Creating Community Connections and Partnerships for Transformative Social Change

Abstract

In this article, I share my experiences connecting with community as a high school teacher, a community literacy developer, and a teacher educator. I describe three partnerships that created conditions for transformative change, challenging boundaries of traditional schooling by providing spaces for shared knowledge and meaning making. The experiences that undergird these partnerships present a counter story to de cit discourses and narratives of school failure. They highlight possibilities for investing in our collective future and demonstrate the capacity of individuals to build community and enact learning landscapes to bring about a more socially just world.

Navigating discourses in academia: challenging the status quo

“…In four short weeks, the teachers grew close to the children, taking on the role of advocates. This was especially apparent in their case reports, as the teachers focused on students' strengths and provided asset-based strategies and recommendations for future instruction (Bacon, 2016). The teachers described their experience at the STEC as one of the best in their program.…”

“…In the summer of 2016, Heidi taught and supervised a clinical graduate reading assessment course for in-service teachers (Bacon, 2016). The course was held at the Small Town Education Center (STEC), a migrant/farmworker community-based organization.…”

“…The teachers found the children to be respectful and eager to learn. One of the teachers, an early childhood educator, stated that she "had never felt so appreciated before" (Bacon, 2016).…”