UCLA Teacher Education Program Alumni and Guiding Teacher
UCLA alumni represent distinguished social justice educators in our public-school landscape, enacting pedagogy that connects theory to practice. The following video library depicts UCLA alumni creating their very own Best Practice Video. UCLA alumni share their practice and pedagogical thinking in these distinct, creative and varied approaches to social justice. We connect the best practice videos to UCLA’s Teaching Framework, further actualized through the (ICOR) IMPACT, Classroom Observation Rubric. ICOR includes four dimensions that include Content Rigor, Content Discourse, Equitable Access to Content and Classroom Ecology and there are two secondary rubrics: Math and Science.
These videos demonstrate varied representations of social justice practices. We hope this video series inspires pedagogical reflection and a space where teachers and teacher educators might reflect and connect to their own context and students.
This work was supported by the Teacher Quality Partnership Program of the U.S. Department of Education under award number U336S140049 and the California Teacher Education Research and Improvement Network (CTERIN) in the University of California Office of the President (UCOP).
Curriculum Development & Culturally Responsive Practice
Tichina Ward-Pratt
I describe my approach to culturally responsive practices in an urban mathematics context with varying socio-cultural-economic effects. My students could not see themselves in mathematics; it was purposefully not made for them. The curriculum was not immediately relevant to my students. I created a “call to action” approach to mathematics in our classsroom. I began by challenging the perception that people of color are not creators of mathematics.
PBL: Chemistry – Including, Voice, Choice and Connection to Student Experiences
Susannah Hall
I describe my process for Project Based Learning and chemistry centered projects that I have developed and refined wiht my students in the past years. These projects are aligned to NGSS and reflect the gold standard of PBL as defined by the Buck Institute.
Mathematics Discourse
Jeraldy Vega
How do I give my students opportunities to talk to each other about the mathematics? This Video is a discussion of some of the important elements (such as Team Roles and Cooperative Learning Structures) that have helped me facilitate Mathematics Discourse in my classroom.
Ethnomathematics: Culturally Sustaining Mathematics
Robert Jong
I describe how I strive to connect my students cultural experiences through Ethnomathematics. I strive to center their experiences in the teaching and learning of mathematics. This is a work in progress, but the thinking invites me to be more open to their experiences and how my students might relate to mathematics.
Unit Planning: Multilingualism & Translanguaging in the Science Classroom
Janice Chow
How do I lesson plan for a multilingual classroom? What is translanguaging? How do I create units that are rooted in meaningful use of students’ home languages? This video shares examples of unit plans with translanguaging objectives and guidance on how to set intentional goals for multilingualism when lesson planning.
Project Based Learning
Katie Kondo
This video provides examples of projects that can be implemented in the math classroom to engage students in the application of math concepts. Project based learning (PBL) has the potential to engage students in meaningful tasks while applying rigorous content. The real life setting and presenting to authentic audience encourage student collaboration, ownership, and voice. Some examples in this video include problem based mathematics in Algebra and continuous motions project in AP Calculus.
Importance of Building Relationships in the Classroom
Kevin Guiterrez
What is the secret behind good classroom management? This video discusses the importance of building relationships in the classroom as a tool to construct a positive learning environment for students. Anyone can be an expert in subject content but it takes more to be able to teach it.
Community Building Through Science
Darlene Tieu
This video demonstrates how my students engage in socially relevant science pedagogy, so they and their community are centered in instruction, specifically by engaging in issues related to climate change. My intention is to builid community through the implementation of science instruction and concurrently, have our students create solutions and actions in their community.
Critical Data Science PBL
Leib Sutcher
This video describes how students use data science to analyze the world around them, by asking critical data questions related to their own experiences and community. The approach integrates student voice and data science within the construct of a project based learning experience.
Facilitating Equitable Academic Talk in Science Instruction: How Academic Talk Supports Science Inquiry
Vanessa Morris-O’Hearn & Michelle Brown
This video describes how productive talk in a science classroom can facilitate learning through inquiry. We start with a phenomena that generates curiosity and student generated questions. This approach incorporates student wonderings and voice.
Making Virtual Labs
Ryan Marse
I describe how I design and implement virtual labs for my physics classroom. The virtual labs integrate branching storylines that allow for choice and diverse interactions in the virtual lab design.
Building an Equitable Math Classroom
Janet Lee-Ortiz
In this video I share some of my experiences and thoughts on building an equitable math classroom centered on student voice. Focused on Classroom Community (Ecology) and the Art of Asking Questions, I highlightkey points,strategies, and resources that canbeimplemented while also sharing anecdotes to offer as concrete examples.
Mastery Learning and Grading
Bang Ha
Please feel free to pause and journal your thoughts throughout this interactive video. My intention is not toprovide a detailed implementation guide, but to provide rationale and a brief overview. I encourage you to ask yourself why and where mastery grading might fit into your practice.