Developing professional forums that support thoughtful discussion, reflection, and social action: One faculty’s commitment to social justice and culturally responsive practice.

There are many challenges facing those educators who strive to ensure that their pre-service teachers understand the issues surrounding equity and social justice. In response to these challenges, and in response to the interests, questions, and concerns of the faculty in a School of Education, two professors worked collaboratively with administrators, faculty, and staff to organize Professional Forums. These Professional Forums were designed to support and engage faculty in the re-visioning of their courses as well as their pedagogical practices for pre-service teachers, with the specific goal of enhancing students’ understanding of equity, social justice and global issues. In this article, we share our objectives, structures, expectations, and outcomes for the six different Professional Forums we designed and implemented over a two-year period.

Developing professional forums that support thoughtful discussion, reflection, and social action: One faculty’s commitment to social justice and culturally responsive practice. Academic Article