Goal of social justice schooling = ambitious and elusive In field of educational leadership, this goal is widely espoused and haltingly pursued Problem: the requisite learning to pursue goal is underexamined

Pursuing social justice = developmental process, namely a learning process Social learning theory can help scholars and practitioners pursue socially just schooling One strand of social learning theory, communities of practice = powerful tool for analyzing organizational learning within schools, particularly those ostensibly learning to move toward social justice

How do communities of practice affect learning amongst educators in an aspirant socially just school community?

COMMUNITY: Mutual Engagement DOMAIN: Joint Enterprise PRACTICE: Shared Repertoire “who”“what”“how”

COMMUNITY: Mutual Engagement DOMAIN: Joint Enterprise PRACTICE: Shared Repertoire “who”“what”“how” Sustained mutual relationships An effective grapevineSpecific tools, artifacts, representations Harmonious or conflictual Absence of introductory preambles Lore, shared stories, inside jokes Shared ways of doing things together Quick setup of a problem to be discussed Jargon and shortcuts to communication Mutually defining identities and mission Collective and local processes of interpretation Shared discourse reflecting a certain perspective on the world

Case Study Qualitative methodologies Semi-structured interviews with 21 educators 30 hours in formal observations Archival data Demographic data Student attendance and academic records History, mission/vision, strategic planning materials

Mission: “Provide students from diverse family, financial and cultural backgrounds” an education that develops their “spiritual, academic, social, physical and personal integrity”

Faculty Administration Staff School Board

How do communities of practice affect learning amongst educators in an aspirant socially just school community? Issue: Growing population of linguistically diverse students

When I was working in the library a parent came in [to the school office] to look into registering her child. And somebody made an announcement over the PA that we had a Spanish speaking family. “Does anybody in the school speak Spanish?!” So then I got back to them and said, “I speak Spanish.” So then the word was out (laughing)! Then that family registered… Every year since we've had more and more Hispanics in because now they realize that there's somebody here who can assist them. - Ms. Lopez

WHAT Who How Communicating with the growing Latino Population First Ms. Lopez… New materials, policies, PD

Designed Emergent Increase teachers’ efficacy educating culturally and linguistically diverse students Congruent

WHAT Who How Communicating with the growing Latino Population First Ms. Lopez… New materials, policies, practices Alternate learning: embracing this population

Coherent theories of action through which schools actually move from theory to practice Theory: Learning is not designed directly, but can be “designed for.” Socially just schooling is not designed per se. Rather, educators can design for such schooling by recognizing the role communities of practice play as fields of this learning, and by supporting these communities of practice to promote transformational learning.

From focusing on structures that promote social justice, to focusing on requisite learning beneath the structures: This learning is sociocultural, occurring within and across communities of practice (who/what/how) Examining learning within and across communities of practice can support efforts of educational leaders to design for learning social justice Communities of practice can facilitate or frustrate the specific learning that promotes social justice

- Thoughts about the conclusions? - Thoughts about the case of St. Malachy? - How does this apply to your work? Martin Scanlan.