Drawing on the authors' experiences as Black parents, researchers, teachers, and teacher educators, this timely book presents a multipronged approach to affirming Black lives and literacies. The authors believe change is needed-not within Black children, but in the way they are perceived and educated, particularly in reading, writing, and critical thinking across grade levels. To inform literacy teachers and school leaders, the authors provide a conceptual framework for reimagining literacy instruction based on Black philosophical and theoretical foundations, historical background, literacy research, and authentic experiences of Black students. This important book includes counternarratives about the lives of Black learners; research conducted by Black scholars among Black students; examples of approaches to literacy with Black children that are making a difference; conversations among literacy researchers that move beyond academia; and a model for engaging all students in literacy. Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies advocates for adopting a standard of care that will improve and support literacy achievement among today's Black students by rejecting deficit presumptions and embracing the fullness of these students' strengths. Book Features: A counternarrative of Black literacy history, lives, and learners. Narrative examples of Black literacy scholarship, by Black scholars who embrace their faith-walk as an integral part of their holistic approach to literacy teaching and learning. Discussion questions to spur conversations among school administrators, parents/caregivers, politicians, reading researchers, teacher educators, and classroom teachers. An array of extant Black scholarship that should inform literacy praxis and research. A conceptual framework, CARE, that is applicable for all learners with a focus on Black literacy learners.
Arlette Ingram Willis is a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, division of Language and Literacy. Gwendolyn Thompson McMillon is professor of literacy and chair of the Department of Reading & Language Arts at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Patriann Smith is a professor of literacy studies at the University of South Florida.
Contents Foreword Theresa Perry ix Preface xi Acknowledgments xxi 1. Introduction: Theoretical Perspectives 1 Black Epistemology, Ideology, and Theory 2 Conceptual and Theoretical Foundations 2 Conceptual Foundations: Moral Courage and Moral Licensing 4 Theoretical Foundations: Black Liberation Theology, Black Radical Tradition, Critical Race Theory, and Decolonization 7 Black Liberation Theology 8 Black Feminism 10 The Black Radical Tradition 12 Critical Race Theory 13 Decolonial Theories 15 Reading Research and Black Students 16 2. Black Women Activist Teachers 19 Literacy and Freedom 21 Literacy and Civil Rights 35 Literacy and Liberation 40 Literacy and Justice: Black Independent Schools 45 Our Teachers 50 Conclusion 50 3. The Mis-Education of a High-Performing Black Girl 53 Shawyn's Narrative: A Summary 53 The Study 55 Aesha 56 Discussion 64 Conclusion 67 In Conversation 68 Critical Discussion Questions 72 Suggested Readings 73 4. Cultural Dissonance in a First-Grade Classroom 75 Gwen's Narrative: A Summary 75 Setting 76 Tony 77 Travis 80 A Closer Look Inside Ms. Rudolph's First-Grade Classroom 83 Conclusion 92 In Conversation 93 Critical Discussion Questions 99 Suggested Readings 100 5. Transcending (Dis)Belief: Black (Immigrant) Youth Literacies 101 Patriann's Narrative: A Summary 101 An Invitation From a Black Immigrant Educator 102 Black Immigrant Educator Literacies 105 Jorge: A Black Immigrant Latinx Youth 107 Black American Youth Literacies 110 Excerpts From Black American Youth 112 Conclusion 118 In Conversation 119 Critical Discussion Questions 122 Suggested Readings 123 6. It's Never Too Late 125 Arlette's Narrative: A Summary 126 It Is Never Too Late . . . 126 A Brief Backstory 127 Meeting Clemente 129 Twenty Years Later 132 Perspective 134 Conclusion 135 In Conversation 136 Critical Discussion Questions 139 Suggested Readings 140 7. Conceptual Framework: Toward a Standard of CARE 141 Foundations 141 Race and Culture 143 Equity Pedagogies 146 CARE 148 References 159 Index 175 About the Authors 183
" Affirming Black Students' Lives & Literacies: Bearing Witness challenges readers to think about teaching Black students with intentionality, purpose, and first and foremost, love." -Teachers College Record "Exceptionally well organized and presented, Affirming Black Students' Lives and Literacies: Bearing Witness is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to school district, college, and university library Black Studies and Contemporary Educational Studies collections." -Midwest Book Review
