The responsible change project: Building a justice-oriented middle school curriculum through critical service-learning

Abstract

This work explores the potential of using a critical service-learning project with middle grades English language arts students to facilitate development of a social justice mindset. Through The Responsible Change Project, a curriculum designed by classroom teachers, students identified social justice issues of concern within their communities, conducted research about these issues, and developed a line of inquiry into the origin of these problems. Results from analysis of teacher observations and interviews indicated that participating students learned to use multiple sources and perspectives to develop an argument and write a cohesive, well-developed TED-talk style speech to an audience of their peers and community members. Data analysis also revealed that this curriculum facilitated strong writing skills and challenged middle school students to think deeply about social injustice in their communities and beyond.

Keywords:

• critical service-learning
• critical literacy
• English language arts
• social justice

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Heather Coffey

Heather Coffey, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Middle, Secondary, and K12 Education at Cato College of Education. She serves as director of the University of North Carolina (UNC) Charlotte Writing Project, Charlotte, NC. E-mail: [email protected]

Steve Fulton

Steve Fulton is an English Language Arts teacher at Kannapolis Middle School, Kannapolis, NC. E-mail: [email protected]