| Abstract [eng] |
DEVELOPING A TEACHER AS AN INTERCULTURAL EDUCATOR FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN SCHOOL: A NARRATIVE STUDY The paper analyzes the formation of a teacher as an intercultural educator in the pursuit of social justice in culturally diverse Lithuanian schools. The relevance of the research is justified by the growing cultural and social diversity in the field of Lithuanian education, which is determined by migration, re-emigration, integration of war refugees from Ukraine, linguistic and social diversity and priority inclusive education. In today's education, subject competencies alone are not enough for a teacher, and intercultural sensitivity and social justice are becoming especially important. The purpose of the paper is to analyze how intercultural education becomes a form of expression of social justice in Lithuanian schools, highlighting the role of the teacher as an intercultural educator in ensuring social justice. The paper analyzes the expressions of cultural and social diversity in the field of Lithuanian education, discusses the concepts and models of intercultural education and social justice. The theoretical basis is based on the theoretical insights of Banks (2008, 2009), Bennett (1993), Byram (1997), Deardorff (2006), Freire (1970), Nussbaum (1997), Gorski (2009, 2020) and other authors. Special attention is paid to Paul Gorski's typology of intercultural educators and the analysis of social justice education. The study used a mixed methodological approach. Exploratory quantitative and qualitative research and a main qualitative narrative study were conducted, based on Caine, Clandinin and Lessard (2000). During the main study, the intercultural and professional experiences of four teachers working in one Vilnius city school were analyzed. The research method chosen was a narrative research method, supplemented by the principle of photo-elicitation/image-elicited interviews. The research results show that the formation of a teacher as an intercultural educator is a long-term and experience-based process, which is most strongly influenced by cultural, linguistic and social experiences and a personal relationship with social justice. The conclusions of the work state that intercultural education can act as a tool for social justice, but this requires consistent and targeted teacher training and professional development, reflective pedagogical practices, institutional support and clear value-based strategies of educational institutions. In summary, it can be stated that social justice education is not achieved only through individual initiatives of educators, but by becoming an everyday practice that is spread through mutual relationships, educational development and community culture. The teacher becomes the cornerstone that transforms the field of education into a space of social justice. |
