City of Promise:
Andover Bread Loaf in Lawrence and Beyond
Executive Summary
January 2016 | Prepared for Andover Bread Loaf by Eva Gold, Ph.D. & Elaine Simon, Ph.D.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City of Promise:
Andover Bread Loaf in Lawrence and Beyond In 2012 Boston Magazine ran an article now infamous in Lawrence, describing Lawrence as “the city of the damned…where crime is soaring, schools are failing, and government has lost control.” 1 The article discounted Lawrence describing it as a wasteland. It is this very “wasteland” that Andover Bread Loaf (ABL) is revealing as a city of promise. ABL is an educator professional and youth development initiative. ABL uses literacy to enable participants to realize the power of their voice and their capacity for school and civic leadership. ABL is unique in that it works both with teachers and community-based adult educators to develop a set of literacy practices that enable youth, parents, teachers and other educators to tell their stories through writing. The ABL model is designed to affirm cultural and community identity and provide opportunity for growth and academic advancement to individual participants. But ABL does not stop with individuals; ABL is devising a community change model. ABL is a deeply social learning endeavor that is building the capacity for civic engagement that advances equity and the betterment of the community.
Atkinson, Jay. 2012. “City of the Damned.” Boston Magazine, March, 2012. Retrieved December, 2015 (www.bostonmagazine.com/2012/02/city-of-the-damned-Lawrence-Massachusetts/).
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The most developed ABL “site” is Lawrence, Massachusetts, where ABL is an outreach
As the ABL Theory of change shows the foundation for ABL includes two parts: an
program of Phillips Academy Andover working in partnership with the Bread Loaf School
institutional base and set of guiding principles. The institutional base consists of a
of English of Middlebury College for 29 years. Lawrence is an ongoing and evolving
partnership with two elite educational organizations, Phillips Academy Andover and
model for activism and social change through literacy. But ABL extends beyond Lawrence.
the Bread Loaf School of English, which can mobilize the resources required to
There are now active “nodes” in Springfield, Lynn and Lowell, MA, in NYC, New
undergird an educator and youth development initiative with a goal of creating greater
Orleans and in six other countries, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and South
equity. The five guiding principles are based on the theory and practice of democratic
Africa.
education. Below, we list each of the principles separately, but in reality they are interconnected and participants experience them holistically. The principles are:
Many close to ABL believed it was having an important influence on Lawrence, but to date there was no systematic research that could demonstrate the nature and breadth of that influence. To respond to this need, we designed a “theory of change” study. We selected this approach because a theory of change study can explain a program’s dynamic and the relationship between an initiative’s activities and its anticipated results. Below is a graphic depiction of the ABL Theory of Change
• A democratic theory of learning • Valuing individual voice through self-expression • Connecting to the cultures and experiences of the local community • Creating a sense of community • Embedding social justice in all ABL activities With a democratic theory of learning, ABL encourages an approach to literacy that is social and linked to change. Participants explore their own experiences through writing, examine their own backgrounds and cultural practices, and inquire into the social and political context of their communities. Critical to a democratic theory of learning is valuing the learner’s voice and, as a learner, feeling that your voice is valued. Voice means expressing one’s own stories, experiences, and sense of identity. Teachers and writing leaders connect to the cultures and experiences of the local community by encouraging students to use their own language and background in their writing. In this sense ABL is non-hierarchical. In addition, ABL educators are deliberate in creating a sense of community. Every ABL activity involves taking a risk: writing that is personally meaningful and public sharing of writing, which creates a sense of “mutual vulnerability.” However, ABL educators are good listeners, which promotes the sense of being part of a supportive community. This gives participants a sense of power as they
ABL Theory of Change:
The pathway from place-based social action to a sustainable social movement in Lawrence
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begin to identify as part of a collective with similar experiences and concerns. ABL educators embed social justice in all ABL activities. First, ABL educators try to motivate
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
students who traditional education frequently fails. ABL gives these educators a way
These strategies and their related activities are interactive, dynamic, and mutually
to understand their students and the students’ families in a positive light and to think
reinforcing. We characterize these strategies as the “engine” that drives the Phillips
about how they can change their trajectories. Second, the formation of community and
Andover/Bread Loaf School of English/ABL partnership to result in changes for its
seeing one’s self as part of a collective builds participants’ sense of empowerment and
participants and local communities.
