Module1

Whatisyourinterpretationofsocialjustice?
Ithinksocialjusticeiswheneveryonehasarighttobetreatedequallyandhavearighttoequitabletreatment,the
supportfortheupholdingoftheirhumanrightsandtheabsenceoffearforbeingwhotheyare.

Whatisyoursocialjusticestory?Howdoesthatinfluenceyoursocialjustice
lens?
Asagaywomanintodayssociety,mysocialjusticestoryislivinginatimeperiodwhentoleranceandacceptance,
loveandmarriagearenowapartofeverydaysociety...thingsIneverthoughtIwouldeverhaveandneverfoughtfor
becauseImjustanupstandingmemberofsocietywhofollowslawsandrulesandjustlivesmylifewithoutthedesire
topushbuttonsorboundaries.

IthinkbecauseIpersonallydonthavethepersonalitytorocktheboat,Iapplaudthosewhohavethedesiretoseek
outchange,butforme,itdoesntmakemefireduptochangetheworld.Mysocialjusticelensstillhastheabilityand
therighttobecloudywithissuesliketransgenderwhichIcontinuetonotunderstand.Idontunderstanditandwhile
Idontthinkitsmyplacetotellanyonewhattoornottodo,Idothinkthemorewecontinuetomakeeveryonehappy,
themorepitfallsasasocietywewillfallinto.

Howdoeducationandthemediareinforcemicroaggressionsand/or
stereotypes?
Moviesandtelevisionshowsallshowthesametypeofperson.Gaymenareoverlyeffeminate,lesbiansaresuper
butchandblackpeoplearetypicallygaudy,loudandaggressive.Ithinkbecausetelevisionandmediadoesntstart
tochangetheirperceptionsofhowothersare,itshardforpeoplenotassociatedwithacertaintypeofgrouptonot
categorizethemselves.

Whatispositionality?
Positionalityishowyoupersonallyviewgender,race,classandageandhowcertainaspectsliketypesof
relationshipscanbechanged.

Whatissuesmightyoufaceduetoyourpositionality?
Anytimeyoudontagreewithsomeoneorseesomethingeyetoeye,youalwaysopenupyourselftocriticismand
argumentsandbeingcalledintolerant,butIthinkbecauseweliveinsuchasocietythatssoafraidtohurtpeople's
feelings,weare

Whatprivilege(s)mightyouhavethatcanbeusedtoyouradvantage?
IdonteverhavetotrulyworryaboutbecominghomelessforanyreasonbecauseIhavealotoffamilywhowouldnt
letmefallthathard,havespaceintheirhousesandfinanciallyaresoundtohelpothersshouldIneedit.Idontever
fearnothavingbasicnecessities.IcanusethemtomyadvantagewhenIneedstuffformyclassroomandstudents.
Theyrealwayswillingtohelpandhavetheresourcestodoso.

Whatwillyouneedtobecautiousofwhenapproachingsocialjusticeissues?
Misphrasingcertaintermsornotseemingcompassionateorinterestedinissuesthatdonotreallyinvolvemeorones
Idonotagreewith.Ineedtounderstandthatjustbecausepeopledonotagreedoesntmeantheyrebadpeople,it
justmeanswearentrobots.

Module2

Discusstherelevanceofsocialjusticetheoriestoyourownareaofeducationor
work.Forinstance,aretheoriesofsocialjusticemoreapplicableorrelevantto
certainsubjectsoverothers?Whyorwhynot?Whohasinfluencedyourthoughts
onsocialjustice?Inwhatways?
Socialjusticeineducationalequity,Ibelieve,continuestobeconjuredupwithsituationslikeforcingallstudentstobe
heldequallyaccountableforourStateofTexasmandatedendofyearSTAARtest,despiteunequalresourcesat
teacherandstudentdisposaland/orthemethodsinwhichteachersdelivercontent.Teachersarentrobotsandevery
schooldoesntfunctionexactlythesame.Idonotthinktheoriesaremoreapplicableorrelevanttocertainsubjects
overothersmorebutitsmoretheopportunitiesforhelporadvancementgiventothestudentsthatmakesocial
justiceanumbrellaoverastudentandacampusinordertohelpthatchildsucceed.Betweentakingthisclass,the
coworkersIworkwithandthestudentsIteach,myinfluenceonsocialjusticehascomefromallofthembetweenthe
waysItreatothers,thewaysIadapttoaccommodateotherswithoutaonesizefitsallmodel.

