Workshops with an attitude

THIS CHAPTER IS ABOUT A PROJECT-a series of workshops conducted by university faculty for parents and educators intended to develop "powerful literacy"- but it's also about the place of theory and practice in action for change. In the fall of 1999, the Mayor's office, through the Education Fund for Greater Buffalo, put out a call for proposals for increasing literacy in the Buffalo Public Schools.Three educators from the University at Buffalo, Patrick Finn and Lauri Johnson, faculty and co-chairs of the Urban Education Committee, and Mary Finn, Director of the Urban Education Institute, wrote a proposal and were funded to conduct workshops for parents and educators in one of Buffalo's low-performing schools that would a) familiarize parents with progressive, child-centered, collaborative methods of teaching reading and writing so they could provide effective support at home; b) encourage teachers to use more progressive, child-centered, collaborative methods in their classrooms; and c) empower parents for effective advocacy in their children's education and participation in school governance.1 Patrick and Mary Finn planned and facilitated the workshops; Lauri Johnson observed and evaluated the workshops using qualitative research methods.