Teaching Harry Potter: The Power of Imagination in Multicultural Classrooms (Secondary Education in a Changing World)

Given The Current Educational Climate Of High Stakes Testing, Standardized Curriculum, And Approved Reading Lists, Incorporating Unauthorized, Often Controversial, Popular Literature Into The Classroom Becomes A Political Choice. The Authors Examine Why Teachers Choose To Read Harry Potter, How They Use The Books And Incorporate New Media, And The Resulting Teacher-student Interactions. The Book Encourages A Critical Discussion Regarding The State Of Our Educational System And The Increasing Lack Of Space Allowed For Imagination And Complexity. Its Unique Research Methodology Is Part Ethnographic, Part Practitioner Research, And Serves As An Analytical Commentary On Current School Culture And Policy-- Teaching Harry Potter Illuminates The Experiences Of Three Diverse Teachers As They Read The Potter Novels In Multicultural Classrooms, Pushing Back Against Shrinking Opportunities For Literacy And Imagination In Urban Schools. Utilizing A Combination Of Ethnography, Practitioner Research, And Critical Analysis, The Book Provides An Analytical Commentary On School Culture And Policy, Focusing On A Sector That Has Been Largely Ignored In Current Debates About Schooling--the Role Of Teachers. Richly Textured Classroom Narratives Are Complimented By Analysis Of The Current State Of The Teaching Profession And The Potential Of Popular Media And Technology To Support Imagination And Innovation In Education-- Introduction:€why Harry? * Part I * On Harry And Education:€waking The Dragon * Moving Beyond The Muggle Mindset: Possibilities For Learning In The New Millennium * Defending The (not Really) Dark Arts: Teaching To Break The Dada Curse * Part Ii * Teacher A:€ Andrew * Teacher B:€sandra * Teacher C: Allegra * Imagining More: Reflections On Education In The Mirror Of Erised (desire) * Appendix A:€additional Teacher Stories On Teaching Harry. Machine Generated Contents Note: -- Introduction: Why Harry? * Part I * On Harry And Education: Waking The Dragon * Moving Beyond The Muggle Mindset: Possibilities For Learning In The New Millennium * Defending The (not Really) Dark Arts: Teaching To Break The Dada Curse * Part Ii * Teacher A: Andrew * Teacher B: Sandra * Teacher C: Allegra * Imagining More: Reflections On Education In The Mirror Of Erised (desire) * Appendix A: Additional Teacher Stories On Teaching Harry. Catherine L. Belcher And Becky Herr Stephenson. Includes Bibliographical References P. ([167]-187) And Index. Cover......Page 1 Series page......Page 2 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Series Editors’ Foreword......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 14 Introduction: Why Harry?......Page 16 1 Defending the (Not Really) Dark Arts: Teaching to Break the DADA Curse......Page 30 2 Harry on the Border between Two Worlds: Reading Harry en Español in a Mexican American Border Community......Page 50 3 Harry in the Classroom: Waking Sleeping Dragons......Page 72 4 Harry Potter and the Advanced Placement (AP) Curriculum: Teaching AP English in an Urban Charter High School......Page 92 5 Old Magic, New Technologies......Page 114 6 Entering the Forbidden Forest: Teaching Fiction and Fantasy in Urban Special Education......Page 136 7 Imagining More......Page 158 Notes......Page 182 References......Page 196 Index......Page 204 "Given the current educational climate of high stakes testing, standardized curriculum, and "approved" reading lists, incorporating unauthorized, often controversial, popular literature into the classroom becomes a political choice. The authors examine why teachers choose to read Harry Potter, how they use the books and incorporate new media, and the resulting teacher-student interactions. The book encourages a critical discussion regarding the state of our educational system and the increasing lack of space allowed for imagination and complexity. Its unique research methodology is part ethnographic, part practitioner research, and serves as an analytical commentary on current school culture and policy"--Page 4 de la couverture "Teaching Harry Potter illuminates the experiences of three diverse teachers as they read the Potter novels in multicultural classrooms, pushing back against shrinking opportunities for literacy and imagination in urban schools. Utilizing a combination of ethnography, practitioner research, and critical analysis, the book provides an analytical commentary on school culture and policy, focusing on a sector that has been largely ignored in current debates about schooling--the role of teachers. Richly textured classroom narratives are complimented by analysis of the current state of the teaching profession and the potential of popular media and technology to support imagination and innovation in education"--Page 4 de la couverture