Trending on Twitter: A Social Justice Approach to Education (Part 2)

Social Justice is Trending on Twitter. This week I have discovered a few hashtags in Twitter that focus on issues of equality in education. I believe as I was taught, that education is the key to a better life. I consider myself a Social Justice Scholar. My platform, Educator Talk is born from life experiences. I grew up in a low income family, attended public schools and graduated with a degree in Sociology of Education, got a grant to be a Junior Research Scholar at UC Irvine, and came to the United States as an immigrant. I am bilingual and bicultural and I was adopted into the family of Christ, one of the greatest social justice scholars of his time. I feel for the student sitting in my classroom with a hungry stare, a confused look for not understanding English, and a worry in his mind for not being able to fit in and look right. I feel for the parents who have no formal education but want the best for their kids and that is why they send them to school every day with the hope for a better life and a better future. Justice in education is my passion. Justice in education means we need to be willing to stand up, step out, and take a risk. Justice in education means that we are willing to be criticized, be uncomfortable, weary, tired, and heavy laden as teachers, administrators and community members. Justice in education means we believe in our children, we want to protect them, and we want them to be the best they can be.

This week I have found that others feel the same passion. Twitter trending is pointing towards a change. An ethical reform education and education with a social justice approach. There are several hashtags on Twitter that address social justice in education. here are a couple of hashtags that got my attention. 

#educationforall

# social justice education

Trending on Twitter: A Social Justice Approach to Education (Part 1)

This week I have been observing Twitter trending to make connections with other educators and expand my knowledge of ways to use Twitter to give and take from my Personal and Professional Learning Network. One of the trends that got my attention started with one of my contacts: 

Philipp M. Herzberg started following me on Twitter and I followed him back. His blog is called 

The Education Blog: Where Education Meets Technology and Science.The reason Philip is part of my Professional Learning Network is that he writes interesting blogs with backed research that support an ethical approach to educational reform. He wrote a blog that immediately caught my attention called Equality Is Not Enough Why We Need Justice In Education

My vision and mission for Educator Talk  is to contribute resources with a social justice approach to education. This desire is part of who I am as a person. I grew up in a low income family. My parents have very little formal education – neither one of my parents graduated from high school. Nevertheless, my dad always told me that education was the key. You go to school and get a degree so you can get a decent job with a decent income. You get good grades and you go to college. I still follow my dad’s advice. All that my siblings and I have is because we got educated and attended college. Perhaps we did not get the best education ever but we worked hard to graduate with a degree. Teachers believed in what they did and we, as students, gave it our best. It is still with pride and tears in our eyes that we look at my dad, a self-made man with only two years of elementary schooling that made a living with a strong work ethic, hard work, and commitment. He believed he could do better. He truly believed in the power of education. It is also with tears that we look at mother and thank her for her willingness to not be a stay home mother, provide a secure environment when we got home from school, and give us a positive outlook in life with strength and faith. She also believed in a social justice approach to education, an approach where you do your best, you keep going, and you move on. 

Follow Philipp on Twitter @mikioherzberg