Designing Socially Just Learning Communities

Rebecca Rogers is Associate Professor of Literacy at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her research focuses on language, identity, and power in and out of school contexts. Melissa Mosley is Assistant Professor of Language and Literacy at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on critical literacy learning across the lifespan, particularly how teachers and students together use literacy practices toward social action in and out of the classroom. Mary Ann Kramer is Coordinator for Adult Education and Literacy in the St.Louis Public Schools. Prior to this position, she served as Director of the SouthsideWomen’s Center, a community-based women’s resource center.The Literacy for Social Justice Teacher Research Group is a grassroots, teacher-led professional development group dedicated to exploring and acting on the relationships between literacy and social justice.

• Part 1. Beginnings 1: Introduction 2: A Framework for Critical Literacy Education Across the Lifespan: A Case Study of the Literacy for Social Justice Teacher Research GroupPart II. An Entry Point: Developing Critical Stances 3: Talking about War in a Second Grade Classroom, Melissa Mosley4: Writing our Way to Cultural Understandings, Rebecca Light 5: Learning to Listen: Creating Socially Just Curricula for Middle and High School Classrooms, Sarah Hobson 6: "No Disrespect": Literature Discussion as Social Action, Carolyn Fuller 7: Response Chapter- Developing Critical Stances and Multiple Perspectives, Bridgette Jenkins, Mary Ann Kramer, Meredith Labadie, Melissa Mosley, Kathryn Pole and Ben YavitzPart III. An Entry Point: Critical Inquiry and Analysis 8: Shared Leadership, Adolescent Literacies, and Social Justice Education in the "Third Space", Melissa Mosley and Margaret Finders 9: Designing a Critical Literacy Lab in an Adult Education Center, Mary Ann Kramer and Rhonda Jones 10: The Center for Human Origin and Cultural Diversity: A Catalyst for Social Justice and Racial Literacy, Jacquelyn A. Lewis-Harris11: Response Chapter- Critical Inquiry and Analysis: Making Space for Critical Literacy, Carolyn Brown, Ora Clark-Lewis, Aleshea Ingram, Mary Ann Kramer, and Melissa MosleyPart IV. An Entry Point: Building Community 12: New Teachers Developing as Educators/Activists, Liesl Buechler and Kate Lofton 13: Working Within and Against Heterosexist and Homophobic Schools: Social Justice and High School Journalism, Janet DePasquale 14: Following the Circles: Organizing for Justice through Literacy Education, Sarah Beaman-Jones 15: Response Chapter- Building Relationships of Struggle and Solidarity, Angela Folkes, Cristina Mann, Melissa Mosley, Rebecca Rogers and Alina Slapac Part V. What Is and What Might Be16: Designing Socially Just Learning Communities Across the Lifespan: What Is and What Might BeAppendix I: Declaration Statement Appendix II: Frameworks of Critical Literacy Lab: Engaged Instruction, St. Louis Public Schools Adult Education and Literacy Notes on ContributorsFilms and Children's BooksReferencesIndex

"The authors in this book offer clear and passionate descriptions of their engagement with the four dimensions of critical literacy, giving readers a profound understanding of the complexity of implementing critical literacy practices. …This book speaks to educators from all areas, at all levels… [it] is a strong, vivid account of educators collaborating on a journey of professional and personal growth."--Language Arts, March 2010, p. 308-309