Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching about Social Justice and the Power of the Written Word

by Linda Christensen

"My students walk out the school door into a social emergency, " Linda Christensen writes. "They are in the center of it. I believe that writing is a basic skill that will help them both understand that emergency and work to change it." This practical, inspirational book offers essays, lesson plans, and a remarkable collection of student writing, all rooted in an unwavering focus on language arts teaching for justice.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Professional Development, Social Justice, Nonfiction, Writing, Politics

196 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My students walk out the school door into a social emergency, " Linda Christensen writes. "They are in the center of it. I believe that writing is a basic skill that will help them both understand that emergency and work to change it."

In my work preparing students to teach middle and high school English, and in an age of continuing curricular standardization, it is helpful to have as many inspiring teacerly examples of folks who teach to help students begin to act to changing the world. Christensen taught in a Portland, Oregon high school for decades, sharing her work with teachers and prospective teachers everywhere. How do you connect the word to the world, as Freire put it? She shows you, with student questions and problem-solving and lesson plans to those ends central to the text.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a 3/4th grade teacher, I read this book because it was one of my summer reading choices. That said, there are many good points in this book that I will apply to my daily teaching - action is an important part of learning and connecting the curriculum to social justice is ideal before going towards actions so you really know what you're doing. Many of the lesson ideas in here are adaptable, but I was frustrated by how many seemed just too hard, or like my kids wouldn't really get the point since they are so much younger. I do understand that I would not be considered the author's primary audience due to the level of my classroom. There are good stories to read in this book, but there are other books that compile one person's stories better than they are in here, like Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades (another summer reading book for me).

[Karyl Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the second edition, which is longer and more detailed than the edition listed here. I thoroughly enjoyed this text and am already making plans on how to incorporate many of the lessons within for my college writing students. My goal is to have a more equitable, social justice oriented classroom, and I have high hopes that this text will help me do so.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to social justice education, Linda Christensen doesn't mess around. She sees your pedantic bullshit and raises you this accessible, imaginative, and empowering collection of ideas and work samples for teaching teenagers to use language to their own advantage, "accuracy" be damned.

During her decades at Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon, Christensen worked with students of low-income backgrounds, on the edge of dropping out of a system that systematically (!) reminds them of their apparent worthlessness to a society that values monetary worth. And values white hegemony, and patriarchy, and all the near-invisible hurdles that confront students of varied experiences in the classroom. After her students have experienced years of disenfranchisement, Linda Christensen's lesson proposals promise to remind them that they and their ideas matter.

Furthermore, Christensen doesn't stop at pointing out the issues. She also facilitates conversations about why those issues even exist. Why are some voices left out of a textbook, a novel, a work of art? Why are women treated as objects (of scorn, of desire, of inhuman characteristics)? What can be done to access their invisibility, and grow from the experience?

I find myself as pleased with this book as I was with Content-Area Writing: Every Teacher's Guide, and feel empowered myself to try these methods out, to twist 'em all around, and do it all over a new way.

And of course, I feel empowered to ask my students what they think.

Buy this title from Powell's Books.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teaching for social justice has become a cornerstone of contemporary progressive education. And while many scholars of curriculum and instruction can agree on what social justice entails and that our teaching and learning should be predicated upon the equitable principles of social justice, few texts offer practitioners a vision of how a curriculum informed by social justice operates within a classroom. This book fills that need.

Drawing upon her rich experience as an English Language Arts teacher working in racially and ethnically diverse communities, Christensen features abundant examples of her own teaching strategies and assignments in this book. She offers ready-to-use templates that can be easily reproduced for the reader’s own classroom, but more importantly, she offers a compelling rationale for the pedagogical value of social justice along with a variety of methods the reader may use to develop lessons, units, and assignments that will meet administratively imposed standards while also promoting social justice and facilitating critical consciousness among students.

The curricular innovations that Christensen suggests will not be easily accomplished. Achieving the kind of trenchant instruction and culturally relevant pedagogy that she describes in this text will require meticulous reflection and intimate knowledge of one’s students and community. Fortunately, Christensen’s text can serve as a solid guide to developing a socially just and pedagogically rigorous curriculum.

[Britt Fitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Christensen shares practical lesson plans and strategies for teaching social justice through the lens of writing, emphasizing the power of the written word to inspire change. The book combines personal anecdotes and student stories to illustrate the transformative impact of integrating social justice issues into the classroom curriculum. Through reflective essays and hands-on activities, Christensen provides educators with tools to help students explore their identities, understand social justice, and use writing as a form of advocacy.
Linda Christensen often shares narratives about her students, showcasing their personal growth and the challenges they face in relation to social justice themes. Christensen herself is a central figure, depicted not only as an educator but also as an advocate for integrating social justice into the classroom, sharing her journey and reflections. The book also features diverse voices from historical and contemporary contexts, highlighting figures who have used writing as a powerful tool for social change.
This is a powerful reminder of the impact that educators can have on their students' lives. Christensen's passion for teaching and social justice is evident on every page, inspiring readers to reflect on their own teaching practices and the role of education in promoting equity and change. The book's practical lesson plans and strategies are invaluable resources for any educator committed to social justice.
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"My students walk out the school door into a social emergency. They are in the center of it. I believe that writing is a basic skill that will help them both understand that emergency and work to change it."
-Linda Christensen, "Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching About Social Justice and the Power of the Written Word"
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★★★★★
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Genre: Educational Nonfiction
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#Bookstagram #Bookish #BookReview #BookLovers #Bookworm #ReadingForChange #SocialJusticeInEducation #EducatorLife #BookishLife #LiteratureLove #Nonfiction #BookRecommendations #BookishFeatures #BookishCommunity #ReadingCommunity

[Gracie Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This guide is largely centered on upper high school grades so I did not find it super easy to transfer to upper elementary or lower middle school grades, but there are some shining gems that I did find. The chapters about studying immigration, discovering internal monologues to teach empathy, and using poetry is all its beautiful forms were phenomenal. Christensen provides many lesson guides and tips to guide new teachers in these writing endeavors AND shares her own real world struggles in the classroom. I also love that she includes many of her students pieces so readers can see how her curriculum has really moved kids. I definitely will be referencing this book in the future.

