Marilee Coles-Ritchie | Westminster College (original) (raw)

Papers by Marilee Coles-Ritchie

Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement

This article describes specific pedagogical components of a community engagement project between ... more This article describes specific pedagogical components of a community engagement project between students in a psychology course and youth at a juvenile justice centre (JJS). The purpose of the research was to illustrate how feminist and critical pedagogies can create reciprocal community engagement that provides a space for learning at both college and community sites. The researchers involved in this study included the professor of the Psychology of Women course, a senior college student who previously took the course, the JJS volunteer coordinator and an education professor. Together, they employed qualitative, single case study methodology in order to understand the complex social phenomena of this community-engaged course. The results demonstrate that lessons addressing social inequities are beneficial for youth in JJS and offer a way to alleviate the gap in gender-specific programming. They also create community and offer an empowerment lens. By explicitly focusing on the peda...

Proceedings of the 2022 AERA Annual Meeting

Proceedings of the 2019 AERA Annual Meeting

Journal of community engagement and higher education, Aug 31, 2021

English Learners (ELs) often face school environments dominated by White, English speaking values... more English Learners (ELs) often face school environments dominated by White, English speaking values, history, and education practices. This qualitative action research study focuses on the third space development for ELs, all Latin@ students, in a high school mainstream English Language Arts classroom. The study’s primary focus was how third space could be improved in a high school classroom through teacher facilitation of critical interaction. The data was collected through video observation, student interviews, and teacher reflective journals. The study grew to examine third space throughout the school community in various classrooms using the insights and reflections of the students in the English language classroom, the high school teacher, and a teacher educator. Through the analysis, we found that teachers have abiltiy to actively pursue and facilitate third space, even in a school context that cannot be equal.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Most district administrators used language that embodies assimilation for English Learners. The D... more Most district administrators used language that embodies assimilation for English Learners. The Discourse, meaning discourses that are socially and historically formed as they are circulated and sustained through and within texts, social practices, images, and institutions in addition to daily interactions between people to become big “D” discourses, in the community also echoed assimilation for ELs.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Following the national trend emphasizing English-only for state adoption and school programs, thi... more Following the national trend emphasizing English-only for state adoption and school programs, this intermountain state passed an English as the Official Language law in 2000. This initiative relied on public discourse common in other states across the nation. On an Internet site that examined the pros and cons of English-only in this state, these Discourses were stated: 1) one language creates unity; 2) supporting many languages cost the state money; 3) English is necessary for immigrants to advance economically; and 4) not speaking English is un-American (Tripod, n.d.). As a comparison to the national debate, I include Tse’s (2001) data from congressional speeches proposing the official English-only initiatives during a 17-year time period from 1981–1998. The arguments were remarkably similar to those used by people in this intermountain state during the English-only debate. According to Tse, the most prevalent Discourse given in speeches was “English unites the country/Multilingualism is divisive” (my emphasis). This correlates with the data from this state’s debates that states, “One language creates unity.” Other examples from the national debate that were common in this intermountain state’s debate were: immigrants need motivation/it’s for their own good; once immigrants are in America, they should learn English; providing services in non-English languages is costly. Discourses in the school and community also surfaced in the school and community in this study and are represented in these national Discourses surrounding immigrant language issues.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Students who speak a language other than English at home and enter the public schools come from a... more Students who speak a language other than English at home and enter the public schools come from a wide variety of social, historical, and political backgrounds. Research describes the difficulties these students face within a school structure that is designed for White, native English speakers (Cummins, 1989; Genesee, Lindholm-Leary, Sanders, and Christian, 2006; Faltis and Coulter, 2007; Gibson, 1988; Lee, 1996, 2005; Lucas and Grinberg, 2008; Nieto, 2008; Olsen, 1997; Tellez and Waxman, 2006; Valdes, 1996, 1997, 2006; Valenzuela, 1999; Zentella, 1997). Despite advances made during recent years to promote the effective education of ELs, the body of teachers most qualified to accommodate their needs has been unable to match the growth of ELs in schools (Menken and Antunez, 2001). Attention to students in the secondary schools has had even greater deficits. Challenges that impede these efforts include: 1) lack of resources required to develop, implement, and evaluate ESL programs effectively; 2) lack of ESL/bilingual endorsed teachers needed to identify and support the academic achievement and retention of ELs; 3) lack of supportive administration to support the faculty and staff; and 4) the contested nature of language ideologies and Discourse surrounding the teaching of ELs within the United States. In this study, I focused on the need for quality ESL/bilingual endorsed teachers and a supportive administration to construct effective ESL programs in secondary schools.

