- Transforming Our Teaching and Learning, Oct 1999

Discusses how two first-grade teachers listen to their students in an effort to improve their teaching skills. Describes the transformational experiences in classrooms as being rooted in a progressive view of curriculum, in teachers’ and students’ inquiry and in an understanding that teaching and learning are political activities. Concludes that much happens because they “listened to kids.”

Considers different fifth-grade students’ transformations through expressing themselves with poetry. Claims the content of children’s writing suggests a complete revision of standard educational ideas about who the children are, what they know, how they think, and how much they can learn if teachers only know how to tap into their brilliance.

Describes a three-year collaborative project, Investigating Our Community, involving teachers and fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Focuses on moving from mandated curriculum that defines inquiry with known outcomes to inquiry that explores the unknown knowledge and stories of their school’s neighborhood. Finds that a community investigation improved the school’s relationships with people and businesses who were strangers to the school.

Discusses transformation from two different points of view regarding teaching children’s writing. Consists of two main parts by the two authors. Presents in each writer’s portion interspersed comments by the other writer reflecting the differences and the similarities in these two teachers’ ongoing processes of personal and professional transformation.

Offers ways in which a principal can support student and teacher transformation. Lists 12 characteristics of a transformational principal.

Presents six themes that undergird teaching and learning for transformation included in this themed issue. Recognizes that these themes are not isolated categories; rather, they influence one another and contribute to educators’ identities as teachers and learners. Concludes with a hope that teachers nurture their students’ transformations as a way of uncovering many possibilities for teaching and learning.

A selected bibliography related to the themed issue, “Transforming our Teaching and Learning.”