Tackling social justice with young learners is more important now than ever before; it is also a lot easier to bring into the classroom than educators might think. So many picture books published in the last few years addressing empathy issues make integrating social justice into the learning process less complicated. When we read books with children, it offers an opportunity to use the character as a vehicle to identify negative feelings or to wrestle with different points of view. It creates a safer space for deeper conversations, debates, and switching viewpoints after hearing the pros and cons for both sides. We also find that young minds can definitely handle more courageous conversations. In their innocence, they often raise issues or point out problems more easily than adults.
Tags: civics • humanity • social justice