Teaching for Joy and Justice: Re-Imagining the Language Arts Classroom

by Linda Christensen

Teaching for Joy and Justice is the much-anticipated sequel to Linda Christensen's bestselling Reading, Writing, and Rising Up . Christensen is recognized as one of the country's finest teachers. Her latest book shows why. Through story upon story, Christensen demonstrates how she draws on students' lives and the world to teach poetry, essay, narrative, and critical literacy skills. Teaching for Joy and Justice reveals what happens when a teacher treats all students as intellectuals, instead of intellectually challenged. Part autobiography, part curriculum guide, part critique of today's numbing standardized mandates, this book sings with hope -- born of Christensen's more than 30 years as a classroom teacher, language arts specialist, and teacher educator. Practical, inspirational, this is a must-have book for every language arts teacher, whether veteran or novice. In fact, Teaching for Joy and Justice is a must-have book for anyone who wants concrete examples of what it really means to teach for social justice.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Professional Development, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Reference, Writing

287 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2009

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When the curriculum, instead of sanitizing the past and excluding the present, holds a mirror to students' lives so that the inequality and injustice students experience starts to breathe in the classroom, students wake up."

A book by progressive English teacher Linda Christensen to illustrate how to teach responsively to the worlds that students live in versus preparing them to become numerical scores on standardized tests. Teaching and learning consistent with Paolo Freire's aim to connect the word with the world. The book focuses on student-centered writing projects with chapters on writing poetry, fiction, essays, with clear guides to beginning teachers on how to create learning that is meaningful and relevant, including plenty of writing samples from her own students.

Inspiring. Pair with Greg Michie's Holler of you Hear Me or Same as it Never Was, which I did in an English teaching methods class.

[Laura Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely pivotal to my thinking. I found myself screaming AMEN!!!

[Stephanie Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated this teaching text! Christenson puts students, their cultures, and their values at the center of her teaching. She inspires me to re-shape some of my units with her frameworks in mind.

This book was published in 2009- I am wondering what she might revise or add after the initial publication twelve years ago.

[Anna Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some really great ideas to try in here.

[Jake Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

JM + LC = 4EVR

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were great ideas in here for teaching, along with texts that can be used for all different age levels. The author is clearly a master teacher and I especially appreciate her use of model paragraphs and texts from students and professional writers, as well as her asset-based approach to working with her students. I think the book could use an update with more current approaches to ally-ship and teaching-while-white with majority students of color classrooms. Some parts come across as a little white savior-ish.

[Elie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book marks the 10th and final professional development/teacher book I have read in the summer of 2015. So much knowledge!

Throughout college, I was dead set on teaching powerful, relevant curriculum to my students. Then I became a real teacher, was handed less-than-mediocre curriculum, and eventually started to write my own. Teaching for social justice took a back seat as I flailed around at figuring out how to teach and survive.

Reading Christiansen's book reminded me that I absolutely must change my curriculum so that students read and write about what empowers them and to give them a voice. Already, I've made notes on my year-long plan to incorporate ways for students to read, write, and share about their families, traditions, and languages in a school where white kids are in the minority.

I loved how Christiansen didn't just lecture on the importance of such a curriculum. Her book provides unit plans, handouts, and mentor texts from students and experts alike. And with 20+ years in the classroom, she knows what she's talking about.

Unfortunately, I teach middle school where most of my kiddos are Mexican, whereas Christiansen wrote her book focused on (mostly) African American high school students. Her mentor texts and examples almost all speak to a predominately Black audience and are at such a high reading level that my 6th graders would be lost.

While I was disappointed that I couldn't directly apply many of the lessons and units, I think I can take the concepts of her chapters and turn them into something that will cater to the demographic I teach. It'll be a lot of work, but there's nothing quite like a curriculum that excites students.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this book's focus is on the practical application of social justice teaching in the English classroom. So often, social justice teaching books tell us what the end goal is, but don't give us models of how to get there in our classrooms. This book does, and the lessons it suggests would integrate well into my class. Christensen gives several different lesson plans within each chapter, so I'm getting a good feel for the process of how she runs her classroom and can see her ideas working in mine. I'm excited to try out her assignments.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you read Linda Christensen's Teaching for Joy and Justice, you are reminded of why conservatives are fearful of critical pedagogy and progressive practices. Just think what might happen if those without voices and power are taught to acquire and use both? Excellent writing activities and a great chapter on themed literature circles. While the operational definition of joy was less obvious, the classroom practices are clearly described for secondary teachers.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The rousing introduction is full of heart and humility, both of which I appreciate. The first chapter leads off with a quote from a Carl Sandburg poem, but misspells his name. Bravo to the author and all those who are committed to creating community and helping us articulate it. These launches didn't speak to me, but I can imagine they might to others.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an inspiring book that makes me want to try and teach high school. I have only observed high school English classes that are an analysis of texts from the standard canon. This book shows you how a teacher can still teach all of these skills using a social justice curriculum.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great social justice-themes readings and lessons. I've tabbed a lot of student writing that I'd like to share.

[BookChampions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Christensen is a gift. This is a solid follow-up to the essential Reading, Writing, and Rising Up.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource for ELA teachers who wish to incorporate social justice themes into their curriculum. I found the lessons extremely insightful and plan to fold many of them into my designs.