Education Forum: Teaching for Justice

Dr. John Walcott, Associate Professor of Education, Calvin University

This forum explores the topic of what it means to “teach for justice” in a way that cultivates an alertness to injustice and a passion for the pursuit of justice in society. The presentation builds on the idea that justice should be both the hallmark of how we teach as well as one of the main goals of our teaching (see “Teaching Justly for Justice”, by N. Wolterstorff). We recognize, however, that different religious, social, and political understandings of what this mean often complicate this work. This seminar explores what it means to teach for justice and presents research highlighting various ways that teachers understand and seek to enact the concept of teaching for justice. The presentation will also include time for discussion of key issues impacted by our understanding of what it means to teach for justice.