AEB 3174 Change and Social Justice in Early Childhood Education

1. AEB 3174 Change and Social Justice in Early Childhood Education Lecturers: Christine Cook and Lidia Hall

2. Session1 Introduction to the unit • Overview of the unit content and methodology • Overview of assessment tasks • What is social justice? • What is social justice in early childhood education • What commitment have I made to social justice

3. Overview of the Unit • In this unit PST’s will be required to: • Explore your responsibility as an agent of change to become an activist reflective practitioner • Recognise how the educational setting can encourage students (children) to engage with and improve their communities • Document professional practice effectively • Investigate professional knowledge, practice and engagement in education from a social justice perspective (Interim Graduate Standards) • Develop a personal educational philosophy to inform professional practice

4. Assessment Tasks • 1A Audit of Interim Graduate Standards 10% • Due 5/3 Next week. Presented as peer assessment task 1B Reviewed personal educational philosophy reflecting social justice principles 30% Due 16/4 (not 14th/4 check unit guide) 2 Professional Development Action Plan Due 2/4 to be collected and reviewed before PP then implemented and documented in PP 3 Action Plan Presentation (Sharing of ideas and outcomes) Due: 28/5 & 4/6 Attendance and participation required at both sessions

5. What is Social Justice • Spend a few moments reflecting on what social justice means to you • Brainstorm the discourse ... the words ... we associate with social justice. • What are some Synonyms • What are some Antonyms

6. What is injustice Have you ever observed or heard about injustice in the education of young children? What did it look like? What was the experience for those involved? Discuss some examples

7. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the ChildThe Right to Education • http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5SClmL43dTo • 2+-5mins

8. Social Justice addresses: • Wealth/Poverty • Gender • Sexuality • Race • Ethnicity • Disability • Religion • How can you become an activist, reflective practitioner to promote social justice in these areas. • Do you see areas requiring change ANY MORE? WHAT ARE THEY?

9. Conceptualizing social justice in education: mapping the terrain’ (Gewirtz 1998) • the principle by which ‘goods’ (eg educational outcomes) are distributed in society. • the nature of the relationships ... relationships of power ... which structure society Distributional social justice: Relational social justice:

10. Personal /Professional identityHow do you see yourself Some questions to explore • What is social justice in education? • Why should education, teaching and teachers have socially just commitments and practices? • Why should I be socially just? • How can I be socially just? • Relate to examples of injustice

11. The tasks The ontological task Who am I? Am I am a socially just practitioner? Really?? How is my answer related to the Graduate Standards for Early Childhood Teachers The epistemological task What forms of knowing and knowledge – and thus curriculum, pedagogy and assessment – are socially just? Do I practice these The technical task What teaching strategies and practices, forms of school organisation and system management embody socially just education? Do I contribute to these

12. Teachers know their students and families • Teachers know the learning styles and needs of their students and are aware of the factors that influence their learning • Teachers are aware of and actively respect the social, cultural, and religious backgrounds of the students they teach, and treat students equitably • Teachers develop an understanding and respect for their students as individuals, and are sensitive to their social needs and the way they interact with other • Teachers know the importance of working in partnership with children’s families to support their learning and feelings of community and wellbeing

13. Where are you now? • What are your beliefs and values which inform your practice • Knowledge • Practice • Engagement and Commitment Philosophy Interim Graduate Standards

14. Role Models • http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SjXIbV0XY90 • 2+-5 mins

15. Being a Social Justice practitioner is a lifetime commitment The process can: Presents challenges Be met with opposition Open ethical dilemmas Forming social justice communities, to share ideas and give support can be empowering for all concerned

16. Today’s questions What progress are we making towards answering today’s main questions? • What is social justice? • What is social justice in early childhood education? • Why should education, teaching and teachers have socially just commitments and practices? • Why should I be socially just? • How can I be socially just?

17. Tutorials • For my groups: • AM in room • PM in room • Lidia’s groups will spend the tutorial time: • Writing a statement on “What Social Justice means to me… • Reading over the unit guide outline (content and assessment tasks) and • Working on assessment task1A • Accessing readings identified in the Unit ouline and on WebCT • Refer to the email from her for details

18. Next week • Topic: • The impact of socioeconomic background and educational opportunities in ECE • Tutorial: • Discussion of the teachers role in addressing SE disparities • Small group work discussion and peer assessment of personal Audit of Interim Gradate Standards (refer handout) • This must be typed and presented according to university standards

19. Tutorial: What is social justice? • Small group discussion related to: • “Today’s questions” and issues in lecture • What is your personal professional educational philosophy: does it incorporate a social justice perspective? • Workshop on Interim Graduate Standards

20. By next week • Complete Audit of Interim Graduate Standards, refer to Unit Guide-assessments • Explore the readings in Unit Guide and Web CT • Begin to review your philosophy