Whatchangescouldyoumakeinyourprofessionalworktoalignwithsocial
justicetheories?
Counselorsandteacherscouldcontinuetobrainstormandimplementwaystopromotecooperativerelationships
betweengroupsofstudentsandevenparentteacherrelationships.

Module3
Inwhatwayshaveyourformaleducationalopportunitiesformedandshapedwho
youaretoday?
Itsallowedmetopursueateachingcareerbecausewithoutacollegedegree,Iwouldntevenbeconsidered
becauseitisarequirementforemployment.TheyvealsoallowedmetosharemyloveofBaylorandbeingaproud
alumnawithmystudentsandcreateawholenewbandoflemmingswhobleedgreenandgoldnowandsharean
excitementforcollegetheymightnothaveotherwisehad.Sotheirnowhavinganexcitementforformaleducational
opportunitiesnowbecauseIshareminecontinuestobeadrivingforceinwhyIgetsoexcitedabouttellingmy
studentsaboutcollege.

Inwhatwayscouldyouincreaseawarenessofinequities(ineducation,in
healthcare,insocioeconomicstatus)in/amongyourcircleofinfluence?
ContinuingtositinonSchoolBoardmeetingsaswellasbringingupstudentsorcampuswideissuesofconcernare
waysIcanplantseedsaboutwhatmystudentsneedtosucceedaswellaswhatourcampuscouldusetomeetthe
needsofsomanymorebeyondmine.ThemoreIaskteacherfriendshowtheirstudentsaredoingorwhatpitfalls
theymightbehavingtocompare,thatsreallyhowteachersfigureoutwhohaswhatandwhoneedswhat.Justword
ofmouth,blogs,emailsandcampuswidemeetings.

Whatarewaysinwhichwe,asasociety,couldcreateamoreequitable
education(orhealthcare,orsocioeconomic)system?
Giveeveryonebrandnew,beautifulcampuseswithunlimitedresourcesandthemosthighlyqualified,exciting,
innovativeandtechnologyfriendlyteachersonlyonallcampuseswhoreachtheneedsofeverysinglestudent.I
knowitsastretchbutifitsmyjournalandthequestionisaskingmeabouthowamoreequitableeducationsystem
wouldbe,therewouldbenodreamschool.Everyonewouldbeapartofadreamschoolifitweremoreequitable.

Module4
Howdoyouseeopportunitiesforbroadeningparticipationininformaleducation
withinyourcommunity?
ThroughadoptingTheLeaderinMeinitiativeonmycampus,oneofthepillarsofstudentandcampuswideunityand
growthispartneringwithacommunitymember,schoolboardmemberorcommunitybusinessandadoptingeach
otherasawaytoconnectwiththosewhohaveagreatopportunitytoimpactuswhetheritbethroughresources,
funds,time,etc.Withpartneringwithcommunitymembersinsomecapacity,theywillseethecampuswideand
studentwideneedsfromtheemotionalconnectionstothefinancialconnections.Theywillseethepowerofour
campuswideinitiativetobuildtomorrowsleadersandtheconfidentandcollectedscholarstheywillcontinuetobe.
Thisgivesthecommunitymoreofabehindthesceneslookatallthewaystheycanpersonallyinvestininsome
capacity.

