Culture Wars: Politicization and Polarization in the Classroom
09/26/23 • 33 min
Hosted by seasoned educator Kimberly McGlonn, this episode takes a deep dive into the widening ideological and cultural divides impacting K-12 education. As schools find themselves at the epicenter of debates surrounding issues like race, gender and sexual orientation, educators must grapple with the challenges of a rapidly politicized classroom environment. We're joined by leading education historian and Penn GSE professor Jonathan Zimmerman, author of "Whose America?: Culture Wars in the Public Classroom." He provides valuable insights into the shifting ideological landscape since the book's first publication in 2002 and gives us some historical context for censorship, politicization and polarization. Then, professor of practice and former superintendent Andrea Kane sheds further light on the real-life implications of these culture wars for educators, students and communities, sharing some of her experiences on the front lines over the years. Tune in for a candid discussion on navigating these complex issues in today's educational setting.
FEATURING:
- Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
- Andrea Kane, Professor of Practice, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
NEWSLETTER:
- Subscribe to the Educator's Playbook newsletter for ongoing resources and content
RELATED PLAYBOOKS:
- No. 69: Explaining war to children: 6 tips from a Penn GSE expert (02-25-22)
- No. 64: How to be a good parent and a good ally (06-10-21)
- No. 63: How to get even better at supporting your LGBTQ+ students (06-08-21)
- No. 58: How teachers can talk about violence at the Capitol (01-07-21)
- No. 39: Putting Black history lessons into action (02-05-20)
- No. 17: How to confront hate speech at school (11-17-16)
- No. 7: Responding to anti-Muslim rhetoric (02-04-16)
- No. 5: Treating racial competence as a skill to be learned (02-03-16)
OTHER RESOURCES:
- New books from Penn GSE professors focus on free speech on campus (02-15-23)
- School censorship is not democratic. Speaking up is the solution from the Philadelphia Inquirer (05-30-23)
- Jonathan Zimmerman: Do we really want discussion in our schools? Book censorship indicates otherwise from the Chicago Tribune (05-15-23)
- Penn GSE alumni event focuses on free speech in education (12-13-22)
Hosted by seasoned educator Kimberly McGlonn, this episode takes a deep dive into the widening ideological and cultural divides impacting K-12 education. As schools find themselves at the epicenter of debates surrounding issues like race, gender and sexual orientation, educators must grapple with the challenges of a rapidly politicized classroom environment. We're joined by leading education historian and Penn GSE professor Jonathan Zimmerman, author of "Whose America?: Culture Wars in the Public Classroom." He provides valuable insights into the shifting ideological landscape since the book's first publication in 2002 and gives us some historical context for censorship, politicization and polarization. Then, professor of practice and former superintendent Andrea Kane sheds further light on the real-life implications of these culture wars for educators, students and communities, sharing some of her experiences on the front lines over the years. Tune in for a candid discussion on navigating these complex issues in today's educational setting.
FEATURING:
- Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
- Andrea Kane, Professor of Practice, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
NEWSLETTER:
- Subscribe to the Educator's Playbook newsletter for ongoing resources and content
RELATED PLAYBOOKS:
- No. 69: Explaining war to children: 6 tips from a Penn GSE expert (02-25-22)
- No. 64: How to be a good parent and a good ally (06-10-21)
- No. 63: How to get even better at supporting your LGBTQ+ students (06-08-21)
- No. 58: How teachers can talk about violence at the Capitol (01-07-21)
- No. 39: Putting Black history lessons into action (02-05-20)
- No. 17: How to confront hate speech at school (11-17-16)
- No. 7: Responding to anti-Muslim rhetoric (02-04-16)
- No. 5: Treating racial competence as a skill to be learned (02-03-16)
OTHER RESOURCES:
- New books from Penn GSE professors focus on free speech on campus (02-15-23)
- School censorship is not democratic. Speaking up is the solution from the Philadelphia Inquirer (05-30-23)
- Jonathan Zimmerman: Do we really want discussion in our schools? Book censorship indicates otherwise from the Chicago Tribune (05-15-23)
- Penn GSE alumni event focuses on free speech in education (12-13-22)
Previous Episode
Introducing the Educator’s Playbook from Penn GSE
Join us this fall for an all-new podcast series made by educators for educators!
Subscribe now and don't miss a single episode as we examine some of the biggest issues facing K-12 today and share practical, easy-to-implement advice geared toward teachers, administrators and counselors.
In the meantime, check out our library of related articles from the popular Educator's Playbook monthly email newsletter at http://educatorsplaybook.com.
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Next Episode
Combating Burnout: Strategies and Support for K-12 Educators
A 2022 Gallup poll reported what many of us already suspected: K-12 educators have one of the highest burnout rates of any segment of the U.S. workforce. It's a growing crisis but not an insurmountable one.
To help explore burnout's root causes, repercussions and remedies, we turned to Annie McKee, who wrote the book on being happy at work. A senior fellow at Penn GSE and NYT-bestselling author, Annie has a candid conversation with host Kimberly McGlonn about the emotional intelligence and resilience necessary to navigate the intricate landscape of modern education. Then, former classroom teacher Stacey Carlough joins Kimberly to discuss some of the systemic and individualized strategies employed to alleviate burnout. In her new role, Stacey leads programming centered around teacher mental health and developing top-down solutions, like communities of care. Stacey emphasizes that burnout is not an individual problem – it's up to school leaders to create a nurturing, sustainable educational environment where their teachers, counselors and other employees can thrive.
GUESTS:
- Stacey Carlough, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning, Office of School & Community Engagement, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
- Annie McKee, Adjunct Professor & Senior Fellow, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
NEWSLETTER:
- Subscribe to the Educator's Playbook newsletter for ongoing resources and content
RELATED PLAYBOOKS:
- No. 65: Tips to avoid burnout for teachers working this summer
- No. 34: Why you should make a career plan (Even if you aren’t looking for a new job)
- No. 29: Facing a problem? Ask yourself these questions
- No. 26: Discussing Nondiscussables
- No. 23: How to be happy at school
- No. 20: Taking a minute for your mental health
- No. 12: Reimagining leadership in your school
- No. 3: Saving the parent-teacher relationship from stress
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES & RESOURCES:
- “How to be happy at work: The power of purpose, hope and friendship.” by Annie McKee (2017)
- Gallup: K-12 Workers Have Highest Burnout Rate in U.S.
Educator's Playbook - Culture Wars: Politicization and Polarization in the Classroom
Transcript
Andrea Kane (00:00):
This is not a video game, this is real life.
Kimberly McGlonn (00:04):
This is the Educator's Playbook from the Penn Graduate School of Education. I'm your host, Kimberly McGlonn. After finishing my PhD in curriculum and instruction, I spent 20 years in both urban and suburban schools as an English teacher. Every day, it feels like the ideological and cultural divide in America is getting wider with our schools in the center of the fight. A recent Pew
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