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Abstract

In this article the authors apply Bishop’s (1990) windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors as an analytical framework that, along with critical literacy practices, can be used to enhance the social studies and literacy instruction. The stories we share in elementary classrooms teach students about their future possibilities. As teacher educators, we wondered about our students and our complacency with powerful ideas from foundational scholars in literacy and education. Using Bishop’s (1990) metaphor as an analytic tool, students’ critical disciplinary literacy projects are assessed for future instructional goals, leaving readers with eight practical tools for classroom instruction and critical assessment of elementary picture books.

Author Bio

Brianne R. Pitts, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Elementary Education at Western Michigan University. She is interested in Black histories, critical literacies, and inclusive social studies instruction. She can be reached at brianne.pitts@wmich.edu.

Jill Hermann-Wilmarth, Ph.D., is a Professor at Western Michigan University. She is interested in LGBTQIA+-inclusive literacy, children’s literature, and queer theory in education. She can be reached at jill. hermann-wilmarth@wmich.edu.

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