results of a student survey indicated a need for information and culturally-appropriate resources. The purpose of this curriculum is to prepare participants to interact with the police using English so that they can understand communication and advocate for themselves, whether they are being approached, detained, or arrested by law enforcement, or they are seeking emergency help. The context for this community education initiative is rooted in the traditions of people’s …


High School Mathematics: A Venue For Political Resistance To White Supremacy, Morgan Kendall Fierst Oct 2017

High School Mathematics: A Venue For Political Resistance To White Supremacy, Morgan Kendall Fierst

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The teaching of mathematics in the United States is biased, unjust, and racist. It pretends to be a politically neutral subject despite its inherent white supremist structures and systems. Three main structural component of mathematics education support White Supremacy and need to be dismantled and restructured: inequitable access, the dehumanization of students, and the emphasis of the individual. Mathematics education can be a venue for political resistance to White Supremacy. This project outlines a yearlong advanced algebra curriculum that is rooted in student voice, community engagement, and social connection and includes: essential foundational work, curriculum design, a pacing guide, course-learning …


“… You Don’T Come To This School... To Show Off Your Hoodies”: Latinas, Community Cultural Wealth, And An Early College High School, Leslie A. Locke, Gerri Maxwell, Maria Tello Sep 2017

“… You Don’T Come To This School... To Show Off Your Hoodies”: Latinas, Community Cultural Wealth, And An Early College High School, Leslie A. Locke, Gerri Maxwell, Maria Tello

The Qualitative Report

Early College High Schools (ECHS), recent school reforms in the U.S., were designed as social justice, equity-oriented interventions to increase educational opportunity for students from traditionally marginalized and underserved groups. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to understand and examine the perceptions and experiences of eight Latina students, regarding their motivation and persistence in an ECHS. Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) framed the analyses. Findings demonstrated the students relied on several forms of CCW to support their motivation and persistence. However, observations and prolonged engagement in the ECHS setting revealed deficit perspectives held by some teachers and incidents of …


What Are Teacher Perceptions Of An Equity Committee?, Isabel Rowles Jul 2017

What Are Teacher Perceptions Of An Equity Committee?, Isabel Rowles

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study takes a constructionist approach to answer the research question: What are teacher perceptions of an equity committee? This research study was done using a combination of direct observation, field notes, a survey and interviews. The data from these instruments was analyzed by broadly identifying three common themes that emerged through each data collection method. Limitations, implications and recommendations are made for future research.


World History Lesson Module Design: Promoting Civic Responsibility Through Engagement, Relevancy, And Global Understanding, Jacalyn R. Polloway Jul 2017

World History Lesson Module Design: Promoting Civic Responsibility Through Engagement, Relevancy, And Global Understanding, Jacalyn R. Polloway

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

A goal with this capstone was to create a classroom that advocates civic responsibility through the use of understanding, engagement, application, compassion, and skills to succeed in the future. If lessons are geared around critical thinking, engagement, and creativity while in a world history class that also reminds students of empathy and relevancy to their lives, then students may begin to think about civic responsibility and social justice not only throughout history but also in their lives. Whether it’s the topic of warfare, genocide, the Syrian refugee crisis, discrimination, or other societally relevant topic, teachers need to inspire strategies to …


Teaching Animal Ethics In Culturally Diverse Settings, Julie Knopp Jul 2017

Teaching Animal Ethics In Culturally Diverse Settings, Julie Knopp

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project explores the research question “How can we teach compassion for animals in a culturally responsive manner?” The premise stems from the contrast of the narrow range of values taught in public schools and the growing cultural diversity of our students. Literature in moral development theory, culturally responsive pedagogy, and humane education suggested that the most effective values education invites students to think critically. By providing information, modeling, and supports for ethical decision-making, students develop a greater sense of moral integrity, while simultaneously developing essential academic skills. The result of this project is a unit promoting critical thinking about …


Women's, Gender, And Sexuality Studies Graduation Celebration, Women's, Gender, And Sexuality Studies May 2017

Women's, Gender, And Sexuality Studies Graduation Celebration, Women's, Gender, And Sexuality Studies

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Invitation to the 2017 graduation celebration for students of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.