[jo]

a super helpful resource jam packed w teaching strategies. i appreciate that it’s not prescriptive in any way but is just an offering of what worked for christensen. i appreciate how specific it is to the context of christensen’s school community and it’s making me reflect a lot on how i am intentionally building that relationship. a resource i will continue to return to for inspiration!

with all of the rethinking books, what makes it both a challenging and excited read is how dense it is bc it’s literally like dozens of different lessons/strategies. definitely a resource to be savored and revisited.

[Brenda Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful stories of how reading and writing can improve students' lives and help them understand their own power in the world. Many examples of how to set up a classroom to enable a social justice focus and to provide students choice and voice in the classroom.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been instrumental in helping me rethink the way I teach writing and the ways in which I can use writing as a tool for social justice.

[adeservingporcupine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to use some of these lessons in my class this year. The book is excellent for taking the things you know about equity and education and giving them life in an actual classroom.

[Synthia Salomon, Ed.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telling our names begins our story. Names are more than stories, but also (in the classroom) they tell students we care about their histories; their lives count.

[Jamie Johnson Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to use so many of Linda's techniques with my own students!💜👍😊

[Emma-Kate Schaake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the kind of teacher I aspire to be.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the practical advice and thorough lesson plans in this book. It's very approachable and helpful for creating a more inclusive and student-centered classroom.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Aimee]

Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching About Social Justice and the Power of the Written Word.
Linda Christensen
January 2000. 196p. Wisconsin, $12.95 (9780942961256).

“I use the term ‘rising up’ because reading and writing should be emancipatory acts.” Linda Christensen shares that belief beautifully in her book Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching About Social Justice and the Power of the Written Word. Filling her book not only with methods and lessons for teaching social justice but work from her past students, as well as stories from her time at Jefferson High School in Portland, Organ. Designed around the ideas in James Baldwin’s book A Talk to Teacher’s Christensen strives for her students to “examine society and try to change it and to fight it”.

Rising Up is an amazing tool for any educator who not only wants to encourage their students to write but to also question and challenge the world around them. While many believe asking students to “rise up” against what they see in society is asking for chaos this book asks us to find ways to help students change what they see, to not accept inferiority in our out of the classroom, and demand more from society. “This is ‘rising up’ reading- reading that challenges, that organizes for a better world.”
-Aimee Andrews
Marshall University
Huntington, WV

[Jonathan Brammer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this at the end of a busy and stressful semester, just now finishing up the final chapters and realizing that many of the ideas deserved more mental attention than I could devote to them at the time of reading. I teach students who have been alienated by the education system, a system based totally on grades, test scores, and college admissions. I see students who have an adversarial stance towards me and the school - the trick is winning them over and engaging them, but breaking down the years of hardened attitudes is difficult - a few "empowering" activities a week during English class is not necessarily going to do it. Even so, we have to try or admit defeat.

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome ideas for teaching social justice, I loved her opinion that reading and writing are two "emancipatory acts." Give the kids the tools they need to change the future.

Con? Needs an updated edition. This is over 10 years old now and the section on cultural stereotypes needs to be revisited because there is a lot of criticism about Disney cartoons not featuring any women of color as main characters, since then haven't they made a couple that do just this?

Anyway, great lesson activity ideas.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. Not only does it inspire me to add more social justice to my teaching and feel good about what I've added already, there are a number of great assignments that will promote student self respect while also connecting to standards and units I have planned. I expected the inspirational tone, but am pleasantly surprised by all the practical activities and mentor texts here. This book is older, but far from dated.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, so good! It's a collection of essays and classroom activities that all focus on bringing social justice into the classroom. The lessons introduced also focus on key reading and writing skills and content knowledge which is a plus. So far, what I've read is realistic, well-focused, sometimes inspiring, and most of all and most importantly, useful.

[Annemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm using this text for my class through The Heritage Institute entitled "Writing for Change: Rising Up in Protest." It's a handy reference for teachers who care about including themes of social justice in the classroom--it offers some very practical curriculum ideas!

[Angeli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really great resource for anyone who is interested in developing curriculum for youth or adults in expressing themselves. The workshop ideas are creative, fun, and surprising. Highly recommended!

[Kelly Rueda]

I've heard a lot of good things about this book but am taking a brak from "Teacher books" so I can catch up on some other reads

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because education is a political act.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book... love Linda Christiansen, and not just because she's an Oregonian. There is much inspiration here and vision for teaching social justice within the language arts.

[Sarah]

Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching About Social Justice and the Power of the Written Word by Linda Christensen (2000)

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my review for Teaching for Social Justice. I now want to read Rethinking Early Childhood Education put out by the same publisher.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christensen brings teaching for social justice to life in this book. I found it to be an invaluable resource in my English methods course, and I plan to use it again in the future.

[Ashley Szofer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for English teachers who have little dreams of being social justice teachers :) Think Freedom Writers.