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degree, as well as my career as an educator. It is something that I must be aware of, and learn
Kumashiro (2015) highlights the point in which people often overlook teaching practices that
can often invisibly highlight privilege groups or identities and marginalize others. This is
why changes in teaching need to occur. Fairness and equitable distribution of education and
benefits are essential, as not only do they help develop moral judgement (Fahrenwald, 2003)
but allow for those who are economically disadvantaged and normally wouldnt benefit good
education (Tikly & Barrett, 2013) have a chance. This new approach to teaching as well as
the insightful knowledge gained through this unit can help bridge the gaps between privileged
This unit has further helped develop my understanding of the types of social justice
issues that are currently occurring in schools. Theories such as Marxs Social Reproduction
Theory could explain why students from low income or low social economic status (low
SES) background will not benefit as those in the same social groups will often procreate with
the same social group and thus the cycle continues (Rioux, 2015), while other theories such
as critical race theory, as well as privilege and whiteness theory can explain why some
hegemonic groups can be favoured, leaving other groups, such as indigenous people
marginalized (Ferfolja, Jones & Ullman, 2015). Finally, dominant discourse can also
highlight how information which is governed by adults or teaching can affect their
(Robinson, 2012). These theories are just some of the few I will be aware of and use to help
There are various teaching pedagogies I could use, but when it comes to issues such as
marginalization for example, it is essential that I cater my teaching method to close the gap
and end the marginalization, such as discussion, role playing and simulation games, as well
as cooperative learning. Discussion can be effective when dealing with a controversial or low
consensus topic (Killen 2009) as it engages students and uncovers opinions students may
have not considered before. Role playing and simulation games can be a powerful
exploration tool as it helps explore values and interpersonal issues (Marsh, Clarke &
Pittaway, 2014, p. 203). Finally, cooperative learning can create engagement and help
students help each other instead of the traditional teacher teachers and students learn (Marsh
et al, 2014). All of these teaching pedagogies where used when we created our group game.
Its main aim was to highlight marginalization, which as discussed before can come in various
forms.
Aboriginal students. the study we found articulated that aboriginal students and their parents
felt that often times, they were marginalized due to their culture and the lack of
understanding, trust and cooperation between students and their teachers (Lewthwaite, 2015).
In order to display just how the marginalization was occurring, we used critical race theory as
well as privilege and whiteness theory. Critical race theory highlights how a particular race
with have more power due to race, religion or linguistic backgrounds (Ferfolja et al, 2015),
while privilege and whiteness theory further uncover how dominant hegemonic groups can
have power over other groups, which can cause marginalization (Ferfolja et al, 2015). Using
these theories, our group created a game dedicated to show how privilege and randomness
history, and its aim was to marginalize two of the four players at complete random by placing
them in two teams. The game not only taught students how privilege and exclusion can
happen at any time, it also gave the students a self-reflective moment which could then be
used to facilitate a discussion, potentially altering assumptions students had prior to playing
the game. This kind of resource that incorporates various teaching pedagogies can be
effective if used concisely and appropriately. Games such as ours can help students even
come to terms that perhaps they too had unware stereotypes for certain ethnicities which they
werent aware of, which in classroom environments can help create even stronger inclusive
environments. Furthermore, it can also help teachers uncover potential social injustices and
After this unit and creating a teaching resource such as our group project, I realized just how
much power teachers have as educators to young students. The dominant discourse teachers
posses with how they use the unit syllabus can have a huge effect on the information students
receive. How teachers use the dominant discourse can both be a positive outcome for all
students, or marginalize those who do not fit the dominant group profile. In these instances,
the knowledge I have gained throughout this unit can ensure I utilize the syllabus in a way
that education is equitable and accessible, so that social justice issues are minimized. It is
obvious that social justice issues will never disappear overnight, and it takes a group effort
and consistency to combat the inequality, marginalization and discrimination many students
face in schooling environments, but taking on board all the content, pedagogical methods as
well as theories can help bridge the gap beginning in my class rooms so that every student
Fahrenwald, N.L. (2003). Teaching Social Justice. Nurse Educator, 28(5). P. 222-226.
Ferfolja, T.; Jones Diaz, C. & Ullman, J. (2015). Understanding Sociological Theory for
Killen, R. (2009). Effective teaching strategies (5th ed.) Melbourne, Vic.: Cengage Learning.
Kumashiro, K.K. (2015). Against Common Sense: Teaching and Learning Towards Social
Lewthwaite, B. E., Osborne, B., Lloyd, N., Boon, H., Llewellyn, L., Webber, T., Laffin, G.,
Harrison, M., Day, C., Kemp, C., & Wills, J. (2015). Seeking a Pedagogy of
Difference: What Aboriginal Students and their Parents in North Queensland Say
Marsh, C.J., Clark, M., Pittaway, S. (2014) Marshs becoming a teacher (6th Ed.) Frenchs
10.1016/j.wsif.2014.03.008
Tikly, L. & Barrett, A.M. (2013). Education Quality and Social Justice in the Global South.