Boys and Girls for Others

Abstract

The paper describes a critical multiculturalist approach the author used, while working as a reading support teacher in a third grade classroom of English language learners. The author shares a step-by-step timeline she used to adopt a social justice agenda in the classroom, while teaching a unit. Through integration of reading and social studies content objectives, the author was able to meet students' reading needs, as well as foster critical thinking through questioning, art, discussion, and writing about matters that were relevant to the students' own lives, their familes' lives and the community, while learning the social studies content. Students were able to identify important problems, determine relevant themes within and across texts, as well as decide on potential solutions. Ultimately, the critical approach, helped students learn that they can be agents of change in their own communities, in and out of school.