The Purpose of Schooling

In "Schools of Conscience," Charles C. Haynes pushes readers to consider the real goals of education. He suggests that "public schools must do far more to prepare young people to be engaged, ethical advocates of 'liberty and justice for all'" (p. 6).

• Haynes says that "reading and math are important. But what matters most is what kinds of human beings are reading the books and doing the math" (p. 6). What do you think about this sentiment? What do you believe the true goal of schooling should be? What role should schools play in helping students develop "moral and civic habits of the heart that instill in students the courage to care" (p. 9)? How can educators balance cultivating student conscience and teaching academic content?
• What does your school do to encourage students to exercise their civic consciences? Share some examples of student voice initiatives that you have participated in. How did the school encourage or discourage these efforts?
• What are some of the challenges schools face in trying to be schools of conscience? How might educators surmount some of these challenges?
• Visit the First Amendment Center's Web site and browse the available resources. See especially the Core Civic Habits document. How might your school instill these habits in students' minds and hearts?

Getting Stirred Up

In "Stirring Up Justice," Laurel Schmidt asks, "Are there some behaviors or conditions that we simply must address, no matter how difficult or unpopular our work will be?" (p. 32).

• What behaviors or conditions do you believe schools have a responsibility to address? How should schools address these issues, and how should they react to any controversy that might develop?
• Schmidt notes that "kids rarely accept injustice as the status quo" (p. 33). What issues have you seen students get fired up about? How did you respond and why?
• Reflect on your own experiences with social justice by following Schmidt's suggestion on page 34 and writing your own social justice autobiography. If possible, focus on a problem that you've encountered as an educator. Consider how you might build on that experience.

Service for Learning

Social justice doesn't have to be an add-on. According to several authors in the May EL, service projects can be integrated into the curriculum in such a way that they enable students to learn academic content as they work to make a difference. Sarah Hershey ("'Hobo' Is Not a Respectful Word," p. 64) points readers to Learn and Serve's definition of service learning. According to Learn and Service, service learning "enhances the community through the service provided, but it also has powerful learning consequences for the students or others participating in providing a service."

• Take a look at the curriculum for your classes and consider how you might connect some of your academic objectives with opportunities to serve the wider world. How might you introduce such opportunities to students?
• What kinds of school-based service projects have you been involved in, either as a participant or a planner? What did students learn from the experience? Would you characterize the project as an add-on or as true service learning? If it was an add-on, what might be done to make the project into an opportunity for learning?

Quelling the Controversy

In his May column, Doug Reeves considers what teachers interested in teaching social responsibility can learn from the controversy over outcome-based education in the 1980s and 1990s.

• Do you remember outcome-based education? What did you see as the root of the controversy, and how might it relate to efforts to teach social responsibility today?
• How can educators avoid indoctrinating their students with their own values? What do you do when students express views that are contrary to your own, especially when you feel passionate about the issue?