Module5
Howdoyouviewyourpositionalitywithininternationalsystems?
OnequotebyAdams,Bell&GriffinthatstuckouttomeinChapter7waswhentheygaveanexampleofinvited
internationalworkerswhowereinvitedfromothercountriestohelpwithvariousAmericanprojectsandwerepaidat
significantlysmallerwages.Forexample,Chineseworkerswhobuilttherailroadsinthe1800sandMexican
braceroswhodevelopedouragriculturalprogramsandfilledlaborshortagesduringWorldWarIIwerelatersentback
totheirhomecountriesoncethesedemandshadbeenfilled(p.147).Thepartthatmademyheartbleedforthosein
othercountrieswashowhardtheyworkedforafractionofthepayandhowtheywerethankedbybeingsentback
wheretheycamefrom.Ifhard,honestworkiswhatAmericaisfoundedon,thosewhocameinshouldhavebeen
treatedwithmorehonoranddignityandthanksthantheyreceived.

Giventhispositionality,whatmightbetheroleofsocialjusticeeducation?
Althoughallimmigrantsmustcontendwiththeracialstructureandnormativeassumptionstheyencounteronarrival,
theracializedexperiencesofpeoplefromdifferentimmigrantgroupsalsovaryinimportantways(Adams,Bell&
Griffin,p.148).Whenstudentscometome,startinganewschoolinabrandnewtothiscountry,IthinkIshould
havemoreculturalawarenessorsensitivitytrainingsoIcanhaveabetterideaofhowtoconnectorunderstandwhat
theyregoingthroughand/orwhattheyrefeelingnow.SometimesIfeelaninjusticefortheprocessoverallwhenI
getastudentwithzerobackgroundpaperworktogobyandonlyspeaksahandfulofEnglishwords.

Module6
Where/howdidyoudevelopyourethics?Aretheygroundedinyourupbringing,
orreligiousbeliefs?Havetheychangedasyouhaveaged?
IthinkIdevelopedmyethicsfromamixtureoffamilyinfluenceandpeerinfluencethroughschoolandthesports
teamsIplayedwith.Mymiddleschoolandhighschoolyears,Iremember,myparentschosetheseniorhighschool
that(andIquotemydadhere)hadamorediversepopulationofstudents,likeameltingpot,ratherthanthesolely
whitecampusacrosstown.ThechurchIgrewupinwasdominantlywhiteandsowerethesoccerteamsIplayed
on.Withbothmyparentsbeingmilitarybrats,theygrewupwithavarietyofethnictypesintheirneighborhoodsand
schoolsandwantedustohavethesamechancetolearnfromothers.Idsaythewaymyethicswouldbegrounded
inmyreligiousbeliefsinthatIdobelievethatyoushouldLoveyourneighborasyourself.Noothercommandmentis
greaterthanthis.(Mark12:31).Prettystraightforward.IthinkasIvegottenolderIcontinuetoseepeoplemore
andmorefortheirpersonalitiesandtheirworkethicandtheirethnicity,languageoranyothermarkerhasnoeffecton
me.

 Whichofthefollowingethicsisthemostimportanttoyou:justice,critique,care,
orprofession?Why?Howdoyoubalanceyourpersonalethicswiththeethicsof
yourworkplaceorotherstructuredsettings?
Assomeonewithasensitiveheart,careisthemostimportantethictome.Idowanteveryonetofeelloveand
supported,caredforandsucceedandtheirskincolororabilitiesmakenodifferencetome.Ifastudentneedsmy
help,thereisnobaggageonmyend.Everyonegetsanewchanceeverysingleday.Ibalancemypersonalethics
withtheethicsofmyworkplaceinthatmakingsureIhaveatruebalanceiswhatmakeseachofthemthrive.When
ImoverloadedatworkorathomeIgiveworkallmyattention,thenmypartnerdoesntfeelasimportantasshe
knowssheisandviceversa.Turningworkoffat4:45formeiswhatIhavetotodomakesureImgivingthe
attentionandcarethatmychildrenneed.IknowIalwaysthinkbacktomychildhoodandwishingmyparentsplayed
outsidewithmemore,readtomemoreandwatchedalittlelesstv.After4:45,Iputthephoneawayandtheirtimeis
nowmyundividedattention.Whenhomelifeishappy,Idobelieveitspillsintohappinessatwork.Notviceversa.

