Why this site?

Many new teachers are inspired by the social justice and multicultural theory presented in some teacher education programs, but need to see examples of it in action.

Some people believe that younger students are not capable of discussing difficult or controversial topics. This site counters that notion by showing teachers and students engaged in social action on complex topics.

It provides a multimedia space to see social justice projects in action.

All the units housed on this site:

• were designed and implemented by elementary school teachers and student teachers
• focus on social justice issues such as racism, gentrification, fairness, child labor etc.
• help students ask difficult questions about the world
• are designed to engage children in social action to change the conditions of their worlds
• have been integrated with standards or mandated curricular program

About the Authors

Bree Picower is an Assistant Professor/ Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Teaching & Learning at New York University.  Her current research focuses on the role of Critical Inquiry Groups as a strategy to support urban educators to teach for equity and social justice and she facilitates the NYU Social Justice Critical Inquiry Group. She has taught in public elementary schools in Oakland, California and New York City.  She is currently a core member of the New York Collective of Radical Educators (NYCoRE). With NYCoRE, Bree coordinates a teacher led study series called iTAG’s (Inquiry to Action Groups) in which groups of teachers gather to explore and take action on social justice issues. This years itags had over 50 participants from NYC schools.  Bree also co-edited a teacher planbook called Planning to Change the World: A Plan book for Social Justice Educators. Additionally she is working to forge a national network of Teacher Activist Groups (TAG) across the country.

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The New York University Social Justice Critical Inquiry Project is small group of teachers who have committed to teaching for social justice, even in their first years of teaching.  We meet biweekly and support each other in negotiating the challenges of beginning to teach, often in situations that aren’t always on board with our approach.  We help each other develop and critique our curriculum and present to current teacher education students and at national conference.

Marcos Bayas is a second year teacher working in Plainfield, NJ. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor’s degree in Childhood Education and Special Education. He teaches special needs Social Studies and English Language Arts to middle school students. He says, “I try to motivate my students to learn by helping them think about the world around them and to think about issues that are relevant to them.”

Daniel Hildreth is a 5^th grade teacher at PS 34 the Franklin Delano Roosevelt School in Manhattan’s LowerEast Side.  Daniel is entering his 3^rd year of teaching and his second as a special education teacher.  Daniel is an alumni of NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, graduating from the Undergraduate Childhood Education Dual Certification Program.  As a former student of Bree’s and current member of the NYU Critical Inquiry Project, Daniel continues to involve himself in social justice projects in  and out of the classroom, presenting at the 2008 Anti-Oppressive Education Conference in Chicago, Illinois as well as the 2009 Free Minds, Free People conference in Houston, Texas.  Check out an interview with Daniel and his co-teacher Neil Rathan conducted by the Critical Educator Network HERE to learn more about the Cocao Project.

Emily Munzer is a 5th Grade General Education Teacher at P.S. 34 in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. She graduated from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, and currently participates in the Social Justice Critical Inquiry Project at New York University. 

Michael Nappi is a 2nd grade teacher at PS 347 The American Sign Language and English Lower School in Manhattan. Mike graduated from NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Childhood and Special Education and earned his Master’s degree in Special Education from NYU in 2008.