Writing America: Classroom Literacy and Public Engagement [Paperback]

Sarah Robbins (Author, Editor), Mimi Dyer (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0807745278 | ISBN-13: 978-0807745274 | Publication Date: November 1, 2004

This practical volume addresses teachers’ most immediate and constant wish—to engage students in meaningful learning. Written by teachers affiliated with the National Writing Project, this engrossing collection presents examples of classroom-based community studies projects that showcase teachers’ reflective practice in action, models for professional growth, collaborative staff development programs, and much more.

Features:
• Replicable projects emphasizing approaches to doing research and writing that are both engaging for students and academically rigorous.
• Comprehensive curricular models for building energetic, public connections between the classroom and the larger community.
• Chapters that connect the standards-based classroom work to teacher professional development and to emerging trends in American Studies and literacy instruction.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sarah Robbins is the director of the Keeping and Creating American Communities program and author of Managing Literacy, Mothering America. Mimi Dyer is co-director of Keeping and Creating American Communities and coordinator of the Advanced Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy at Kennesaw Mountain High School.

Product Details

• Paperback: 179 pages
• Publisher: Teachers College Press (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807745278
• ISBN-13: 978-0807745274
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,230,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Short, readable essays make case for community engagement, May 3, 2005

By 

Lisa "Willoughby" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing America: Classroom Literacy and Public Engagement (Paperback)

Writing America: Classroom Literacy and Public Engagement by Sarah Robbins and Mimi Dyer provides guidelines and practical examples for the classroom teacher interested in engaging students in the community. This series of short, highly readable essays make the case for engaging students in researching, writing, and reflecting about their communities and their own place in those communities. Classroom teachers and college professors describe in specific detail, hands-on, personal, and innovative projects they developed with their students. The best, including: Sylvia Martinez' "Discovering the Power of My Place", LeeAnn Lands', "A City Too Busy To Reflect?", and Peggy Corbett's "History Happened Here" provide examples of student writing, and explain the successes as well as challenges of these projects. Writing America invites classroom teachers to try new strategies, and encourages them to continue to keep instruction relevant in their students' lives, and to use the classroom to help build, and rebuild American community.