Teaching and Learning on the Verge: Democratic Education in Action

Our changing world demands that all students become agile thinkers who can grow sturdy interpersonal and civic relationships. This book proposes that teachers who think of learning as playing with power tap the creative and subversive energies of young people, making academic work far more consequential than a piece of paper with a grade on it. Young people must learn to play democracy just as they might play a violin or a sport: not as a game of let’s pretend, but fully participating in the language, spaces, and possibilities of public life. Based on 20 years of teaching experience and research in schools across the country, Teaching and Learning on the Verge demonstrates how educators in all disciplines can integrate civic engagement, multicultural literacy, and leadership into their classrooms and programs. Featuring voices from literature and philosophy in dialogue with the living stage of classrooms, streets, and community spaces, this book offers an imaginative and practical guide to democratic education.