Class Introductions: Learning to Teach About Economic Inequality at an Affluent Elementary School

• In Event: Social Justice as an Act of Praxis

Abstract

This paper examines the experiences of educators at a progressive independent elementary school engaged in a collaborative action research project to learn about social class. Rooted in a framework of radical economic education, their study group had a positive impact on their confidence and content knowledge and mapped the significant challenges they face in teaching about economic inequality. These include navigating the uniqueness of social class as a dimension of identity, translating complexity to young students, finding age-appropriate resources, competing with school policies and practices that exacerbate inequality, identifying a common end goal, and reflecting on their own class positions. The paper concludes with recommendations for professional and curriculum development to help young children learn about economic inequality.

Author

• Katy Swalwell, Iowa State University