International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2016

ABSTRACT Developing public education where every child has the right to learn requires that teach... more ABSTRACT Developing public education where every child has the right to learn requires that teachers pay attention to and engage in race talk – open discussion about race, social construction of race, and racism. While it is clear that children engage and reflect critically about these aspects of race even at a young age, teachers rarely engage in race talk with them. In this study, an African-American preservice teacher and a White teacher educator explore how African-American, Polynesian, and White in-service teachers, participating in Courageous Conversations professional development, address or avoid race talk in their elementary schools through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and what risks they take when they do. Findings, through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, demonstrate that (1) racism was observed and/or experienced by all teachers in elementary schools; (2) lived racial experiences impacted teachers’ approach to conversations about race; (3) creating an open space was crucial for race conversations; (4) Courageous Conversations provided a ‘new language’ to talk about race; and (5) administrative support facilitated more attention to race. Findings indicate the road to greater equity in schools requires more professional development about race talk in elementary schools.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Carl’s quote represents the framework of this chapter. The environmental context of this quote is... more Carl’s quote represents the framework of this chapter. The environmental context of this quote is important. The school is situated in the Rocky Mountains where there are many rivers. If you look at a river from a bird’s eye view, you will see many waves in the river formed by large boulders. From this view, it appears as if the waves are standing, as if there is no movement. But if you move closer to the river, you can see that there is much movement. Water is constantly moving around and in between the rock, but generally the rock stands still. In order for the rock to move suddenly, something drastic would have to happen. For example, it would have to be moved physically by someone or by a flood of rushing water or a shift in the ground below. When Carl states “a high school is like a standing wave,” he is acknowledging the structural barriers in the school that make change such as top-down administrative decisions, the organization of departments, standardized tests and class size difficult; at the same time he is acknowledging the changes that are happening when he says that the individual parts of the wave change. This chapter explores how teachers act as agents of school change within a confining school structure. This section of field notes describes the ebb and flow of change within the ESL program at Cherry High School. While teachers and administrators made significant changes in the ESL program due to myriad events, the program was not at any time permanent and was always vulnerable to the larger stream of Discourse within the school and nation/community.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Eight years have passed since I began the study at Cherry High School, exploring the ESL program ... more Eight years have passed since I began the study at Cherry High School, exploring the ESL program and teachers who wanted to transform it. Since that time, I have moved from Granite County to Fairbanks, Alaska. I have kept in touch with the teachers occasionally by e-mail and phone during this time period. Interestingly, all the four participant teachers have moved into positions that are not part of the high school’s ESL program. Five years later, I wanted to connect with the teachers again so I could understand how the teachers and the school’s ESL program were evolving. To what degree were teachers able to change and continue to change the ESL program? What were the structural elements that enabled or constrained the teachers as they continued this process of developing the school’s ESL program? Finally, how have Discourses, teacher actions, and events impacted changes to the ESL program long term?

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

The opening quote exemplifies the framework of this chapter. The group of teachers who participat... more The opening quote exemplifies the framework of this chapter. The group of teachers who participated in the university ESL endorsement program through the federal grant formed a group that positioned themselves often in opposition to the wider school/community Discourse. As they began to make changes in their teaching practice and challenge the Discourses around the school about ELs, their association grew. Because the teachers had a group, rather than only trying to make changes individually, they were able to rely on each other for support through the change process. This beginning quote demonstrates the forming of a small group within the larger school community and the questions that begin to arise.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

