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Building a Learning Community through Curriculum

Year 2008, Volume: 4 Issue: 3, 53 - 73, 01.12.2008

Abstract

This paper uses mixed methods to document how a new charter school’s curriculum facilitates in the development of a learning community. The study highlights diverse curricular practices that often do not take place in traditional public schools. The school’s philosophy and curriculum, which is based in social justice, provides a unique environment where students have the opportunity to better understand the world around them while simultaneously building relationships with their classmates and teachers. Utilizing a methodological combination of observations, informal and formal interviews, document analysis, and a short survey, the paper provides a rich description of the implementation of a charter school's curriculum steeped in critical pedagogy

References

  • Abowitz, K. K. (2001). Charter schools and social justice. Educational Theory. 51 (2), 170.
  • Anyon, J. (1980). Social class and the hidden curriculum of work. Journal of Education. 162 (1), 67-92.
  • Bierlein, L. A. & Mulholland, L.A. (1995). Charter school update & observations regarding initial trends and impacts. Policy brief. Arizona State University,
  • Tempe. Morrison Int. of Public Policy. Cammarota, J. & Scott, K. A. (2006) Youth Speak out: Students of color and participatory ethnography. Panel presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, California.
  • Christensen, L. (2000). Reading, writing, and rising up. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools.
  • Cummins, J., Chow, P., & Schecter, S. R. (2006). Community as curriculum. Language Arts, 83(4), 297
  • DeSchryver, D. (1999). School choice today. Center for Education Reform, Washington, D.C.
  • Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. NY, NY: Touchstone.
  • Edelsky, C.; Draper, K. & Smith, K. (1983). Hookin’em in at the start of school in a
  • ‘whole language’ classroom. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 14 (1), 256- Ellis, W. N. (2000). Community life long-learning centers. In R. Miller. Brandon (ed),
  • Creating learning communities. VT, The Foundation for Educational Renewal: 21. Eryaman, M. Y. (2007). From reflective practice to practical wisdom: Towards a post-foundational teacher education. International Journal of Progressive Education, 3(1), 87-107.
  • Freire, P. (1993). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Trans. Myra Bergman Ramos. New York. Coninuum.
  • Freire, P. & Macedo, D. (1995). A dialogue: Culture, language, and race. Harvard
  • Educational Review. 65 (3), p. 377-402. Gifford, M., Phillips, K.& M. Ogle. (2000). Five year charter school study: An overview. Arizona education analysis. Goldwater Inst., Phoenix, AZ. Center for
  • Market-Based Education. Goodman, K., Shannon, P., Goodman, Y. & Rapaport (2005). Saving our schools:
  • The case for public education. RDR Book. Gresham, A., Hess, F., Maranto, R. & Milliman, S. (2000). Desert bloom: Arizona’s free market in education. Phi Delta Kappan. 81 (10), 751-757.
  • Gutiérrez, K. (in press). Intersubjectivity and grammar in the third space. Mind, Culture and Activity. Gutiérrez, K. (2002). Studying cultural practices in urban learning communities.
  • Human Development, 45(4), 312–321. Holland, N. E. (2006). ... And yes, school size matters: Creating communities for teaching and learning. Paper presented at the annual American Educational
  • Research Association meeting in San Francisco, California. Hyslop-Margison, E. J. & Richardson, J. (2005). Rethinking progressivism and the crisis of liberal humanism: Historical and contemporary perspectives on education for democratic citizenship. International Journal of Progressive Education, 1(2), 49-58.
  • Latifia. (2002). My Forbidden Face. New York, NY: Anne Carrière.
  • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation.
  • Cambridge University Press. Merriam, S. B. (2001). Qualitative research and case study applications in education.
  • San Francisco, CA: Josey Bass Publishers. McCullough, R. G. (2006). Charting new territory: An exploration of teacher choice and experiences in small and charter schools. Paper presented at the annual
  • American Educational Research Association meeting in San Francisco, California. Moll, L. C. & Gonzalez, N. (2004). Engaging life: A funds of knowledge approach to multicultural education. In J. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.), Handbook of research on multicultural education (Second ed., pp. 669-715). NY: Jossey- Bass.
  • Shor, I., & Freire, P. (1987). A pedagogy for liberation: Dialogues on transforming education. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey Publishers.
  • Short, K. G. (1990). Creating a community of learners. In K. Short & K. Pierce
  • (Eds.), Talking about books: Creating literate communities. Ports- mouth, NH: Heinemann. Short, K. G. & Burke, C. L. (2001). Curriculum as inquiry. In Sibel Boran and Barbara Comber (eds.) Critiquing Whole Language and Classroom Inquiry.
  • National Council of Teachers of English, 18-41. Spradley, J. P. (1979). The ethnographic interview. United States: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
  • Suoranta, J. & Moisio, O. (2006). Critical pedagogy as a collective social expertise in higher education. International Journal of Progressive Education, 2(3), 47-64
  • Turning Points. (2005). Turning Points Transforming Middle Schools. Found on
  • October 9, 2005 at: http://www.turningpts.org/work.htm
Year 2008, Volume: 4 Issue: 3, 53 - 73, 01.12.2008

