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Becoming a Social Justice Educator
Want to be more culturally competent? Ready to turn social justice aspirations into classroom routines that help every student feel confident, capable, and motivated? Let this book guide you in building more inclusive cultures—and engaging every student.
- Grade Level: PreK-12
- ISBN: 9781071921203
- Published By: Corwin
- Year: 2023
- Page Count: 168
- Publication date: June 22, 2023
Price: $34.95
Description
The curiosity-stirring, can-do handbook for building inclusive cultures
With one click we can make our camera lens switch from portrait to landscape, so why can’t we find a simple way to broaden our perspectives on equity? Because human beings are wildly complex, for one thing. But this potent guide simplifies, providing concrete techniques for becoming expansive educators capable of engaging every student. Chapter assets include:
- Compelling research to support why it’s urgent we embrace foundational fairness—and why even subtle words can have massive effects on students’ sense of potential
- Questions and prompts that help you build inclusive thinking into your expectations of students, your feedback, grading, and approaches to discipline
- Activities, discussion frames, and debate structures that support students’ exploration of complex topics
- Ideas for engaging staff, leadership, family, and the community in ways that reveal strength
Social justice work is not “other;” it’s not extra. It’s student agency work. It’s what keeps so many of us educators up at night, worried about why some of our learners aren’t engaged. With this book, they will be engaged, because they will know you believe in their abilities, and now know how to show that every day.
Author(s)

Zachary Scott Robbins
Dr. Zachary Scott Robbins is the Superintendent of the Marysville School District in Washington State. He has “turned around” schools in Boston and Las Vegas and is honored to be the 2022 Nevada High School Principal of the Year. Dr. Robbins was the 2021 City of Las Vegas African-American Trailblazer in Education Award Recipient, and in 2021 he was the President-Elect of the Secondary School Principals Association of Nevada.
Dr. Robbins was educated at Howard University in Washington, DC, and he earned his Ph.D. in Education Administration at the Boston College Lynch School of Education. You can find Dr. Robbins on Twitter at DrZacRobbins.

Dominique Smith

Sarah Ortega

Oscar Corrigan
Oscar Corrigan is currently an administrator and director of English Language Learner program at Health Sciences High and Middle College (HSHMC) in San Diego, California. He has experience teaching middle school social studies, high school history, supervising teacher candidates, and implementing restorative practices. He earned his master's degree in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University and is a Leading Edge Certified teacher in online and blended learning. With his classroom experience, and as a doctoral candidate at SDSU, Oscar strives to implement instructional practices that best promote an equitable learning environment for students from diverse backgrounds.

Bryan Dale
Bryan Dale is currently the special education program director at Health Sciences High and Middle College (HSHMC) in San Diego, California. In addition, he has experience as an education specialist, an English teacher, and supervising teacher candidates. He earned his master’s degree in Special Education from California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and is a Leading Edge Certified teacher in online and blended learning. With his classroom experience and as a doctoral candidate at SDSU, Bryan strives to implement instructional practices that best promote an equitable learning environment for students from diverse backgrounds.
Reviews
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Deeply reflective and an absolutely essential tool for educators at all levels! This brilliant and powerfully transformative guide takes us along a journey of learning that includes a deep dive into understanding how our very own story and experiences shape our beliefs and behaviors toward social justice in education.Gloria E. Ciriza, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent, San Diego County Office of Education
The authors provide the perfect balance – a guide to self-reflection and a call to action. This is the right guide for the right time. The journey to becoming a social justice educator starts now!Dr. Peter Dallas Finch
Superintendent, West Valley School District
Becoming a Social Justice Educator is a powerful read for anyone hoping to create learning spaces in which all students feel valued and respected. The reflection questions and activities built into each chapter, lead the reader on a powerful journey of vulnerability and greater self-awareness. If schools are to be a safe, inclusive space for all students to excel and be successful, we must better understand the impact our experiences have on the system in which we work.Amy DeLaRosa
Systems Alignment Specialist, Kansas MTSS and Alignment
Other Titles in: Social Justice | Teaching Strategies for Diverse Students | Cultural Competence
For Instructors
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Tools
- Companion Website [Site]
- Know Yourself: equity work begins with self-knowledge [Lessons and strategies]
- The Dominant Culture of Schools and the Ideal of Discourse and Dissent [Lessons and strategies]