Introduction

Our culture is rampant with opportunities for us all, students and adults alike, to participate in on-going critical literacy. Through the lenses of power, perspective and positioning, we are able to critically look at our world and the literacy around us in order to learn, make judgements, and discover new opportunities. Stephanie Jones strongly points out in her book girls, social class, and literacy: What Teachers Can Do to Make a Difference, "A critical literacy lens focuses on three interrelated layers: perspective, positioning, and power; and engages in three foundational tenets: deconstruction, reconstruction, and social action." (Jones, 2006) These layers and tenets can be found in all of the activities and work I have showcased in this portfolio. They can also be found in most of my teaching practices now, as I begin to explore, practice, and fine tune them.

As an educator I could not agree more with all the research out there that says students need to be aware of and partake in social action in order to become democratic citizens in society. Before this semester began, I felt that many of my students from the less privileged classes of society were less capable, and not ready to partake in critical literacy activities. Now, through the diverse research and activities I have done with my students I could not disagree more. I was stereotyping my students, and not providing them the opportunities they deserved and needed. In order for me to begin to plan activities to immerse these students in critical literacy, I needed to get to know them inside and out. Essentially I was, as Jones says "framing" my students.

"Framing too often leads to stereotyping, or essentializing. To not stereotype or essentialize someone, we must know her concretely, we must know some of her stories, some of her history, some of her dreams, some of her challenges...The only way we will be able to make informed decisions about when, how, and why to engage our students in critical literacy practices is through knowing them - well." (Jones, 2006)

Trying new practices with my students this semester forced me to see, first hand, how important it is to immerse them in critical literacy, and how their work becomes richer and deeper than I could ever have imagined, if only they are given the chance.

I am now able to see that one must tap into his or herself and beliefs in order to participate in critical literacy. These beliefs are infused within them from their experiences in school, home, the world, etc. This doesn't just go for students. Some of the examples I have included in this portfolio showcase my 'own' journey and experiences with critical literacy this semester. Before a teacher can begin to help students on their journey of being critical readers, he/she must have their own experiences to draw from as well. Lisa D. Delpit makes a strong point of this in her article Acquisition of Literate Discourse: Bowing Before the Master? when she states her agreement with Gee's research, "He argues that literacy is much more than reading and writing but, rather, it is part of a larger political entity that he calls a "Discourse." Discourse in this sense is constructed as something of and 'identity kit,' that is, ways of 'saying-writing-doing-being-valuing-believing." (Delpit, 1992)

I have grown on my journey as I have begun to explore perspective, positioning, and power in literacy. This portfolio will showcase the beginning of that journey for myself and my students. I have only begun to scratch the surface of these discourses, but awareness is a big step in this on-going journey.