Episode 7: Literacy as a Civil Right with Dr. Long

How do we shift our teaching from a basal to a balanced literacy approach? When I moved to Los Angeles, CA in 2010 it was a big question I had. As the second largest school district in the United States, most of the teachers followed a manual that scripted lessons with little to no support to teachers in understanding the art of teaching reading, how to design student centered curriculum, how to teach readers to choose their own books, & how to teach reading in a book that you’ve never read? In this episode you’ll hear the story of Florence Griffith Joyner Elementary School in Watts, CA where Dr. Long spearheaded a team of educators who were ready to embrace the challenge. Inspired by Dr. Long’s love of learning, listen to Joyner’s turn around story. In 2012 Dr. Long (eligible for retirement) arrived at Joyner, surrounded by 5 public housing projects, 100% free and reduced lunch, 60% English Learners, 40% Standard English Learners, and a team of educators who embraced the idea of creating a community of professional practitioners. A case study for urban education scholars? Yes. A case study for unlocking the potential in a low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhood? Absolutely. Dr. Long guided teachers to embrace the study of teaching through the Turnaround Arts Foundation, Guided Language Acquisition Design, glued together through a balanced approach to teaching literacy in all academic areas. With her vision, she led educators, students, and families, to believe that they in fact deserved the very best that teaching has to offer - that literacy, is in fact, a civil right. Today, retired from the Los Angeles Unified School District, a professor at the University of La Verne, she reflects on her work at Joyner, and continues to support educators in equity, arts integration, and mindfulness.