Building Political Relationships with Students: An aspect of social justice pedagogy

Teaching is is a difficult, knowledge-intensive endeavour, requiring multiple knowledges, but rarely do we consider what, specifically, teachers need to know and do to teach for social justice. I argue here that building “political relationships” with students is key and illustrate these through examining aspects of several teachers' pedagogy. I also claim that what other subject-area teachers can do, mathematics teachers can also. Despite different contexts and specificities, there are common elements of critiquing knowledge, challenging oppression, and standing in solidarity with students, their families, and their communities. These elements support the development of students' sociopolitical consciousness and sense of social agency as they grow into becoming change agents in the struggles for their own liberation.