An Announcement From Student Women's Association, Student Women's Association May 2017

An Announcement From Student Women's Association, Student Women's Association

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Photograph of a paper flyer taped to the inside of the glass door of the Office of Student Life. The flyer reads: May 4, 2017 An announcement from Student Women's Association The Student Women's Association is happy to formally announce that we have been allocated a space for the new Women's Resource Center in Room 227 of the Memorial Union. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the University over funding possibilities and providing as many resources as we can in this transitional period. As we begin the process of moving into this space, we reflect on the community …


Challenging White Folks Pedagogy. A Book Review Of For White Folks Who Teach In The Hood...And The Rest Of Y’All Too—Reality Pedagogy And Urban Education, Awad Ibrahim, Tahmina Reza May 2017

Challenging White Folks Pedagogy. A Book Review Of For White Folks Who Teach In The Hood...And The Rest Of Y’All Too—Reality Pedagogy And Urban Education, Awad Ibrahim, Tahmina Reza

Democracy and Education

Once in a while, we argue, an author comes in with a clear conviction and a mastery of language that enable them to create “strong poetry,” a new vision. Using Rorty, we call this person a “strong poet.” This is the case with Christopher Emdin’s (2016) book. He not only reimagines the social category of “White folks,” but also works against the notion of schooling and education they advocate for, which Emdin calls “White folks pedagogy.” Emdin also reimagines “the hood,” not as a geographical, but as a sociocultural category. In sum, Emdin articulates a vision that qualifies him as …


In Defense Of Ambiguity In Education. A Book Review Of Rethinking Sexism, Gender, And Sexuality, Caitlin Howlett May 2017

In Defense Of Ambiguity In Education. A Book Review Of Rethinking Sexism, Gender, And Sexuality, Caitlin Howlett

Democracy and Education

This article offers a positive review of Rethinking Sexism, Gender, and Sexuality, a readable and refreshing account of the ambiguities and possibilities relating to gender and sexuality in education today. The review argues that, with a focus on public school experiences, this collection of vignettes, lessons, and critical essays, amounts to a resource that is of great value to teachers, preservice teachers, teacher educators, and citizens as they navigate the ever-changing winds of gender and sexuality, particularly as they diverge and multiply along categories of race, religion, ethnicity, and class. This book offers hope and excitement for those of us …


The Complex Reasons For Missing Spirituality. A Response To "Democratic Foundations For Spiritually Responsive Pedagogy", Marian De Souza Dr May 2017

The Complex Reasons For Missing Spirituality. A Response To "Democratic Foundations For Spiritually Responsive Pedagogy", Marian De Souza Dr

Democracy and Education

This article is written in response to Lingley’s (2016) concept of spiritually responsive pedagogy. To begin with, the word spiritual, when applied to education, still attracts varied responses. Therefore, I have begun by examining contemporary understandings of spirituality as reflected in current research and literature, which provides an informed context for my response. I follow up by aligning some of the key features noted by Lingley in democratic education and spiritually responsive pedagogy to other perspectives that deal with the spiritual dimension in education; I do this in order to offer a supportive stance to Lingley’s assertion that, if …


Is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Enough? Toward Culturally “Real”-Evant Curriculum. A Response To "Democratic Foundations For Spiritually Responsive Pedagogy", James A. Gambrell May 2017

Is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Enough? Toward Culturally “Real”-Evant Curriculum. A Response To "Democratic Foundations For Spiritually Responsive Pedagogy", James A. Gambrell

Democracy and Education

In this response to Lingley's (2016) article "Democratic Foundations of Spiritually Responsive Pedagogy," the author invites the framework of (a)spiritually responsive curriculum to include a more direct engagement with a culturally relevant curriculum as well. The author agrees with Lingley's postulation that (a)spirituality is deeply embedded within the worldview of many students in K–12 classrooms, whether educators include this important aspect of their epistemology or not. Similar to the problems that come when we ignore identities of race, gender, (a)sexuality, (dis)ability, and social class, ignoring these important characteristics of students’ lived experiences is detrimental to learning outcomes and reinforces dominating …


