Reflections of a Citizen Teacher: Literacy, Democracy and the Forgotten Students of Addison High by Todd DeStigter, Allen Carey-Webb

Mary Ann Harlan - VOYA

It is important for youth advocates to recognize the needs and the issues that minority populations face. As the fastest growing minority in the United States, Latinos will populate schools and libraries with cultural expectations and literacy needs. DeStigter writes an enthnographic observation of language minority students (particularly Latinos) in a high school in Michigan. He defines a "citizen teacher" as someone who promotes participatory democracy and in doing so, expands and strengthens institutions and personal relations in support of that democracy. DeStigter uses John Dewey, educational philosopher and the father of modern public education, to define his concept of both participatory democracy and citizen teacher in action. DeStigter's concepts make it imperative for all students and teachers to interact in a manner that builds community in the classroom. Citizen teachers create an environment in which all cultures and languages are valued and shared. The author acknowledges the tension between his bias as a white researcher examining a Latino culture and the community he is researching. This bias is particularly clear in his description of the Tesoros project, a promising first step in encouraging literacy in two languages. Developed by DeStigter and a teacher at the high school, the project is an opportunity for poor white students and second-language learners to share their cultures through their writing. The examination of the tension between cultural definitions of success and needs of second-language students is the most useful aspect for youth advocates. It is difficult to read this work without questioning one's own biases and expectations. As DeStigter examines theproblems students encounter in their day-to-day lives, his analysis of the implications for teachers, the institutions, and the students offers more questions than answers. Nevertheless, by examining possible answers to the questions, as well as the facets of different solutions, youth-serving professionals become more capable of providing a safe environment and successful programs than if they do not ask the questions. Index. Biblio. Source Notes. Appendix. 2001, NCTE, 387p,

Booknews

DeStigter (English, University of Illinois-Chicago) tells of his experiences teaching a small group of Latino students attending a predominantly white high school in a rural area of Michigan. He takes readers into the classrooms of Addison High and into the homes and neighborhoods of Spanish-speaking students, and draws connections between specific instances of teaching and learning and the broader contexts of educating culturally and linguistically diverse students. He challenges educators to draw on an awareness of the ethical complexities of their work. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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