School, Society & Self

Catalog description

eaching is a work of the whole self; and teachers are the lynchpins of schools and schooling in American society. The purpose of this course is to develop a critical understanding of the larger forces at play in our work as educators, and conceptualize what that means for the day-to-day of our teaching practice. In this course, we will explore the ways in which American schools have been molded by the social, political, economic, cultural, and ideological forces in society at large. By historically linking the development of educational initiatives to notions of power, nation building, and citizenship, this class furthers an understanding of the assumptions about the purpose of education within this democratic nation, and its role(s) within our current social and political climate. Additionally, we will explore how the work of teaching can support transformation, rather than reproduction, of these macro-level injustices and inequities. We will draw on students' experiential knowledge of schools and teaching to imagine how urban educators can transform the socially reproductive practices of schools. The work of increasing access to opportunity has been a path walked by educators, individually and collectively, and schools, by leaders and as organizations, and by reformers. With these understandings about self, school, and society, we seek to create a community of practice of equity- and justice-minded teachers, driven by the belief that we are all co-learners in our endeavor as teachers and as citizens, and that we are all co-participants in a democratic society. Prerequisite: Admission to the UTAP program or permission of department.