
Writing for a Change
Boosting Literacy and Learning Through Social Action
National Writing Project(Author)
Jossey-Bass (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 10. October 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
192 pages
978-0-7879-8657-5 (ISBN)
Description
Writing for a Change shows teachers how to engage students in "real world" problem-solving activities that can help them to acquire voice, authority, and passion for both reading and writing practice. Written in collaboration with the Center for Social Action in England, the book describes the innovative Social Action process for encouraging students to collaborate on problems of their own choosing-to analyze options, develop action plans, discover solutions, and finally to reflect on their work. Featuring stories by teachers who have successfully used the method, the book shows that first graders as well as high-school students can enjoy this exciting and educational process. Practical guidance for applying the process to any curricular area is provided along with an extensive list of classroom activities.
Reviews / Votes
"This informative paperback discusses the development of teacher-facilitated and student-driven social action projects." (Childhood Education, Fall 2007) "This book engages with an integrative framework of literacy acceleration and critical social action." (PsycCritiques, 09/06/2007)More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
John Wiley & Sons Inc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 191 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
370 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7879-8657-5 (9780787986575)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
The National Writing Project (NWP) is a professional development program for teachers founded in 1974 at the University of California. Through its nationwide network of teachers and training sites, the NWP seeks to promote exemplary writing instruction in every classroom. Kristina Berdan has been a teacher for eight years and currently teaches language arts to seventh graders at the Stadium School in Baltimore,Maryland. She also works with sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade Youth Dreamers at school and is president of the Stadium School Youth Dreamers, Inc., working alongside youth officers. A National Board Certified Teacher, she is also a part-time faculty member at Towson University and a teacher-consultant with the Maryland Writing Project.
Ian Boulton has worked as a trainer and community worker for twenty-five years. He is a partner in The Social Action Company, a group of consultants that use Social Action methods to develop social care and community projects in Eastern Europe.
Elyse Eidman-Aadahl directs national programs and site development for the National Writing Project (NWP) at the University of California, Berkeley. A former high school English teacher and university teacher educator, she has been both a teacher-participant and a national leader in a range of teacher learning networks in the NWP and in other professional organizations. Her founding work with the collaboration between the NWP and the Centre for Social Action grows out of a long-standing interest in teachers' learning from literacy work and youth work in out-of-school settings.
Jennie Fleming began her working life as a youth and community worker on voluntary and statutory youth work projects in the United Kingdom. Since 1995, she has worked actively to develop Social Action practice at the Centre for Social Action (CSA) at De Montfort University in England. She has been part of the collaboration between the CSA and the National Writing Project from its inception.
Launie Gardner has been a teacher for sixteen years and currently teaches eleventh- and twelfth-grade English, civics, and economics at Truckee Meadows Community College High School in Reno, Nevada. She also serves as co-chair of the board of directors of Rainshadow Community Charter High School, a school that is attempting to integrate interdisciplinary, project-based, and communitybased hands-on learning. She served as director for the Northern Nevada Writing Project and remains involved with its professional development activities focused on Social Action.
Iana Rogers is national programs manager for the National Writing Project (NWP) at the University of California, Berkeley. She has been working with the collaboration between the NWP and the Centre for Social Action since 2001.
Asali Solomon has been working with the National Writing Project collaboration with the Centre for Social Action since 2000. She is currently assistant professor of English at Washington & Lee University in Lexington,Virginia, where she teaches African American literature, composition, and creative writing and often uses Social Action activities with her students.
Ian Boulton has worked as a trainer and community worker for twenty-five years. He is a partner in The Social Action Company, a group of consultants that use Social Action methods to develop social care and community projects in Eastern Europe.
Elyse Eidman-Aadahl directs national programs and site development for the National Writing Project (NWP) at the University of California, Berkeley. A former high school English teacher and university teacher educator, she has been both a teacher-participant and a national leader in a range of teacher learning networks in the NWP and in other professional organizations. Her founding work with the collaboration between the NWP and the Centre for Social Action grows out of a long-standing interest in teachers' learning from literacy work and youth work in out-of-school settings.
Jennie Fleming began her working life as a youth and community worker on voluntary and statutory youth work projects in the United Kingdom. Since 1995, she has worked actively to develop Social Action practice at the Centre for Social Action (CSA) at De Montfort University in England. She has been part of the collaboration between the CSA and the National Writing Project from its inception.
Launie Gardner has been a teacher for sixteen years and currently teaches eleventh- and twelfth-grade English, civics, and economics at Truckee Meadows Community College High School in Reno, Nevada. She also serves as co-chair of the board of directors of Rainshadow Community Charter High School, a school that is attempting to integrate interdisciplinary, project-based, and communitybased hands-on learning. She served as director for the Northern Nevada Writing Project and remains involved with its professional development activities focused on Social Action.