My three-hour night course just came to an end after a lively discussion about bilingual educatio... more My three-hour night course just came to an end after a lively discussion about bilingual education programs. Most of my class included inservice teachers, so they asked a lot of specific questions about how bilingual education could really take place in a secondary school in [this intermountain state] with just under 10% population of language minority students. Like many discussions in my classes, it was spirited, and the students were interested in the topic; however, making the connection from theory to practice was challenging. After erasing the white board, I turned around to see three students with earnest faces waiting for my attention. I asked them if there was a problem with the course. “There is a problem with our school’s ESL program” one said. “It is pathetic … students who speak Spanish fluently are placed in beginning Spanish classes designed for Gringos,” quipped another. “I can’t just sit back, I mean ethically, and watch these kids flounder in my classes. I mean they are smart kids, but they don’t understand the language so they end up just sitting there.”

International Journal of Multicultural Education, 2013

This study explores the process of implementing literature circles using ethnographies as the tex... more This study explores the process of implementing literature circles using ethnographies as the texts to better prepare teachers for multicultural/ multilingual teaching contexts. Data collected by the course instructor and two of the participants, using a Critical Teacher Action Research (CTAR) methodology, indicate that participants think critically, connect to the texts and others, and identify ways to enhance school practice based on the funds of knowledge described in the ethnographic works when participating in literature circles. The author provides the process of implementing literature circles in teacher education courses and provides an action plan for further practice.

Journal of American Indian Education, 2011

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

The opening quote represents one of the key language ideologies circulating in the school that si... more The opening quote represents one of the key language ideologies circulating in the school that situated “language by immersion” as the most effective way to learn language, specifically English. I define language ideologies as big “D” Discourses (Gee, 2005) that are circulated in society. This chapter explores the ways language ideologies are used and how they impact the way teachers teach, how they develop the ESL program, and how they situate themselves in relation to other teachers in the school. This quote illustrates the awareness the grant participant teachers had in relation to other teachers in the school and caused me to ask why these teachers invested deeply with ELs when others in the school community did not demonstrate the same kind of investment.

This paper describes the impact of using Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) to enhance... more This paper describes the impact of using Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) to enhance a campus-community partnership. The key stakeholders, who are also the participants, share how learning from the reflective journals, collaborative sessions, and interview data analysis transformed their practice. The collaborative partnership was designed to allow prospective teachers from a School of Education at a U.S. liberal arts college the opportunity to teach Diverse language learners (DLLs) who were attending a summer program at a nearby community learning center. The teacher educators responsible for teaching the prospective teachers, the director of the community learning center, and a student researcher joined the project as collaborative participant researchers. Together they analyzed the data collected from various participating groups, which included their own work and reflections, as well as those of the prospective teachers and prevention specialists who were employed b...

NABE Journal of Research and Practice

English Learners (ELs) often face school environments dominated by White, English speaking values... more English Learners (ELs) often face school environments dominated by White, English speaking values, history, and education practices. This qualitative action research study focuses on the third space development for ELs, all Latin@ students, in a high school mainstream English Language Arts classroom within a post-colonial theoretical framework. The study's primary focus explores how third space could be opened in a high school classroom through teacher facilitation of critical interaction. The researchers collected data through video observation, student interviews, and teacher reflective journals. The study grew to examine third space throughout the school community in various classrooms using the insights and reflections of the students in the English language classroom, the high school teacher, and a teacher educator. Through the analysis, we found that teachers have ability to actively pursue and facilitate third space, even in a school context that is influenced heavily by dominant history and practices.

Equity & Excellence in Education, 2015

ABSTRACT In this research, the authors explored how teachers using student-generated photography ... more ABSTRACT In this research, the authors explored how teachers using student-generated photography draw on local knowledge. The study draws on the framework of funds of knowledge to highlight the assets marginalized students bring to the classroom and the need for culturally relevant pedagogy to address the needs of a diverse public school population. The purpose of this study was to understand how teachers were using student generated photography to connect students’ dynamic local knowledge with curriculum and classroom practices. Through the methodology of critical qualitative teacher action research in two unique classroom sites, the authors’ findings include increased student responsibility and ownership; teachers as learners; and the richness and complexity of the students’ lived experiences.

