Scroll down to register or login and take the survey Would you expect this student to be involved in the school band? Would you expect this student to turn in her homework on time? Would you expect this student to be involved in a science club? Would you expect this student to be involved in sports? Would you expect this student to be nominated for a citizenship award? Would you expect this student to be involved in a dance-off? Is Tony doing something bad? Would a teacher confront Tony about what he is doing? Would a teacher report Tony to the principals office? Would you expect Tony to be nominated by a teacher for a citizenship award? Would you expect Tony to turn in his homework? Would you expect Tony to pay attention in class? Compare the rank you gave to the various factors with the responses you gave to the pictures. For example, did the clothes students wore in the scenarios influence your rating of their potential? How does that compare with how highly you ranked "clothes" as a factor to predict students overall success? After reviewing your responses, do you notice whether you used any of the following factors to make a judgment about the students depicted in these pictures and scenarios: clothing, gender, race/ethnicity? Social justice leaders keep race class disability sexual orientation language gender family structure neighborhood and other historically and currently marginalizing conditions in the forefront of their minds when making decisions. Distinctions Between a Good Leader and a Social Justice Leader Works with subpublics to connect with community Speaks of success for all children Supports variety of programs for diverse learners Facilitates professional development in best practices Builds collective vision of a great school Empowers staff and works collaboratively Networks and builds coalitions Uses data to understand the realities of the school Understands that children have individual needs Works long and hard to make a great school Places significant value on diversity, deeply learns about and understands that diversity, and extends cultural respect Ends segregated and pull-out programs that prohibit both emotional and academic success for marginalized children Strengthens core teaching and curriculum and insures that diverse students have access to that core Embeds professional development in collaborative structures and a context that tries to make sense of race, class, gender, and disability Knows that school cannot be great until the students with the greatest struggles are given the same rich opportunities both academically and socially as their more privileged peers Demands that every child will be successful but collaboratively addresses the problems of how to achieve that success Seeks out other activist administrators who can and will sustain her or him Sees all data through a lens of equity Knows that building community and differentiation are tools to ensure that all students achieve success together Becomes intertwined with the life, community, and soul of the school Effects of Social Justice Orientation Raise student achievement Improve school structures Enhance staff capacity Strengthen school culture and community Strategies for Sustaining Social Justice Work Proactive Strategies Purposeful and authentic communication Supportive administrative network Working together for change Keeping eyes on the prize Prioritizing their work Engaging in professional learning Building relationships Coping Strategies Prioritizing life outside of school Utilizing mindful diversions Engaging in regular physical activity Providing for others Employing potentially self-destructive behaviors Preparation Programs Developing Reflective Consciousness Capacity to enact resistance Lead toward social justice: Beyond But thats just good leadership! Theoharis, G. (2007). Social Justice Educational Leaders and Resistance: Toward a Theory of Social Justice Leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly. Vol. 43, No
