A Whole New Question.... And maybe some folks who have answers!

So it looks like, as this I-search project comes to a close, I am left with a new and different question than the one I started with. Why isn’t writing used as community engagement? As Professor Collins remarked in a really helpful meeting I had with her on Monday, it’s not because it isn’t helpful for student writing. For example, I recently read an article in Rethinking Schools where students presented their final projects to community members. Their teacher comments “I invited [community members] to meet with my students, knowing this would challenge my students to synthesize everything we had learned and discuss it in organized, clear ways” (p. 30).

Perhaps the the question isn’t if there is a case or not writing as community engagement, but why it isn’t happening. All the teachers I talk to think it’s a good idea. All of the students I talk to agree that they put more effort into their writing when someone other than their teacher is reading it. Administrators believe that community schools is a direction we should be heading in. Professor Collins has explained that this kind of writing was really popular in the mid to late 90’s, but has since gone out of fashion. Why?

            As luck would have it, one of the after school programs I reached out to, has reached back! I assumed the radio silence was a no but apparently, it was just because of busy schedules (Hey, I know what that means!). I’m thinking that I’ll find some interesting answers from the director and the students, hopefully in time for my paper’s final draft!

Panic: Party of One

“What do I think about what my participants are telling me and/or about what I’m observing in schools? What does it mean? What new questions do I now have? What are my next steps?”

          I’m getting a little panic-y. I haven’t identified one source that is getting at what I want to talk about in this I-Search project. In case you haven’t been tuning in, I’m looking for writing that students do for audiences outside of the classroom as community engagement. If you have names please send them my way!! My email is colleenbradyconley@gmail.com.

          For primary sources, I’ve reached out to three after school programs  with less than fruitful results (Youth In Action, Providence Student Union and Sadie Speaks). I’ve reached out to three classroom teachers but it turns out they aren’t doing the kind of writing I am interested in. If Justin is reading this, I’m really glad that you’re enjoying your work through that Providence Public School volunteer organization and I appreciate your suggestion. However, I’ve actually had some pretty negative experiences working with them and I’m really hesitant to reach out again.

          The three books I was all excited about last week also turned out to be less than helpful. Engaging Schools, put out by the National Research Council Institute of Medicine has research and strategies for building community schools but does not talk about writing practices. Reading, Writing and Rising Up by Linda Christensen is chock full of really fly writing assignments, but they’re not about writing for audiences outside of the classroom, or as part of service learning. Rethinking High School by Harvey Daniels, Marilyn Bizar, and Steven Zemelmen is again more about structural changes and paradigm shifts than actual writing practices.

          What does it mean? That I’m behind, which I hate and is scary. I’m also wondering if this means that this kind of writing just isn’t happening…. I picked up the search term: community schools, but that hasn’t really led me anywhere promising. I feel confident about my research skills in general, but what if I’m just doing a poor job with this project for some reason?

          So what are my next steps? Today I’m going to send and SOS out to professors in the education department for classroom teachers I could reach out to.  I think if I don’t get anywhere by next week I’ll need to change my topic and do it fast (right Professor Collins?). Scary times!