Everyday Advocacy

Once, teachers who knew their content area and knew how to teach it were respected as professionals. Now there is an additional type of competency required: in addition to content and pedagogical knowledge, educators need advocacy skills. In this groundbreaking collection, literacy educators describe how they are redefining what it means to be a teaching professional. Teachers share how they are trying to change the conversation surrounding literacy and literacy instruction by explaining to colleagues, administrators, parents and community members why they teach in particular research-based ways, so often contradicted by mandated curricula and standardised assessments. Teacher educators also share how they are introducing an advocacy approach to preservice and practising teachers, helping prepare teachers for this new professionalism. Both groups practice what the authors call everyday advocacy: the day-to-day actions teachers are taking to change the public narrative surrounding schools, teachers and learning.