Many Texts, Many Voices: Teaching Literacy and Social Justice to Young Learners in the Digital Age

Penny Silvers is a professor in teacher education and literacy at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. A former elementary teacher and reading specialist, she has written numerous articles and book chapters about language arts and reading. Her research interests include multiliteracies, critical literacy, authentic assessment and professional development.In her long career as a teacher, Penny taught elementary grades for many years in Chicago, Evanston (IL), Cincinnati, Dallas, and New Orleans. When she moved back to Chicago with her husband and two sons she worked as a reading specialist at Pritchett School in nearby Buffalo Grove. She later retired from public school teaching and became the director of elementary education at Barat College (Lake Forest, IL); she also served as assistant professor at DePaul University in Chicago and associate professor at Dominican University. She is now a professor of literacy and teaches courses in children's literature, language arts, and reading. Summers find her directing the Dominican Reading Academy for children from underserved urban communities in the Chicago area.Penny says that becoming a teacher was an easy decision for her. "My mother was a teacher and it was just something that came naturally to me. I was always telling others what to do and learned as a teacher that it's not about telling but rather about engaging students in exciting, meaningful, relevant learning experiences." She is involved in professional organizations including NCTE and ILA, and is passionate about advocacy for children and excellence in schools.Penny lived and taught in many cities in the US and has been to many countries to give professional presentations. She has two grown sons and nine grandchildren. Mary Shorey taught first through fourth graders at Pritchett School in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, for over twenty-five years. A learner herself, Mary earned National Board Certification and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. Teaching was a lifelong passion, and Mary considered her classroom her "laboratory of opportunity".She admits that as a young person, she resisted teaching. "I wanted to be different," Mary explains. "Both my parents were teachers as well as many aunts, uncles, and even grandparents. So I pursued other careers like fashion merchandising and pharmaceutical sales. But even in sales, I gravitated to the training department and began to hone my teaching skills." After some soul searching she decided to pursue a career in teaching and never looked back. She received her master's degree from National Louis University and her doctorate from Northern Illinois University.Mary loved to teach because she loved to learn: "I am always amazed at how brilliant my young students are. Together we learn skills, pursue interests, and aspire to be caring, responsible citizens. I am watching my daughter complete her first year as a first grade teacher and I am reminded of just how important and noble career teaching is."Mary passed away in 2014.