United States: Ten Years of Teaching Social Justice through The Change Agent
"The Through the Lens of Social Justice manual is the best adult education publication in the last 50 years. It has the potential to revolutionize both the philosophy and practice of the field."
- Art Ellison, Director of Adult Education for the State of New Hampshire.
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The Change Agent marks its 10th anniversary as a hallmark for learning in adult education classrooms. Teachers and adult learners across the nation have increased their knowledge about social issues and their confidence to address them using this dynamic learning tool.
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For over ten years, World Education's twice-yearly publication, The Change Agent, has offered adult educators and their students social justice-focused reading material that can be used in teaching reading, writing, and math. In honor of The Change Agent's first decade, World Education's New England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC) has published Through the Lens of Social Justice: Using The Change Agent in Adult Education. Edited by Andy Nash, Professional Development Specialist at World Education, the book is a celebration of the paper's efforts to prepare adults to be informed decisionmakers and participants in a democracy. The themes The Change Agent has covered (and continues to cover) over the years range from healthcare to economic literacy, to racism to immigration. Whatever the topic, teachers and students are encouraged to go beyond learning the rules and protocols of a particular system; the articles raise questions about how those systems function, in whose interest, and how the rules affect ordinary people.
As with each edition of The Change Agent, this book is a collection of articles that provide teaching opportunities through real-life situations and relevant social issues. Through the Lens of Social Justice is more than a collection of reprints; it is also a thoughtful, practical guide to participatory instruction. Articles are divided into three types, the first of which is 'Connecting to Issues,' which taps into student concerns through engaging discussion starters, personal stories, and skill-building lessons. 'Analyzing Issues' includes essays and articles on social issues that can be used to develop reading and critical thinking skills. 'Supporting Student Action' articles reflect upon life and learning experiences, many written by students themselves, and convey everyday struggles and victories to peers. These last issues are especially popular with other students, and recently NELRC instituted a policy to provide students whose submissions are published in The Change Agent with a fifty-dollar stipend.
Federally-funded adult education takes place in community-based organizations, public schools, jails, workplaces, and community colleges all over the country. Adults seek education for any number of reasons: they may be returning after having children, may have dropped out of high school, may be seeking new or improved job skills, may have immigrated recently to the US, or simply may not have had adequate resources to attend school as youth. In recognition of the many barriers that these adults face, Through the Lens of Social Justice takes on social justice topics that aren't often addressed. Titles include 'Getting the Facts about Homelessness,' 'Voting Rights,' 'America's Health Care Crisis,' 'Does Putting People in Jail Cause More Crime?,' and 'Teaching to Unlearn Racism: A White Perspective.' For educators who need support in addressing such content, the final chapter offers approaches to dealing with difficult issues in the classroom.
Through the Lens of Social Justice is a useful resource not only for adult education, but also for high school and college courses in ethics, civics, and social studies. Through the Lens of Social Justice has something for everyone: compelling and inspiring stories that explore issues that we all face as human beings. To learn more about The Change Agent/Through the Lens of Social Justice, please visit www.nelrc.org/changeagent.
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