Iana Rogers is national programs manager for the National Writing Project (NWP) at the University of California, Berkeley. She has been working with the collaboration between the NWP and the Centre for Social Action since 2001.
Asali Solomon has been working with the National Writing Project collaboration with the Centre for Social Action since 2000. She is currently assistant professor of English at Washington & Lee University in Lexington,Virginia, where she teaches African American literature, composition, and creative writing and often uses Social Action activities with her students.
Content
Foreword, Richard Sterling xi
Sponsors xiii
Preface xv
Editors and Contributors xxi
ONE Exploring Student-Driven Learning and Literacy Through Social Action 1
PART ONE Social Action in Practice 9
TWO Power Play 11
Paula Laub
THREE Lending Student Voice to Curriculum Planning 19
Dietta Poston Hitchcock
FOUR The Story of the Youth Dreamers: In Their Own Words 25
Mildred Harris, Chantel Morant, Shanta Crippen, Chris Lawson, Chekana Reid, Cierra Cary, Tiffani Young-Smith
FIVE Reflections on the Youth Dreamers 31
Kristina Berdan
SIX Community Action in a Summer Writing Institute 43
Chinwe "La Tanya" Obijiofor
SEVEN Changing Our World 51
Lori Farias, Critics of Society Class
EIGHT Poetry and Power in the Creative Writing Workshop 57
Maggie Folkers
NINE Shall We Dance? 63
Connie Ellard Bunch
TEN The March on John Philip Sousa 67
Elizabeth A. Davis
ELEVEN Social Action and Parent Involvement 73
Mildred Serra
PART TWO Getting Started with Social Action 79
TWELVE Learning from Social Action: Reflections on Teaching and Social Action 81
THIRTEEN Principles for Practice: What Is Social Action? 87
Jennie Fleming, Ian Boulton
FOURTEEN Recommendations for the Classroom: Before You Start 97
Jennie Fleming, Ian Boulton
PART THREE Stuff You Can Try: Activities for Social Action 107
Metro Map 111
Naming the Group 113
Community Vocabulary 115
Devising the Vision 117
How We Behave in Groups 119
Movie Poster 121
Four Faces 124
But Why? 127
Codes 132
Changing Your Mind 134
Sculpts 136
The Three C's 138
SWOT 140
Ideal Specimen 142
Force Field Analysis 144
Worst Nightmare 147
Now/Soon/Later 149
The Swimming Pool 151
Messages 153
References 155
Resources for Further Reading 157
Index 159
Sponsors xiii
Preface xv
Editors and Contributors xxi
ONE Exploring Student-Driven Learning and Literacy Through Social Action 1
PART ONE Social Action in Practice 9
TWO Power Play 11
Paula Laub
THREE Lending Student Voice to Curriculum Planning 19
Dietta Poston Hitchcock
FOUR The Story of the Youth Dreamers: In Their Own Words 25
Mildred Harris, Chantel Morant, Shanta Crippen, Chris Lawson, Chekana Reid, Cierra Cary, Tiffani Young-Smith
FIVE Reflections on the Youth Dreamers 31
Kristina Berdan
SIX Community Action in a Summer Writing Institute 43
Chinwe "La Tanya" Obijiofor
SEVEN Changing Our World 51
Lori Farias, Critics of Society Class
EIGHT Poetry and Power in the Creative Writing Workshop 57
Maggie Folkers
NINE Shall We Dance? 63
Connie Ellard Bunch
TEN The March on John Philip Sousa 67
Elizabeth A. Davis
ELEVEN Social Action and Parent Involvement 73
Mildred Serra
PART TWO Getting Started with Social Action 79
TWELVE Learning from Social Action: Reflections on Teaching and Social Action 81
THIRTEEN Principles for Practice: What Is Social Action? 87
Jennie Fleming, Ian Boulton
FOURTEEN Recommendations for the Classroom: Before You Start 97
Jennie Fleming, Ian Boulton
PART THREE Stuff You Can Try: Activities for Social Action 107
Metro Map 111
Naming the Group 113
Community Vocabulary 115
Devising the Vision 117
How We Behave in Groups 119
Movie Poster 121
Four Faces 124
But Why? 127
Codes 132
Changing Your Mind 134
Sculpts 136
The Three C's 138
SWOT 140
Ideal Specimen 142
Force Field Analysis 144
Worst Nightmare 147
Now/Soon/Later 149
The Swimming Pool 151
Messages 153
References 155
Resources for Further Reading 157
Index 159