The 'education for social change' philosophy has strong roots in K-12 Ontario education. Here are three concrete examples which show how the social change philosophy informs educational practice:
- Environmental education curriculum: The Ontario Ministry of Education document, "Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow", is a policy framework for integrating environmental education topics into elementary and secondary schools. Consistent with the education for social change philosophy, the framework supports "students in acquiring [the] knowledge, skills, perspectives and practices [needed] to become active, engaged and responsible citizens."
- Supports for students who identity as members of historically marginalized social groups: Most school boards have adopted policies and processes that promote equity and diversity and aim to support students who identity as members of historically marginalized social groups. (♾) The challenge is to make sure such efforts are more than lip service and have a meaningful impact on practice.
- Activist school clubs: Many elementary and secondary schools have established school clubs (e.g., environmental, anti-racist, and/or LGBTQ+ focused) that aim to raise social awareness and support the needs of historically marginalized students. (♾) Many of these clubs are student-run with facilitation support from teachers.
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