Confronting Misconceptions and Fostering Critical Consciousness

With Suburban Middle Schoolers

Andy Beutel

April 22^nd  8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

A critical examination of racism, religious discrimination, economic inequality, and war is too often lacking in our public schools. This is particularly the case in schools populated by students who generally benefit from the societal status quo. In this session I will explain how I attempt to foster a sense of critical consciousness of the world with such students in my 7th grade social studies classes. I will share lessons I have taught rooted in text-based analysis, reflective writing, and dialogue designed to help students confront misconceptions, inequities, and injustices. For each, I will highlight examples of student writing to demonstrate the extent to which this type of teaching is both possible and necessary with this population of students. Finally, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, I will also share how I have adapted this approach to critical teaching to the current period of remote schooling.

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