Gateways: International Journal of Community Research and Engagement

This article describes specific pedagogical components of a community engagement project between ... more This article describes specific pedagogical components of a community engagement project between students in a psychology course and youth at a juvenile justice centre (JJS). The purpose of the research was to illustrate how feminist and critical pedagogies can create reciprocal community engagement that provides a space for learning at both college and community sites. The researchers involved in this study included the professor of the Psychology of Women course, a senior college student who previously took the course, the JJS volunteer coordinator and an education professor. Together, they employed qualitative, single case study methodology in order to understand the complex social phenomena of this community-engaged course. The results demonstrate that lessons addressing social inequities are beneficial for youth in JJS and offer a way to alleviate the gap in gender-specific programming. They also create community and offer an empowerment lens. By explicitly focusing on the peda...

Proceedings of the 2022 AERA Annual Meeting

Proceedings of the 2019 AERA Annual Meeting

Journal of community engagement and higher education, Aug 31, 2021

English Learners (ELs) often face school environments dominated by White, English speaking values... more English Learners (ELs) often face school environments dominated by White, English speaking values, history, and education practices. This qualitative action research study focuses on the third space development for ELs, all Latin@ students, in a high school mainstream English Language Arts classroom. The study’s primary focus was how third space could be improved in a high school classroom through teacher facilitation of critical interaction. The data was collected through video observation, student interviews, and teacher reflective journals. The study grew to examine third space throughout the school community in various classrooms using the insights and reflections of the students in the English language classroom, the high school teacher, and a teacher educator. Through the analysis, we found that teachers have abiltiy to actively pursue and facilitate third space, even in a school context that cannot be equal.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Most district administrators used language that embodies assimilation for English Learners. The D... more Most district administrators used language that embodies assimilation for English Learners. The Discourse, meaning discourses that are socially and historically formed as they are circulated and sustained through and within texts, social practices, images, and institutions in addition to daily interactions between people to become big “D” discourses, in the community also echoed assimilation for ELs.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Following the national trend emphasizing English-only for state adoption and school programs, thi... more Following the national trend emphasizing English-only for state adoption and school programs, this intermountain state passed an English as the Official Language law in 2000. This initiative relied on public discourse common in other states across the nation. On an Internet site that examined the pros and cons of English-only in this state, these Discourses were stated: 1) one language creates unity; 2) supporting many languages cost the state money; 3) English is necessary for immigrants to advance economically; and 4) not speaking English is un-American (Tripod, n.d.). As a comparison to the national debate, I include Tse’s (2001) data from congressional speeches proposing the official English-only initiatives during a 17-year time period from 1981–1998. The arguments were remarkably similar to those used by people in this intermountain state during the English-only debate. According to Tse, the most prevalent Discourse given in speeches was “English unites the country/Multilingualism is divisive” (my emphasis). This correlates with the data from this state’s debates that states, “One language creates unity.” Other examples from the national debate that were common in this intermountain state’s debate were: immigrants need motivation/it’s for their own good; once immigrants are in America, they should learn English; providing services in non-English languages is costly. Discourses in the school and community also surfaced in the school and community in this study and are represented in these national Discourses surrounding immigrant language issues.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Students who speak a language other than English at home and enter the public schools come from a... more Students who speak a language other than English at home and enter the public schools come from a wide variety of social, historical, and political backgrounds. Research describes the difficulties these students face within a school structure that is designed for White, native English speakers (Cummins, 1989; Genesee, Lindholm-Leary, Sanders, and Christian, 2006; Faltis and Coulter, 2007; Gibson, 1988; Lee, 1996, 2005; Lucas and Grinberg, 2008; Nieto, 2008; Olsen, 1997; Tellez and Waxman, 2006; Valdes, 1996, 1997, 2006; Valenzuela, 1999; Zentella, 1997). Despite advances made during recent years to promote the effective education of ELs, the body of teachers most qualified to accommodate their needs has been unable to match the growth of ELs in schools (Menken and Antunez, 2001). Attention to students in the secondary schools has had even greater deficits. Challenges that impede these efforts include: 1) lack of resources required to develop, implement, and evaluate ESL programs effectively; 2) lack of ESL/bilingual endorsed teachers needed to identify and support the academic achievement and retention of ELs; 3) lack of supportive administration to support the faculty and staff; and 4) the contested nature of language ideologies and Discourse surrounding the teaching of ELs within the United States. In this study, I focused on the need for quality ESL/bilingual endorsed teachers and a supportive administration to construct effective ESL programs in secondary schools.

