Complications of the Righteous: Activist Teaching and the New Teacher

Abstract

Taken from a larger, longitudinal multi-case study examining the decisions and choices (pedagogically and professionally) of early career social studies teachers this article analyzes and describes a single case study using the theoretical frameworks of Teaching Like an Activist and The Pedagogy of Teacher Activism. This article describes the pedagogical and curricular choices Ms. Jane, the teacher, makes during her first two years of teaching middle school. Initially, she identified as a social justice educator, but she shifted over the course of the study later identifying as an activist educator as she became more involved in political and social activism in opposition to the presidency of Donald Trump. Both identities impact how she taught and how she engaged professionally at her school site.

Keywords:

• Social Justice Teaching
• Middle Grades
• Activist Teaching
• New Teachers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Pseudonym.

2 Fred Hampton was the Chicago leader of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. He introduced the term “Custeristic” to describe the Days of Rage Actions by members of the Weather Underground. He said these actions were Custeristic because the only result their actions would have would be the destruction of their organization.