ABSTRACT
This chapter describes elements of our journey as we set out to develop, implement, document, and study the impact of culturally relevant early literacy practices in an ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse, urban elementary school in Charlotte, North Carolina. What began as an earnest classroom investigation using constructivist grounded theory methods blossomed into a complex and courageous campaign to infuse culturally relevant literacy strategies school-wide which we see as critical to being able to sustain the work and the students’ cultures and languages. The chapter portrays many of our moments of enlightenment and discovery as well as pitfalls and successes as we studied together, generated teaching practices, and broadened each other’s perspectives. It outlines a few of our attempts to “import multiculturalism and multilingualism disrupt dominant narratives that superficially affirm differences and diversities while maintaining the status quo”.
