Social justice focuses on how we help others in the community whom are not as advantaged as we are. The ethic of social justice is essential in the profession of teaching along with moral commitments to inquiry, knowledge, competence, and caring. Review bullet points on page 149. The school itself is a cultural system that differs from the family. The school operation embraces varied formal practices that are common among most schools in the nation.
All schools offer a formal curriculum that includes coursework in numerous academic areas.
In addition, there is a hidden curriculum that is seldom discussed. It includes the rules that guide the work of the school. This informal curriculum defines the behaviors and attitudes expected of both students and teachers. All people have preferred learning and teaching styles that are embedded in their cultural background and experiences. Understanding the cultures of students and drawing on them to teach the subject matter are vital in effective teaching.