In responding to Murakami and Siegel's "Becoming Bermuda grass" one is led to reflect on one's own practice in what becomes an example of reflexivity. Following the authors' lead of incorporating Deleuze and Guattari's rhizomatic theory and the art form of decalcomania to reflect on practice, discoveries are made regarding the practice…

The "community of inquiry" as formulated by C. S. Peirce is grounded in the notion of communities of discipline-based inquiry engaged in the construction of knowledge. The phrase "transforming the classroom into a community of inquiry" is commonly understood as a pedagogical activity with a philosophical focus to guide…

In this response, I extend the conversation started by Hayes and Juarez (2012) by highlighting how culturally responsive teaching is spoken in one teacher education program where I worked and served in the preparation of middle-level teachers. I also share my reflections concerning this idea and pose questions for critical thought, dialogue, and…

The author brings together Paulo Freire and Jurgen Habermas to ask whether dialogue is possible in the classroom or whether, in a culture of rational debate, the classroom becomes more oppressive than democratic? In a voice and style that attempts to invite the skeletons out of the classroom closet, the author asks scholarly readers to lend an…

The studies in this issue break the mold of the traditional stage model of the development and testing of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) within the confines of highly controlled studies (Onken, Blaine, & Battjes, 1997). Although this approach has merits, the need for EBIs in school settings has outpaced their deployment. The authors of these…

Colleges and universities need English education professors who know what it is to teach five classes a day, accommodate IEPs, and still take on extracurricular activities. They need English education professors who not only present at NCTE Annual Conventions, but who also want to be in schools talking to teachers on a regular basis. They need…

Based on an ethnographic study of a writing course taught by a talented instructor who integrated process and critical pedagogy approaches, I argue that many students actively engage with the concerns of critical pedagogy when the classroom ethos strongly supports their agency--their ownership of their developing ideas and texts. (Contains 10…

Elizabeth G. Sturtevant, a professor of education at George Mason University, holds a 33-year record of college-level teaching, scholarship, and service that centers on adolescent literacy. Her research helps clarify the pressures that affect teachers' literacy instruction, the role of secondary school literacy coaches, and adolescent…

Interactive immersive entertainment, or videogame playing, has emerged as a major entertainment and educational medium. As research and development initiatives proliferate, educational researchers might benefit by developing more grounded theories about them. This article argues for framing game play as a "designed experience." Players'…

A Los Angeles County middle school filled with students who bring a wide range of talents, languages, and cultures serves as the context for McGinnis's reflections on her teaching of multicultural literature through a critical pedagogy lens. With the realization that her teaching can transform students' lives, she focuses on building an atmosphere…

Neurologist and middle school teacher Willis, frustrated by mandates handed down by "non-experts" who didn't know what she knew about how the brain works, developed strategies to rekindle the spark of learning and escape the rote nature of teaching to the test. By encouraging practice to create an accessible neural circuit, finding ways…

The convergence of two apparently opposite theories of urban educational reform is analyzed as it occurs in three middle schools in a New York City school district. The first theory, emphasizing small schools of choice, promotes close relationships between students and adults in distinctive school programs. The second--centralized, standards-based…