International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2016

ABSTRACT Developing public education where every child has the right to learn requires that teach... more ABSTRACT Developing public education where every child has the right to learn requires that teachers pay attention to and engage in race talk – open discussion about race, social construction of race, and racism. While it is clear that children engage and reflect critically about these aspects of race even at a young age, teachers rarely engage in race talk with them. In this study, an African-American preservice teacher and a White teacher educator explore how African-American, Polynesian, and White in-service teachers, participating in Courageous Conversations professional development, address or avoid race talk in their elementary schools through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and what risks they take when they do. Findings, through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, demonstrate that (1) racism was observed and/or experienced by all teachers in elementary schools; (2) lived racial experiences impacted teachers’ approach to conversations about race; (3) creating an open space was crucial for race conversations; (4) Courageous Conversations provided a ‘new language’ to talk about race; and (5) administrative support facilitated more attention to race. Findings indicate the road to greater equity in schools requires more professional development about race talk in elementary schools.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Carl’s quote represents the framework of this chapter. The environmental context of this quote is... more Carl’s quote represents the framework of this chapter. The environmental context of this quote is important. The school is situated in the Rocky Mountains where there are many rivers. If you look at a river from a bird’s eye view, you will see many waves in the river formed by large boulders. From this view, it appears as if the waves are standing, as if there is no movement. But if you move closer to the river, you can see that there is much movement. Water is constantly moving around and in between the rock, but generally the rock stands still. In order for the rock to move suddenly, something drastic would have to happen. For example, it would have to be moved physically by someone or by a flood of rushing water or a shift in the ground below. When Carl states “a high school is like a standing wave,” he is acknowledging the structural barriers in the school that make change such as top-down administrative decisions, the organization of departments, standardized tests and class size difficult; at the same time he is acknowledging the changes that are happening when he says that the individual parts of the wave change. This chapter explores how teachers act as agents of school change within a confining school structure. This section of field notes describes the ebb and flow of change within the ESL program at Cherry High School. While teachers and administrators made significant changes in the ESL program due to myriad events, the program was not at any time permanent and was always vulnerable to the larger stream of Discourse within the school and nation/community.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

Eight years have passed since I began the study at Cherry High School, exploring the ESL program ... more Eight years have passed since I began the study at Cherry High School, exploring the ESL program and teachers who wanted to transform it. Since that time, I have moved from Granite County to Fairbanks, Alaska. I have kept in touch with the teachers occasionally by e-mail and phone during this time period. Interestingly, all the four participant teachers have moved into positions that are not part of the high school’s ESL program. Five years later, I wanted to connect with the teachers again so I could understand how the teachers and the school’s ESL program were evolving. To what degree were teachers able to change and continue to change the ESL program? What were the structural elements that enabled or constrained the teachers as they continued this process of developing the school’s ESL program? Finally, how have Discourses, teacher actions, and events impacted changes to the ESL program long term?

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

The opening quote exemplifies the framework of this chapter. The group of teachers who participat... more The opening quote exemplifies the framework of this chapter. The group of teachers who participated in the university ESL endorsement program through the federal grant formed a group that positioned themselves often in opposition to the wider school/community Discourse. As they began to make changes in their teaching practice and challenge the Discourses around the school about ELs, their association grew. Because the teachers had a group, rather than only trying to make changes individually, they were able to rely on each other for support through the change process. This beginning quote demonstrates the forming of a small group within the larger school community and the questions that begin to arise.

