Reading the World: Supporting Teachers' Professional Development Using Community-Based Critical Literacy Practices (original) (raw)

This paper shares the findings from a study that assessed the impact of a graduate level curriculum that engaged fifty-seven k-12 teachers in communitybased critical literacy practices. The findings from the participants' written critical reflections following two community exploration activities showed that they gained enhanced awareness of social inequalities. In addition, some of the participants made connections between the observed community disparities and their civic responsibilities to work towards social justice. A high school teacher reflects:-This year, our [community] walk was more geared toward hearing the voices of many people we never got a chance to talk to last year…my eyes were opened to things I never heard before…. It's amazing to think that if I hadn't taken the opportunity to do these walks, I would be totally oblivious of just how diverse my community isdifferent races, ethnicitiesdifferent socioeconomic levelsdifferent opinions on issues of race, gender, and right now immigration.‖