Much has been written about the failure of White American public school teachers to effectively teach low-income children of color to read and write. Scholars have offered numerous explanations for this failure, including the reluctance of teacher preparation programs to address cultural competence and the lack of cultural diversity among teacher educators. In response to reported failures such as high attrition rates of novice teachers and low test scores, American public schools are being subjected to increased standardization of the curriculum and high stakes testing. This book provides rich illustrations of White early literacy teachers who choose to remain in low-income school communities, where they effectively and passionately embrace their students, families, and communities. Blending the teachers successful practices, shown in in-depth interviews excavating their identities and life experiences, with theoretical frameworks about teaching and learning,Early Childhood Literacy Teachers in High Poverty Schools: A Study of Boundary Crossing discusses the responsibility of public educators to cross geographical, economic, and political divisions on behalf of their students, and offers strategies for teacher educators to equip future teachers for these tasks.

Melissa Landa is assistant clinical professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy, and Leadership at the University of Maryland.

CONTENTSCHAPTER ONE: Choices: The Roots of ActionGardens and Deserts: Rich and PoorBehind the Garden Gate: When a Teacher HumiliatesOpening the Garden Gate: When Teachers InspireStepping Through the Gate: Crossing the Economic DivideGuided By Teachers VoicesWalking Through The ChaptersCHAPTER TWO: The Meaning Behind the Teaching Voices in the ClassroomNkosi Sikele iAfrikaWhen Protest Hymn Becomes National Anthem: Teaching as a Political ActWhose Voices Do We Hear?Childrens Cultural and Literary Lives: Variations on a ThemeCourageous Singing of The Words and of the World: Critical LiteracyHearing Every Voice: Student Teacher TrustWhen Preconceptions Meet Pedagogy: Deficit ThinkingVoices That Sing Above the Noise: Transformative TeachersCHAPTER THREE: Weaving a Tapestry of Human IdentityConnecting the StrandsSeamless GatheringThe Call to Teach: The Threads of PassionIdentities: Single Threads or Embroidered DesignsShould Color be Primary?When Colors ClashWeaving a New ClothCHAPTER FOUR: Stepping Over BoundariesTeachers Crossing BordersCollaborating with Allies Beyond Classroom BoundariesCommunity Gatherings Within Classroom BoundariesNeighborhood DivisionsHidden Pockets of PovertyBeyond the BoundariesInvitations From Across the BorderCrossing the Boundary of Traditional CurriculumSeeking Ways to CelebrateImagination as their GuideHonoring Every SojournerJourney Toward JusticeConnecting Separate WorldsBuilding BridgesScaffoldsBreaking Barriers and Standing StrongKnocking Down WallsFollowing the Equity TrailCHAPTER FIVE: Following The Equity Trail: A Kaleidoscope Of LearningBringing it all into FocusPieces of the PicturePieces of IdentityMagnificent MosaicsColorful PastsCapturing an ImageForming New ConstellationsCreating Literary ConfigurationsChoosing our Patterns of TeachingGiving Shape to Invisible BordersImagining Future PiecesA Final FocusREFERENCESABOUT THE AUTHOR