Teachers' Reading/Teachers' Lives

The premise of this book is important: that teachers' literacy experiences not only make a difference in their literacy instruction but also in their professional judgment and actions related to curriculum decisions, and their resistance to prescribed methods and materials which do not allow children's literacy to flourish. The teachers' own words in the autobiographical chapters offer powerful testimony supporting approaches to literacy that encourage and support the job of reading and writing, rather than pedantic and meaningless curriculum methods that emphasize isolated skills and drills. The topic is very significant. There is currently a backlash against the whole language approach, which through the years has had other titles but has always emphasized the creative, responsive teaching described in meaningful, individual, integrated and joyful approaches to the teaching of reading and writing. This book could have a positive influence on the current discussions about the teaching of literacy.