Abstract

References

  • Abowitz, K. K. (2001). Charter schools and social justice. Educational Theory. 51 (2), 170.
  • Anyon, J. (1980). Social class and the hidden curriculum of work. Journal of Education. 162 (1), 67-92.
  • Bierlein, L. A. & Mulholland, L.A. (1995). Charter school update & observations regarding initial trends and impacts. Policy brief. Arizona State University,
  • Tempe. Morrison Int. of Public Policy. Cammarota, J. & Scott, K. A. (2006) Youth Speak out: Students of color and participatory ethnography. Panel presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, California.
  • Christensen, L. (2000). Reading, writing, and rising up. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools.
  • Cummins, J., Chow, P., & Schecter, S. R. (2006). Community as curriculum. Language Arts, 83(4), 297
  • DeSchryver, D. (1999). School choice today. Center for Education Reform, Washington, D.C.
  • Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. NY, NY: Touchstone.
  • Edelsky, C.; Draper, K. & Smith, K. (1983). Hookin’em in at the start of school in a
  • ‘whole language’ classroom. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 14 (1), 256- Ellis, W. N. (2000). Community life long-learning centers. In R. Miller. Brandon (ed),
  • Creating learning communities. VT, The Foundation for Educational Renewal: 21. Eryaman, M. Y. (2007). From reflective practice to practical wisdom: Towards a post-foundational teacher education. International Journal of Progressive Education, 3(1), 87-107.
  • Freire, P. (1993). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Trans. Myra Bergman Ramos. New York. Coninuum.
  • Freire, P. & Macedo, D. (1995). A dialogue: Culture, language, and race. Harvard
  • Educational Review. 65 (3), p. 377-402. Gifford, M., Phillips, K.& M. Ogle. (2000). Five year charter school study: An overview. Arizona education analysis. Goldwater Inst., Phoenix, AZ. Center for
  • Market-Based Education. Goodman, K., Shannon, P., Goodman, Y. & Rapaport (2005). Saving our schools:
  • The case for public education. RDR Book. Gresham, A., Hess, F., Maranto, R. & Milliman, S. (2000). Desert bloom: Arizona’s free market in education. Phi Delta Kappan. 81 (10), 751-757.
  • Gutiérrez, K. (in press). Intersubjectivity and grammar in the third space. Mind, Culture and Activity. Gutiérrez, K. (2002). Studying cultural practices in urban learning communities.
  • Human Development, 45(4), 312–321. Holland, N. E. (2006). ... And yes, school size matters: Creating communities for teaching and learning. Paper presented at the annual American Educational
  • Research Association meeting in San Francisco, California. Hyslop-Margison, E. J. & Richardson, J. (2005). Rethinking progressivism and the crisis of liberal humanism: Historical and contemporary perspectives on education for democratic citizenship. International Journal of Progressive Education, 1(2), 49-58.
  • Latifia. (2002). My Forbidden Face. New York, NY: Anne Carrière.
  • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation.
  • Cambridge University Press. Merriam, S. B. (2001). Qualitative research and case study applications in education.
  • San Francisco, CA: Josey Bass Publishers. McCullough, R. G. (2006). Charting new territory: An exploration of teacher choice and experiences in small and charter schools. Paper presented at the annual
  • American Educational Research Association meeting in San Francisco, California. Moll, L. C. & Gonzalez, N. (2004). Engaging life: A funds of knowledge approach to multicultural education. In J. Banks & C. McGee Banks (Eds.), Handbook of research on multicultural education (Second ed., pp. 669-715). NY: Jossey- Bass.
  • Shor, I., & Freire, P. (1987). A pedagogy for liberation: Dialogues on transforming education. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey Publishers.
  • Short, K. G. (1990). Creating a community of learners. In K. Short & K. Pierce
  • (Eds.), Talking about books: Creating literate communities. Ports- mouth, NH: Heinemann. Short, K. G. & Burke, C. L. (2001). Curriculum as inquiry. In Sibel Boran and Barbara Comber (eds.) Critiquing Whole Language and Classroom Inquiry.
  • National Council of Teachers of English, 18-41. Spradley, J. P. (1979). The ethnographic interview. United States: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
  • Suoranta, J. & Moisio, O. (2006). Critical pedagogy as a collective social expertise in higher education. International Journal of Progressive Education, 2(3), 47-64
  • Turning Points. (2005). Turning Points Transforming Middle Schools. Found on
  • October 9, 2005 at: http://www.turningpts.org/work.htm
There are 31 citations in total.

Details

Other ID JA49PK76DV
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Kevin S Carroll This is me

Publication Date December 1, 2008
Published in Issue Year 2008 Volume: 4 Issue: 3

Cite

APA Carroll, K. S. (2008). Building a Learning Community through Curriculum. International Journal Of Progressive Education, 4(3), 53-73.