Precedence of Praxis: Humanizing Pedagogy in a Standards-Dominated System

This qualitative case study examines the implementation of humanizing pedagogies in 18 English language arts classrooms. Using semi-structured interviews and observations, we investigated how ELA teachers navigated policy mandates and a compliance culture while enacting reflexive, responsive, and student-centered instruction. As a problem of practice, our findings highlight neoliberal and new managerial barriers to humanizing pedagogy, underscoring the significance of a whole-child approach at all levels of the education system, particularly in contexts where standardized assessments dominate concepts of educational equity and excellence.