For a Better World: Reading and Writing for Social Action

by Randy Bomer

With For a Better World , Randy and Katherine Bomer present a new vision of curriculumone that invites students to read with important social ideas in mind and write with the purpose of making the world a better place. Developed in years of classroom experience with diverse children, the book will help more experienced teachers take the next step in their professional growth, while providing newer teachers with a picture of how the largest purposes in democratic education connect to the details of teaching. A unique, reader-friendly guide for bringing critical literacy into reading and writing workshops, For a Better World demonstrates how

Genres: Teaching, Education, Writing, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 5, 2001

Reviews

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When we teach historical life stories in our school, we need to ask: what are the stories being passed on, and what are the stories not being passed on? What is being covered up or lied about? What is important to teach? How can our children act in the world for others if they feel powerless and helpless and silenced themselves? How can they act on behalf of others if they don't know how others suffer?" (page 170)

This book gave me a lot to think about in terms of reading and writing instruction, especially in terms of discourse in our classrooms. I also thought a lot about the importance of efficacy and how I could do better with our students to build this.

Lately I have been reading a lot of Katherine Bomer's work, and I really love her writing voice and what she has to say about writing and teaching and working with students. Although I am not sure if Katherine or her husband Randy wrote this, I especially resonated with this line, "When we wander in our inner core, our own true selves, we usually encounter pain. Sharing that pain with others reawakens the interrelationship between others' pain and our suffering. It builds a community based not so much on our own suffering but on the suffering of all those we encounter." (Page. 174)

[Vanessa Heller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent text to support my study of inquiry and social action. The focus with this text is on literacy to learn about ourselves, our world, and our place and power in it. There is so much in For a Better World that is thought provoking and challenging yet handy and directly applicable to classroom implementation.

[Georgie Morell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lol sup Bomers

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heavy on the why we should make social action part of our classrooms, light on the how.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently bought this book because I loved a previous book, Time for Meaning. Looking forward to exploring this book.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical and inspiring.

[Tensley Nesbitt]

A great book for any first year teacher or any tenured educator who wants to begin or better challenge students to become engaged in social and community service. While at times it can be repetitive, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to begin using some of these ideas in the classroom.