Toward a Critical-PBL: Centering a Critical Consciousness in the Middle Grades

The dual pandemic of 2020 that includes racism and COVID-19 demonstrates the need for students to become socially responsible and critically conscious world citizens. Students in the middle grades are developing their sense of identity while concomitantly trying to understand the complex world around them. While many teachers understand the need for critical pedagogy, many still struggle to find time to teach rigorous content standards while integrating social justice education. In this article, we propose the four pillars of Critical-Problem Based Learning (Critical-PBL). Using critical standards, critical problems, critical content, and critical discourse, we offer a framework to support teachers in creating a space for students to learn how to name injustices and work toward social transformation

Unpacking our impact: teacher educators’ J.E.D.I. journey

J.E.D.I. is an acronym that includes the goals of equity, diversity, and inclusion but intentionally places the need for justice first. In this session, faculty in the College of Education will discuss their racial justice journeys as teacher educators. Together, we will present why we engage in the work of encountering and dismantling racism including reflections on our personal processes of racial identity development. Following the presentation, there will be an opportunity for questions and collective sense-making on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work in teacher education