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

My three-hour night course just came to an end after a lively discussion about bilingual educatio... more My three-hour night course just came to an end after a lively discussion about bilingual education programs. Most of my class included inservice teachers, so they asked a lot of specific questions about how bilingual education could really take place in a secondary school in [this intermountain state] with just under 10% population of language minority students. Like many discussions in my classes, it was spirited, and the students were interested in the topic; however, making the connection from theory to practice was challenging. After erasing the white board, I turned around to see three students with earnest faces waiting for my attention. I asked them if there was a problem with the course. “There is a problem with our school’s ESL program” one said. “It is pathetic … students who speak Spanish fluently are placed in beginning Spanish classes designed for Gringos,” quipped another. “I can’t just sit back, I mean ethically, and watch these kids flounder in my classes. I mean they are smart kids, but they don’t understand the language so they end up just sitting there.”

International Journal of Multicultural Education, 2013

This study explores the process of implementing literature circles using ethnographies as the tex... more This study explores the process of implementing literature circles using ethnographies as the texts to better prepare teachers for multicultural/ multilingual teaching contexts. Data collected by the course instructor and two of the participants, using a Critical Teacher Action Research (CTAR) methodology, indicate that participants think critically, connect to the texts and others, and identify ways to enhance school practice based on the funds of knowledge described in the ethnographic works when participating in literature circles. The author provides the process of implementing literature circles in teacher education courses and provides an action plan for further practice.

Journal of American Indian Education, 2011

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs, 2009

The opening quote represents one of the key language ideologies circulating in the school that si... more The opening quote represents one of the key language ideologies circulating in the school that situated “language by immersion” as the most effective way to learn language, specifically English. I define language ideologies as big “D” Discourses (Gee, 2005) that are circulated in society. This chapter explores the ways language ideologies are used and how they impact the way teachers teach, how they develop the ESL program, and how they situate themselves in relation to other teachers in the school. This quote illustrates the awareness the grant participant teachers had in relation to other teachers in the school and caused me to ask why these teachers invested deeply with ELs when others in the school community did not demonstrate the same kind of investment.

This paper describes the impact of using Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) to enhance... more This paper describes the impact of using Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) to enhance a campus-community partnership. The key stakeholders, who are also the participants, share how learning from the reflective journals, collaborative sessions, and interview data analysis transformed their practice. The collaborative partnership was designed to allow prospective teachers from a School of Education at a U.S. liberal arts college the opportunity to teach Diverse language learners (DLLs) who were attending a summer program at a nearby community learning center. The teacher educators responsible for teaching the prospective teachers, the director of the community learning center, and a student researcher joined the project as collaborative participant researchers. Together they analyzed the data collected from various participating groups, which included their own work and reflections, as well as those of the prospective teachers and prevention specialists who were employed b...

NABE Journal of Research and Practice

English Learners (ELs) often face school environments dominated by White, English speaking values... more English Learners (ELs) often face school environments dominated by White, English speaking values, history, and education practices. This qualitative action research study focuses on the third space development for ELs, all Latin@ students, in a high school mainstream English Language Arts classroom within a post-colonial theoretical framework. The study's primary focus explores how third space could be opened in a high school classroom through teacher facilitation of critical interaction. The researchers collected data through video observation, student interviews, and teacher reflective journals. The study grew to examine third space throughout the school community in various classrooms using the insights and reflections of the students in the English language classroom, the high school teacher, and a teacher educator. Through the analysis, we found that teachers have ability to actively pursue and facilitate third space, even in a school context that is influenced heavily by dominant history and practices.

Equity & Excellence in Education, 2015

ABSTRACT In this research, the authors explored how teachers using student-generated photography ... more ABSTRACT In this research, the authors explored how teachers using student-generated photography draw on local knowledge. The study draws on the framework of funds of knowledge to highlight the assets marginalized students bring to the classroom and the need for culturally relevant pedagogy to address the needs of a diverse public school population. The purpose of this study was to understand how teachers were using student generated photography to connect students’ dynamic local knowledge with curriculum and classroom practices. Through the methodology of critical qualitative teacher action research in two unique classroom sites, the authors’ findings include increased student responsibility and ownership; teachers as learners; and the richness and complexity of the students’ lived experiences.