Advocacy In The Classroom

Noted literary critic Patricia Meyer Spacks has gathered together a group of both liberal and conservative professors to answer the question of whether or not a teacher can still bring passionate commitment to an idea into the classroom as a way of engaging students in a meaningful way.

The recent wave of teacher protests across the U.S. has shined a spotlight on advocacy in education. In an age when schools are underfunded to the point of unmanageable class sizes, outdated texts, dilapidated school buildings and shortened school weeks, educators must use their voices and advocate in order to preserve public education. This book addresses multiple strategies and approaches advocacy can take through the lens of teachers, administrators, teacher educators and community leaders. It can serve as a roadmap geared toward educators of all backgrounds and experience levels, from preservice teachers to seasoned administrators, as well as teacher educators who want to dispel the myth that public schools are failing. Too often, educators are expected to be advocates without any guidelines provided. Even though they are powerful in numbers, they are often isolated in their classrooms in attempt to meet the increasing needs of their students and the daunting demands of the educational system. This volume highlights opportunities for educators to serve as advocates by getting involved, which can take many shapes and forms. Individual chapters built around specific themes show how educators can use advocacy to forge connections, problem solve, resolve conflict, develop as professionals, enter into dialogue, utilize branches of government and become sustained education advocates. The four themes in this book are teacher advocacy, teacher and teacher education, leadership and administration and community collaborations.

"English learners (ELs) are the fastest-growing segment of the K-12 population. But Els and their families, who are in the process of learning English and navigating an often-unfamiliar education system, may not have a voice powerful enough to articulate their needs. Consequently, all teachers and administrators must advocate for this all-important diverse group of students who will become tomorrow's workforce."--Back cover.

Timely and accessible, this book critically explores the meaning and practice of teacher advocacy. Drawing from the work of teachers who advocate with and for students who are traditionally marginalized—including students of color, students with exceptionalities, students in poverty, and immigrant students—this volume investigates classroom realities like inequitable distribution of resources, student trauma, and uneven support for teachers’ work from administrators. Unlike other texts on teacher activism, this book embeds activism within an existing leadership framework and strategies that teachers enact within the classroom, across the school, and in their communities. Foregrounding data in the five case studies, this book is an invaluable resource for pre-service teachers and scholars in teacher education, social justice education, and educational leadership.

Help all students reach their full potential. Make the right decisions! This unique book offers practical tools and strategies to help you become a strong advocate for every student in your school. With real world examples and situations, this book will help you: • Acquire skills to change your students’ lives for the better -- and also reach district goals. • Learn how to advocate for students even if it conflicts with district policy. • Discover how to transform your staff so they will also serve as student advocates. • Strengthen connections with parents to engage them with their child’s education. Also included is how to be an advocate for special needs students. The book opens with a private self-assessment to help you discover where you are on the continuum of student advocacy. It then leads you through the steps to develop the traits of a skilled advocate for students. There are application exercises and numerous examples of what works. Supported by research references in every chapter, the book details a rich variety of interventions you and your staff can use on a daily basis. It focuses on curricular as well as co-curricular programs including subject-matter offerings, the fine arts, athletics, technical programs, clubs, recreational activities, and other programs. As the principal, it is your advocacy that will make a powerful, lifelong difference for all the students in your school. Also available – PowerPoint slides for in-service professional development or for principals who wish to discuss this topic with their staff.

What counts as professionalism for teachers today? Once, teachers who knew their content area and knew how to teach it were respected as professionals. Now there is an additional type of competency required: in addition to content and pedagogical knowledge, educators need advocacy skills. In this groundbreaking collection, literacy educators describe how they are redefining what it means to be a teaching professional. Teachers share how they are trying to change the conversation surrounding literacy and literacy instruction by explaining to colleagues, administrators, parents, and community members why they teach in particular research-based ways, so often contradicted by mandated curricula and standardized assessments. Teacher educators also share how they are introducing an advocacy approach to preservice and practicing teachers, helping prepare teachers for this new professionalism. Both groups practice what the authors call “everyday advocacy”: the day-to-day actions teachers are taking to change the public narrative surrounding schools, teachers, and learning.

Offers teachers and other school personnel an overview of education advocacy, explaining what the role of an education advocate is, how they can change the education system, how to get started, and what the best advocacy strategies are.

Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book: What You Can Do Now to Advocate for Your Exceptional Child's Education is a unique handbook that teaches parents how to work with schools to achieve optimal learning situations and accommodations for their child's needs. From IEPs and 504 Plans, to IDEA and NCLB, navigating today's school system can be difficult for even the most up-to-date, education-savvy parent. Special needs advocates Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis provide parents and professional advocates with concise, easy-to-understand definitions and descriptions of legal terms and school regulations, along with checklists, tips, questionnaires, and other tools. Topics covered in this handy guide include gathering accurate information about a child's education, navigating school meetings, understanding education law, and best practices in the classroom, working effectively with parents and school systems, discovering educational options beyond the standard, and much more. Parents and advocates not only will feel informed by Weinfeld and Davis' vast knowledge of the inner workings of the school system—they'll be empowered to help their kids succeed in school. Educational Resource