InthearticleLaw,Ethics,andSocialJustice:CommentaryfromtheBridgeby
JacquelineA.Stefkovich,sheassertsthatSchoolofficialsshouldandcanactin
thebestinterestsoftheirstudents(p.390).Doyouagreewiththisstatement?
Havetherebeentimeswhereyouhaveseenaschoolofficialnotactinthebest
interestsofhisorherstudents?Howdoyourecommendbalancingtheneedsof
thestudentswiththepoliticsofbeingaschoolofficial?Isthispossible?
InthecontextjustbeforethequotementionedaboveintheJournalarticle,theauthorfoundthatstudentsinsmall
schooldistricts,poorerdistrictsandschoolswithlargerminoritypopulationsweremorelikelytobesearchedwhile
moreintrusivesearchesoccurredmostinsmallerschoolsandinschoolswithhighminoritypopulations(Stefkovich,
p.389).Idonotthinkyoucanmakeablanketstatementlikethisandsaythatallschoolofficialswilltreatallstudents
accordingtoschoolpolicyaloneandnotbyanyothermarkersbeyondtheircontrol.DoIthinkmyprincipalnowputs
thebestinterestsoftheirstudentsattheforefrontofherdecisionmaking?Yes,Ido.Sheknowsallthestudentson
campus,knowstheirfamilies,theirhistoryandinvestshertimeintoknowingthembeyondpaper.CouldIanswer
thatsamequestionaboutmyformerprincipal?Notinamillionyears.Hedfallasleepinmeetings.Hewouldleave
campusearlyandheonlyknewafewhandfulsofkidsoncampusandmaybeafamilymemberortwo.Whichone
wouldyouthinkcouldactuallytakethebestinterestofastudentwhenmakingadecision?Itsanobrainer.

Sincemoreandmorestudiesareouttherefindingthebenefitsofstudent/teacherrelationshipsandthepositive
connectionsthatdevelopandthepositiveresultsthatcomefromit(justdoagooglesearch,itsnotablanket
statementandinmyfinalpaperformyResearchMethodsClass,mypaperwasoverthebenefitsofstudent/teacher
relationshipsandhowastudentfeelinglistenedtoandimportantmadeallthedifferenceintheworldastoifthat
studentcontinuedonwiththeircourseworkoriftheydroppedout).Idothinkyoucanfindabalance,buteach
relationshipislikeasnowflakeandwhilesomecanhandlethecommunicationandtheinteractionwithstudents,
othersjustdonothavethewiringtobeassensitiveandgenuineandtakethetimetoreachtheirstudentsonthat
level.

Ithinkthattheonlytimesthelinesgetblurrediswhenyoumaketherelationshipspersonalandyoutakeoutthe
parentsanddonotkeepthefocusonthechildandontheschoolworkathand.

Thinkofasocialjusticeeducationprojectinwhichyouwouldbeinterested.
Whatethicaldilemmasarepresent?
IreallylikethefoundationsthatprojectTeachingforChange,BuildingSocialJusticeStartingintheClassroombasis
theirstudyandactionon.Accordingtotheirwebsite,theircreedissimplyput.B
ydrawingdirectconnectionstoreal
worldissues,TeachingforChangeencouragesteachersandstudentstoquestionandrethinktheworldinsideand

outsidetheirclassrooms,buildamoreequitable,multiculturalsociety,andbecomeactiveglobalcitizens.Ethical
dilemmasIthinkcouldbepresentwouldbewhenitcomestocontinuingtokeepapositiveclassroomenvironment
butatthesametimecontinuallyshowingunconditionalacceptancetoallchildrenandevenmakingsurestudentsare
fairlydisciplined.

