Teaching for Social Justice? Voices from the Front Lines examines the process of four K-12 educators and a university-based researcher discussing, studying, and acting on the potential power of social justice. Through frequent, lively, and complex meetings, these educators examine their varying educational philosophies, practices, and teaching sites. Using experimental writing methods and qualitative methodology, North bridges the great divide between teacher and academic discourse. She analyzes the complex, interconnected competencies pursued in the name of social justice, including functional, critical, relational, democratic, and visionary literacies. In doing so, she reveals the power of cross-institutional, democratic inquiry on social issues in education.

Connie E. North

Introduction; Part I Functional Literacy; Chapter 1 Functional Literacy in Context; Chapter 2 Developing Functional Literacy for Social Justice?; Part II Critical Literacy; Chapter 3 Critical Literacy in Context; Chapter 4 The Limits of Critical Literacy in Isolation; Part III Relational Literacy; Chapter 5 Relational Literacy in Context; Chapter 6 More than "Fluffy Talk"; Part IV Democratic Literacy; Chapter 7 Democratic Literacy in Context; Chapter 8 Reclaiming Democratic Literacy, Cautiously; Part V Visionary Literacy; Chapter 9 Do Maggots Have Protein?; Chapter 10 Conclusion;