Youth Participatory Action Research in Your Classroom

Youth participatory action research can turn your classroom into a site of meaningful, relevant civic learning, in which young people gain a sense of civic empowerment as they discuss, investigate, analyze, and speak with authority on issues that directly affect them and their communities. Through stories, examples, and the reflections of youth and adults who have participated in these projects, this book depicts the process of civic action research from start to finish. This step-by-step guide is organized around the five-stage civic action research cycle; illustrated with vivid examples from 15 years of school-based projects; and chock full of concrete descriptions of lessons and activities for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. Grounded in a “critical civic ecosystems” view of civic learning, Youth Participatory Action Research in Your Classroom demonstrates how civic action research fosters belonging among youth, enhances communication between students and educators, and nurtures civic engagement throughout entire school communities.

Book Features:

• Examines how civic action research helps young people identify strengths and challenges within their schools and communities; learn tools of inquiry; conduct research; and create change through education, communication, and advocacy.
• Includes examples from classrooms, including work produced by students and teachers from different grade levels and diverse settings.
• Provides specific teaching ideas and activities for each step of the civic action research process.

Beth C. Rubin is a professor of social studies education at Teachers College, Columbia University.

“If you are an educator at any level who is interested in bringing civic action research or youth participatory action research around civic issues to your classroom, school, or district, this book is for you! Through exquisitely told stories that vividly illustrate how this research and action process works, Beth Rubin has crafted a book that combines concrete steps for implementation, practical wisdom and scholarship, and poignant examples of the power and urgency of the work. I urge you to read it and immediately share it with your colleagues.”
—Katherine Schultz, professor and dean emerita, University of Colorado Boulder

“Youth participatory action research can model and teach the skills and commitments needed for informed decision-making and action in a democratic society. Beth Rubin's fabulous new book meets a sizable need, providing both the conceptual grounding and the on-the-ground vision needed to realize the full potential of this powerful strategy.”
—Joseph Kahne, Dutton Presidential Chair for Education Policy and Politics, University of California, Riverside

“Rubin unambiguously centers the lives and experiences of linguistically and culturally diverse youth and thoughtfully guides us through this inspiring youth participatory action/civic action research work. Bursting with vivid and authentic examples, as well as clear models of implementation, this exemplar is a must read for K–12 administrators, teachers, and teacher educators who recognize the power and imperative value of schools that actively engage and nurture citizens for our democracy.”
—Cinthia Salinas, Ruben E. Hinojosa Regents Professor in Education, The University of Texas at Austin, College of Education