Ypar, Critical Whiteness, And Generative Possibilities. A Response To “Sam And Cristina: A Dialogue Between A High School Teacher And Student About The Commoditization Of People Of Color”, Chris Corces-Zimmerman, Jamie Utt, Nolan L. Cabrera May 2017

Ypar, Critical Whiteness, And Generative Possibilities. A Response To “Sam And Cristina: A Dialogue Between A High School Teacher And Student About The Commoditization Of People Of Color”, Chris Corces-Zimmerman, Jamie Utt, Nolan L. Cabrera

Democracy and Education

In this response to the article by Tanner and Corrie, the authors provide three critiques of the methodology and theoretical framing of the study with the hopes of informing future scholarship and practice. Specifically, the three critiques addressed in this paper include the integration of CWS frameworks and YPAR methodology, the application and description of CWS and YPAR frameworks, and the role of power in the relationship between educator and student that served as the central medium for the study.


Researching Holistic Democracy In Schools. A Reponse To "Examination Of The New Tech Model As A Holistic Democracy", Philip A. Woods May 2017

Researching Holistic Democracy In Schools. A Reponse To "Examination Of The New Tech Model As A Holistic Democracy", Philip A. Woods

Democracy and Education

Bradley-Levine reported in her article how she created an opportunity to explore research data with the aim of examining the degree to which New Tech schools were democratic in the sense conceptualized by the notion of holistic democracy. My response is in three parts. The first sets out my understanding of the significance of the model of holistic democracy and the purpose of the framework. The second is a review of Bradley-Levine’s findings, with reflections that occurred to me as I worked through these. The third comprises my conclusions. The framework has been applied, in my judgement, in a diligent …


Race, Residential Segregation, And The Death Of Democracy: Education And Myth Of Postracialism, Lori Latrice Martin, Kenneth J. Varner May 2017

Race, Residential Segregation, And The Death Of Democracy: Education And Myth Of Postracialism, Lori Latrice Martin, Kenneth J. Varner

Democracy and Education

Since the 1930s, federal housing policies and individual practices increased the spatial separation of whites and blacks. Practices such as redlining, restrictive covenants, and discrimination in the rental and sale of housing not only led to residential segregation by race but also continue to shape Whiteness and frame narratives about what constitutes Blackness. Despite the judicial and legislative victories of the civil rights movement, including the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas decision, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, residential segregation persists and in …


Dispositions Of First Year Teachers Who Teach Mathematics For Social Justice, Kyndall A. Brown May 2017

Dispositions Of First Year Teachers Who Teach Mathematics For Social Justice, Kyndall A. Brown

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

For over 10 years, mathematics educators have sought to use mathematics tasks with social justice contexts to engage students. While student teachers in the UCLA Teacher Education Program (TEP) engage in social justice tasks in their secondary mathematics method classes, very few teachers use these types of tasks with students in the classrooms. The master’s inquiry projects of three TEP students who engaged their students in social justice tasks are analyzed to determine how their backgrounds and positionality influenced their instructional decision making. Results show that personal experiences in the teachers’ lives, as well as a desire to increase motivation …


The International Baccalaureate Learner Profile: A Social Justice Framework In The English Language Arts Classroom, Kristin Sovis, Sarah Pancost May 2017

The International Baccalaureate Learner Profile: A Social Justice Framework In The English Language Arts Classroom, Kristin Sovis, Sarah Pancost

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

“The International Baccalaureate Learner Profile: A Social Justice Framework in the English Language Arts Classroom," highlights the story of an expert secondary ELA teacher as she navigates the political climate in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. Through narrative, classroom anecdote, and pedagogical reflection, this story offers readers an authentic portrait of the complex decisions that face teachers as we navigate tenuous political terrain in our classrooms. Central to this story is the International Baccalaureate (IB) Learner Profile (LP), which is the framework from which this teacher operates: the IB LP serves as both the anchor and guide for …