Jo Draper Chapter 1

Aims and Criteria for Collaboration in Content-Area Classrooms

The beginning of Jo Drapers book focuses on the need for collaboration in all classrooms. This collaboration is necessary due to the lack of knowledge and resources necessary in most content areas to sustain student learning. Due to the range of texts and classroom types, a (re)imagining of content literacy is necessary. Draper argues that all educators can be, should be, and probably are literacy educators. Through collaboration with different content area teachers, we will gain a greater perspective on how literacy should be taught and strategies used.

This chapter was very wordy and focused much on convincing me that (re)imagining content area literacy is necessary. Re-imaging content area literacy from drapers perspective seems to be collaborating with other teachers of different content areas and gaining their perspective on literacy. To me, re-imagining content area literacy is trying to rethink how you teach. As soon as I read the words it made me think of teachers who have taught me to rethink my strategies for studying. Upon further thought, I remember my parents telling me to rethink my actions when I do something wrong. Therefore my connection with Re-imagining is a connection that is personal and private reflection. It makes sense to add collaboration into the mix though, with collaboration increases external knowledge. It will be tougher though to get some teachers to collaborate. Some teachers will be set in their ways and not want to incorporate others input, especially mine being a new teacher.