their willingness to “give back” and address social problems at the root. In the third phase of the Theory of Change we show evidence for the kinds of change In the second phase of the Theory of Change we show the strategies ABL uses to
the ABL strategies set in motion. This change is at two levels, individual and collective.
advance its social action mission:
Inherent to the change process is ABL’s social action agenda: young people and adults
• Participatory educator and youth development • Connecting to community-based organizations • Building a network Participatory educator and youth development are characterized by two elements, an intentional community that is often multi-generational and cross-sectoral, and a literacy event2 in which participants respond to a prompt and engage in expressive writing and public sharing of their writing. In response to standardized testing, state takeover, and imposition of the core curriculum, ABL altered its strategy from one that focused on
become the authors of their lives and collectively, of their communities. Individual change involves: • Strengthened sense of pride in participants’ cultural identity • College-going aspirations for youth and advanced education for teachers • A heightened sense of agency • Increased social awareness • Democratic educational practices in the classroom
school system change to connecting to community-based organizations. In 2014/2015
Participants in ABL — youth, teachers and community adults — described a sense of
ABL was connected not only to 10 Lawrence schools but also to six community-based
empowerment through strengthened sense of pride in their cultural identity and for
youth development organizations. Finally, ABL and the Bread Loaf Teacher Network
teachers, a dramatic change in their teaching practice. Many participants gained new
are building a network that helps ABL participants stay connected and collaborate. In
opportunities for growth, including college going aspirations for youth and advanced
Lawrence the network is the vehicle through which ABL activities — local conferences,
education for teachers, aspirations that they could not have imagined before their ABL
writing workshops, and other events — are planned. It keeps teachers, community
participation. As participants gain a sense of pride, and begin to have an increased
educators, parents, and others in communication with each other across their
social awareness of themselves as part of a broader community, they begin the slow
institutional boundaries.
process of reversing negative images of immigrants, their culture and communities. They also are able to counter, with their own example, the deficit messages so common in schools, which focus on shortcomings of low-income, minority and/or immigrant
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Heath S. B. (1982). What no bedtime story means: Narrative skills at home and school. Language in Society. Vol. 11, Pp. 49-76.
communities rather than on their capabilities and assets. For teachers, their practice is often stood on its head. When they introduce democratic educational practices in the
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
classroom they find their relationship to their students transformed from one which
In the last phase of the ABL Theory of Change we examine the capacity ABL is creating
was “top down” to one in which they are teaching and learning alongside their students,
for civic engagement, with the long-term goal of building a more equitable and just
listening to them, and adapting curriculum to their interests and concerns.
educational environment and society. ABL’s long-term goal is to give voice to Lawrence residents through literacy practices that make them the authors of and participants in
Collective change involves: • Reframe the narrative of Lawrence • Community infrastructure • The network In Lawrence, the collective project is reframing the narrative of Lawrence by building awareness of the city’s positive heritage as a gateway immigrant city, and, with this recognition, the capacity for civic engagement that can revitalize education and renew the city. By making education a “community enterprise” ABL is building a platform for Lawrence residents and teachers to work from to make the schools reflective of the culture, aspirations and needs of the Lawrence community. This platform consists of
Lawrence’s future. In this way the ABL activities are, in effect, social change actions that set the stage for greater equity for Lawrence youth and adults. Social action that is collective and aimed at making change is the subject of research on social movements and on building civic capacity. We found that ABL shared the characteristics identified as critical to both. These characteristics are: • Shared social action agenda • Inclusive membership base • Mobilization of resources • Spread of ABL ideas • Potential to influence public policy
a dense community infrastructure. In 2014/2015 there were a total of ten schools and
ABL is creating a shared social action agenda community-wide through its promulgation of
six community partnerships. The community infrastructure blurs the boundaries
a common approach using literacy as a vehicle of empowerment and means to action
between schools and community as sites of learning. It creates a set of inside and out-
for equity. It is also building commitment to youth development in which immigrant
side structures all pulling in the same direction — one that recognizes the value of what
and low-income youth become education and community leaders. As ABL evolves and
every individual has to say, and is committed to creating a broadly defined educational
engages new players it can document not only its expansion, but also how its social
enterprise that is committed to social action. The network helps to provide and sustain
action agenda evolves and is adapted to the advent of new groups and individuals.
