Paula Greathouse, Ph.D. & Joan Kaywell, Ph. D. Developing Teachers’ Funds of Knowledge of Diverse At-Risk Adolescents through Young Adult Literature Paula Greathouse, Ph.D. & Joan Kaywell, Ph. D.

How do we define “at-risk”?

Attributes of diversity can place students “at-risk” ES: How can we develop teachers’ Funds of Knowledge of these diverse at-risk populations?

Current PD Falls Short Narrow definition of “at-risk” Narrow definition of “diverse” Missing adolescent voices

Young Adult (YA) Literature as Professional Development

Study Overview

Qualitative Findings YA as a Window Culturally Responsive Pedagogies Access Point for Students

Quantitative Findings YA literature offers an access point. Extremely important for students to read diverse texts and are comfortable teaching and discussing diverse texts. Extremely important for students to read diverse texts but comfortable teaching and discussing some diverse texts but not others.

YA literature can develop teacher’s Funds of Knowledge of diverse at-risk adolescents. Funds were not limited to race, gender, orientation, ethnicity, or SES, but included the experiences of adolescents who may be dealing with a mental illness, a learning disability, a physical disability, a traumatic event, a family issue, etc. that can place them at-risk.

YA literature can reconnect teachers to the adolescent – in all their dimensions - including the “stuff” they contend with on a daily basis that potentially can place them at-risk.

A reluctance to teach or include some culturally themed texts in a classroom setting – more specifically the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) culture.

There is a need to continue to help teachers reach our at-risk LGBT adolescent population.

LGBT YA as PD

Questions