Minutes:
May 6, 2008 - Atlanta, GA

L&SR Literacy and Social Responsibility
Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association

MEETING NOTES AND MINUTES

1. Opening Remarks: Denise Stuart, President

2. Special Presentation: Marcia Mondschein, Nassau Reading Council, NY
Marcia presented an award to Alma Flor Ada in appreciation of her donation of many cartons of books for the Guatemalan Literacy Project. Because of Alma Flor Ada’s generosity, the Nassau Reading Council will be able to create ten public school libraries in Guatemala.

3. Opening Keynote Speaker: Dixie Goswami of the Bread Loaf Teacher Network
Dixie spoke of the opportunities provided by online communities to foster a community of learners among teachers and students around the world through student research projects. She gave numerous examples of social networking with an academic focus and the use of online media to engage students in civic activities and public service. Although there’s been an explosion in the kinds of literacies that people need, reading and writing is still basic to any kind of literacy in the digital age. Students need to know how to judge and interpret information they get on the Internet. Our challenge: How to take the skills, talents, and life experiences of the students coming to us and transform our curriculum…with their help. Finally, Dixie spoke of a paradigm shift, not to a radical new pedagogy, but to find radical ways to use the new literacies for social engagement.

4. Roundtable Discussions:
Presentations and approximate number of participants include:

Session A:
A1 Nurturing Conversations in Professional Learning Communities (Amoroso, Hutton, and Grenier) (10)

A3 Waking Up Our Social Responsibility: Preservice Teachers and High School Students Collaborate on Issues Worth Fighting For (Assaf and Mickish) (11)

A4 Authors Focus on Historical Social Issues (Bond, McCutcheon, Dray) (12)

A5 Homegrown Heroes & Local Folks: Interviewing, Oral Histories, & Literacy Narratives (Dowell) (4)

Session B:
B2 Critical Reading: Boosting Literacy and Learning Through Social Action (Kaminski, Turner, Hawkins, Looper) (10)

B5 Voices Reading: Using Engaging Literature to Teach Character Development and Literacy Acquisition (Morrison) (5)

B6 Reading Influences Bullying Legislation (Pauley and Dallinger) (4)

B7 Connecting to Community: Children’s Books That Inspire Awareness and Action (Oswald, Broadway, and Stuart) (7)

5. Final Session:

• Rebecca Kaminski invited attendees to submit papers for the eJournal by July 30.
• Denise Stuart and Isabel Campoy announced the establishment of an LSR SIG award to honor programs that support the purpose of the SIG. Award details will be forthcoming.
• Isabel spoke briefly about the Authors in Action Conference at Chula Vista Elementary School in San Diego as an example of a program that gives voice to teachers and students and parents.
• Isabel conducted a raffle for six books donated by Isabel and Alma Flor Ada.

6. Business Meeting:
Attending: Denise Stuart, Patty Dean, Susan Speer-Powers, Isabel Campoy, and Rebecca Kaminski (both had to leave a bit early)

Agenda Items:

• Treasurer"s Report from Melanie Goodman: The Wachovia bank account statement shows a balance of $250.00 as of April 25, 2008.
• Dinner Meeting was cancelled as several board members were unable to attend. It was agreed that it works best to have the dinner meeting the night before the SIG meeting, whenever possible.
• The Literacy & Social Responsibility Award
  • The board gratefully accepted a check for $1,000 from Isabel, given by Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada to establish this award.
  • The board will continue discussions online over the next few months to:
    • Develop criteria, exact wording, and an application process for the award.
    • Name the award (Paulo Freire was mentioned, but it was agreed by those present that it is important to acknowledge/honor Alma and Isabel in some way with this award).
    • Decide what to give as the award (Susan suggested a glass globe etched with a map of the world).
    • Determine how to support the award.
    • Publicize the award.
• Website Addresses:
  • Rebecca will renew the domain name www.lsrsig.org for the general website and www.LSR.lsrsig.org for the eJournal.
  • Rebecca and Kaye will need to coordinate the websites to make sure they are linked and updated regularly.
    
• Program at Minneapolis
  • Suggested keynote speakers include Brian Collier and Sharon Draper; Patty will look into these possibilities.
    
• Newsletter Suggestions:
• Add membership form and the eJournal piece (from Rebecca).
• Susan will do two newsletters next year in order to announce both SIG programs (at Phoenix and Minneapolis). Tentative mailing schedule will be late January and mid-April.
• We’ll add “tentative” to the room assignment, to alert folks to the possibility of a room change!
  
• Issues Not Addressed at meeting; follow-up needed
  • Update contact information and Leadership Responsibility List
  • Pass on the SIG binder
  • Sign 2008 Activity Report

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Speer-Powers
L & SR Special Interest Group
International Reading Association

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