the sense of being part of a community. The network is the means through which ABL
Following the trajectory of writing leaders into teachers and civic leaders could also be
is able to harness the energy of its diverse body of individuals and organizations, and
important evidence of a shared social action agenda.
construct and realize plans for collective action that align with a shared mission to
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mobilize to revitalize education and renew Lawrence. The Network, however, does not
To enact a social action agenda — and have change sustained — it is critical to build an
stop with Lawrence. It is a means through which students and teachers across the U.S.
inclusive membership base. Teachers and other school leaders are an important part
and around the world learn from each other, share their beliefs and traditions, and address
of the ABL base, but ABL has tremendously expanded its base with the exponential
issues of global consequence through mutual investigations and shared writing.
growth of the number of writing leaders and by the addition of community-based arts
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
and youth development organizations as partners. There is also evidence that ABL is
important to continue mapping the spread of ABL, both in the U.S. and abroad, and
beginning to engage parents, grandparents and other child guardians as well as business
to learn the different iterations ABL takes, and how the principles are interpreted and
and city leaders, creating a base that is cross-sectoral and cross-generational. In the
applied in widely different contexts.
future, ABL can document participants at different levels of intensity, and what the opportunities are for the diverse base to interact, build trust and experience in working
While eventually ABL leaders might imagine a Lawrence school district which is locally
together over time.
controlled, the directors of ABL believe that the ability to reclaim the schools from state receivership — the potential to influence public policy — is still largely in the future.
To deliver on a social action agenda requires the mobilization of resources. ABL has
Nonetheless, there are early signs that ABL is starting to be an influential player in Lawrence.
successfully brought together elite institutions, higher education institutions, community
Recognitions of the value of ABL to the community, as well as invitations to sit on civic
based groups, teachers and other school district leaders to mobilize a range of human,
committees, are all evidence that ABL is, over time, becoming positioned to have influence
social, intellectual and capital resources. Mobilization of the grass roots to participate
on public policy. In the future, in addition to keeping a count of invitations and recogni-
is also crucial, which is done largely through its association with community-based
tions, ABL might also track how their participation is moving forward an agenda for
groups and through its writing leaders. Going forward, a closer look at the nature of
change that increases equity in Lawrence in the form of specific policy wins.
the relationship between ABL and school administrators, and ABL and leaders of community-based groups might yield useful information for the broader education
In sum, what distinguishes ABL is its potential for place-based transformation. Such a
movement interested in forging a closer relationship between schools and communities.
transformation is possible because the ABL process is building capacity for collective civic engagement and the potential for long-term educational and community change.
One measure of the strength of a social movement is the extent to which there is a
Its example can animate discussions of “school reform” bringing to them a fresh sense
spread of ideas beyond the movement membership itself — affecting the discourse,
of what it means to make education an intrinsic part of a community, and what it
action, and policy in the broader society. ABL ideas are spreading and taking root in
requires to build authentic school-community relations. While ABL is deeply invested
Lawrence through the many institutions and community organizations with which it
in Lawrence, its influence has spread well beyond Lawrence. It now has “nodes” in other
works. As a result, there is evidence that some of ABL ideas have spread to civic, political,
Massachusetts cities as well as New York City and New Orleans and in six foreign nations.
and school leaders in Lawrence who are not necessarily active ABL participants. ABL
It is lighting a path to how to build a broad social movement including global educa-
directors, parents, and educators are being asked to bring the ABL approach to new
tional relationships.
settings in the city, including city government, and are receiving public recognition by community institutions for the contributions ABL is making to Lawrence. ABL ideas, however, are also spreading beyond Lawrence. Teachers attend the ABL summer program from throughout the U. S. and from abroad, and writing leaders have migrated to other cities. The Network also is a vehicle for spreading ABL ideas. Looking forward it will be
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