This volume explores the ways in which practicing K–12 art educators can engage with students to develop democratic habits. The contributors present case studies based on action research conducted in their own classrooms as part of their master’s in arts education. The text is divided into three sections that correspond to habits the author-teachers cultivated in their classroom: choice, voice, and caring for community. Each author presents real-world examples for development of not only art skills, but also ways of being and interacting that allow humans to contribute meaningfully to the world. Readers will hear from art educators who strive to teach their students ownership and empowerment through problem-solving, independence, and responsibility. This timely book shows how art education is a bastion of freedom in public education, where students and teachers can think and act collaboratively and critically. Book Features: Offers examples of transformative teaching that give students voice, choice, and opportunities to care for community.Provides theory as well as replicable models teachers can use.Addresses the difficulty of balancing student and teacher needs within the politically embattled field of education.Shares the voices of art educators in Midwest classrooms ranging from elementary to high school, rural to urban communities. Contributors: Elizabeth Bloomberg, Jeffery Rufus Byrd, Ashley Cardamone, Kathryn Christensen, Michelle Cox, Jodi Fenton, Samantha Goss, Maddison Maddock, Wendy Miller, Sandra Nyberg, Lauren Roush, Elizabeth Sutton, and Heather Walker.

This volume explores the ways in which practicing K-12 art educators can engage with students to develop democratic habits. The contributors present case studies based on action research conducted in their own classrooms as part of their master's in arts education. The text is divided into three sections that correspond to habits the author-teachers cultivated in their classroom: choice, voice, and caring for community. Each author presents real-world examples for development of not only art skills, but also ways of being and interacting that allow humans to contribute meaningfully to the world. Readers will hear from art educators who strive to teach their students ownership and empowerment through problem-solving, independence, and responsibility. This timely book shows how art education is a bastion of freedom in public education, where students and teachers can think and act collaboratively and critically. Book Features: Offers examples of transformative teaching that give students voice, choice, and opportunities to care for community. Provides theory as well as replicable models teachers can use. Addresses the difficulty of balancing student and teacher needs within the politically embattled field of education. Shares the voices of art educators in Midwest classrooms ranging from elementary to high school, rural to urban communities.

EDUCATION / Arts in Education

This fascinating account details the story of two teacher-researchers—Jennifer, who is African American, and Karen, who is White—as they set out on a collaborative three year study to explore the impact of racial and cultural differences in Karen’s urban middle school classroom. Not anticipating that their own differences would become a threat to their project, the two women describe how they learn to confront and deal with the challenges they face so that they can work together. Their study presents the difficulties and importance of collaborations between teachers from different racial and cultural backgrounds, as well as keen insights into how race and culture evolve in teacher-student interactions. Of particular interest is an interview with the authors by Lisa Delpit and Dr. Delpit’s analysis of their experience. Teachers and researchers will also find valuable practical advice about conducting cross-cultural collaboration and suggestions for persevering during difficult times. “This book is an amazing story by two teachers . . . who take readers on their joint journey through distrust, anger, and fear as they grapple with race in classroom teaching. Together, they build a bridge of trust, communication, and understanding, and in the process they teach the rest of us how to do this.” —Christine Sleeter, California State University, Monterey Bay “Analyzing the complexities of race as it gets played out between teachers working together in an urban classroom is the centerpiece of this excellent publication. Jennifer and Karen’s forthrightness and the clarity of the discussion draw the reader in, and push them to ask, ‘How would I do and what would I learn if I were Karen or Jennifer?’” —Carl Grant, University of Wisconsin, Madison

. Renewal of Life by Transmission. The most notable distinction between living and inanimate things is that the former maintain themselves by renewal. A stone when struck resists. If its resistance is greater than the force of the blow struck, it remains outwardly unchanged. Otherwise, it is shattered into smaller bits. Never does the stone attempt to react in such a way that it may maintain itself against the blow, much less so as to render the blow a contributing factor to its own continued action. While the living thing may easily be crushed by superior force, it none the less tries to turn the energies which act upon it into means of its own further existence. If it cannot do so, it does not just split into smaller pieces (at least in the higher forms of life), but loses its identity as a living thing. As long as it endures, it struggles to use surrounding energies in its own behalf. It uses light, air, moisture, and the material of soil. To say that it uses them is to say that it turns them into means of its own conservation. As long as it is growing, the energy it expends in thus turning the environment to account is more than compensated for by the return it gets: it grows. Understanding the word "control" in this sense, it may be said that a living being is one that subjugates and controls for its own continued activity the energies that would otherwise use it up. Life is a self-renewing process through action upon the environment.

Nautilus Gold Award Winner (Books for a Better World) in Social Sciences & Education Create inclusive, democratic classrooms that prepare knowledgeable, compassionate, and engaged global citizens. Today’s global challenges—climate change, food and water insecurity, social and economic inequality, and a global pandemic—demand that educators prepare students to become compassionate, critical thinkers who can explore alternative futures. Their own, others’, and the planet’s well-being depend on it. Worldwise Learning presents a "Pedagogy for People, Planet, and Prosperity" that supports K-8 educators in nurturing "Worldwise Learners": students who both deeply understand and purposefully act when learning about global challenges. Coupling theory with practice, this book builds educators’ understanding of how curriculum and meaningful interdisciplinary learning can be organized around local, global, and intercultural issues, and provides a detailed framework for making those issues come alive in the classroom. Richly illustrated, each innovative chapter asserts a transformational approach to teaching and learning following an original three-part inquiry cycle, and includes: Practical classroom strategies to implement Worldwise Learning at the lesson level, along with tips for scaffolding students’ thinking. Images of student work and vignettes of learning experiences that help educators visualize authentic Worldwise Learning moments. Stories that spotlight Worldwise Learning in action from diverse student, teacher, and organization perspectives. An exemplar unit plan that illustrates how the planning process links to and can support teaching and learning about global challenges. QR codes that link to additional lesson and unit plans, educational resources, videos of strategies, and interviews with educators and thought leaders on a companion website, where teachers can discuss topics and share ideas with each other. Worldwise Learning turns students into local and global citizens who feel genuine concern for the world around them, living their learning with intention and purpose. The time is now.

"This book examines what it means to be present in one's teaching- how to mentally and emotionally connect to your students, your classroom, and your teaching. The author outlines the structure of reflection, its intentional practice, and its importance to presence. Rodgers also provides a detailed outline for teaching presence to new and preservice teachers"--

This is the first book about action research devoted to the complex issues faced by children with special needs and their teachers. The authors begin by providing the historical and philosophical underpinnings of action research and then present a framework for conducting action research in special education. In addition, they feature four examples of actual teacher-researcher studies, as well as a “how-to” chapter that outlines the basic principles needed for conducting action research. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in using action research to enhance student achievement and to address issues of social justice faced by children with special needs. Book Features: Details of the origins and practice of action research in special education. Demonstration of how action research is a dedicated component of preservice teacher preparation. Examples of action research performed by students in the field.