What is Abolition Pedagogy?

Abolitionist Pedagogy is a form of teacher inspired by recent movements that highlight the structural injustices facing intersecting black, Latino, gay, female, disabled, etc. identifying groups. Abolitionist pedagogy looks different in every school it is applied to. The fundamental idea is that it confronts issues in a way that encourages students to think outside the box while also recognizing the value in their contributions, “It’s also about Black joy and always putting love at the center of what we’re doing”(B. Love, 2019). Bettina Love speaks a lot about the concept of mattering and how a lot of black students struggle with the concept of mattering especially when their school shows no interest in the students themselves. This idea of abolitionist pedagogy makes the students feel as though they mattering, thereby replacing the apathy felt towards the classroom with appreciation and excitement. It’s all about getting students to fall back in love with learning while also expand their capacity to empathize with one another.

How does school funding tie in?

One of the greatest issues facing schools today is the lack of engagement in both the students and their instructors. Schools that cannot afford the essentials to manage a classroom and its attendees struggle to capture and cultivate their interests. In order for movements like abolitionist pedagogy to facilitate change schools must first establish a vibrant and welcoming faculty ambiance. In order for instructors to engage in the abolitionist pedagogy orientations, they must connect with their students and their environments. Today, insufficient school funding has become an all too real burden put on a significant portion of American public schools, including Boston. At these schools, it is very easy for instructors to feel as though their communities and governments have abandoned them by financially neglecting their needs as teachers. A reformed budget for all public schools will put an appropriate value on public education and will therefore reignite the passion in educators. If we give up on our teachers we are giving up on ourselves and our communities. The success of Abolitionist Pedagogy rests on the shoulders of teachers and they need the appropriate resources to properly organize and manage their reformed (abolitionist) instructing practices.

References:

Stoltzfus, Kate. “Abolitionist Teaching in Action: Q&A with Bettina L. Love.” ASCD, Dec. 2019, www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education-update/dec19/vol61/num12/Abolitionist-Teaching-in-Action@-Q$A-with-Bettina-L.-Love.aspx.