Module8
Reviewyourfirstjournalentry,howhasyourviewofsocialjusticeeducation
changed?
Ithinksocialjusticeiswheneveryonehasarighttobetreatedequallyandhavearighttoequitabletreatment,the
supportfortheupholdingoftheirhumanrightsandtheabsenceoffearforbeingwhotheyare.Ithinkmyviewnow
haschangedinthatitisntjustwordsonascreen,inthetextbooksorvideosIwatch,butitsmydailyinteractions,
relationshipsanddemeanoroveralltoothersnomatterwhatthatsymbolizes,tome,actuallyallowingsocialjusticeto
manifestitselfinmethroughmyactions,wordsandaccommodationsandnotjustideasIoncehad.NowImputting
itintoactionwithhowItreatmystudents,thegraceIgiveandtheopportunitiesIprovide.Imevenmoreforgiving
andImevenmoreapttohelpingotherswhentheyrereallydownontheirluck.

Goingforward,willyoubeabletomoreclearlyrecognizeinequalitiesinsociety
(microaggressions,inequalityinbothformalandinformalsetting,andetc.)?Ifso,
howwillyouworktochangethoseinequalities?
Idothinkitwillallowmetobemoresensitiveandlesslikelytoprofile.Ithinkithasalreadymademestopprejudging
othersfirstandtakingthingstheysayordopersonally.Ineverknowanyonesstorybeforetheyseemesowiththat
attitude,Itrytomakeallmyinteractionspositiveandsincere.WhatIdoneedtodoiscontinuetolearnaboutsocial
justiceineducationandfindwaysinwhichothercampusesinmydistrictorotherteachersareusinganyformof
socialjusticeorinjusticeplatformstoteach,fightfororshowsensitivityandcompassionfor.IthinkIwilllearnmore
themoreIcollaboratewithpeerswhoarewellversedinsocialjusticeinanelementaryschoolsetting.Iknowfroma
worldlystandpoint,Iwillcontinuetoloveandsupportthosewhoaredifferentfrommewithoutfeelinganeedto
criticizeormakemyopinionheard.Iwillcontinuetoshowgraceandloveandmercytothosewhodifferfrommein
anywayandtheonlywayIknowhowtoworkonchanginganyinequalitiesImayhaveistopraybeforespeakingand
acting.:)

Whatdiscussionscanyouhavewithyourcircleofinfluencetoinformthemabout
socialjusticeissues?Isthereaparticulartopicyouhavediscoveredand/or
becomepassionateabout?
Iveaskedother2ndgradeteacherswhattheircampusesarelikewhetheritbeparentinvolvement,thetypesof
parentsinvolved,theresourcestheyhave,theenvironmentonthecampus,theamountofrespecttheyandthe
studentsfeel,etc.Ithinkcontinuingtofindanswerstothesetypesofquestionscanhelpothersfindsolutionsto
socialjusticerelatedissuesontheircampuses.Ithinksittingquietandnotbringinganyissuesorneedstothe
forefrontishowsocialinjusticecontinuestoplagueourschools.

OnequotefromourTeachingforDiversitytextbookthathasstuckwithmewas,Someresultsofthischanging
economicpictureincludemorefamilieswithdualwageearners,moreparttimeandovertimeemploymentfor
workingclassandmiddleclassfamilies,significantlylessleisuretime,lessaccesstohealthcare,higheroverall
unemploymentandagreaterburdenofdebt(Adams,Bell&Griffin,p.309).Ithinkthehappierwemakechildrenin
schoolsandthemoreconnectedwemakefamilies,thegreaterthechancethestudenthasoveralltosucceed.With
somanypressuresandstressesthesedays,socialjusticeandequalityfortheirchildrenshouldnotbesomethingthat
parentsareworriedaboutwhentheresagoodchanceithasaplacesomewhereintheworkplacetheygotoevery
day.WhenparentsfeellikeIcare,Ithinkthestresswiththeirchilddiminishesandthestudentfeelslikemorethan
onepersoncaresabouttheirsuccessandtheirhappinessintodayscrazy,facepacedworld.