“Ms. Cowhey, I have a text to world connection.” Gabriella, first grade: Critical intertextuality in a multicultural first grade classroom

Ms. Cowhey, I have a text to world connection! -Gabriella, first grader, is a critical ethnographic account of a highly successful and nationally visible white teacher, and her first grade students who named themselves the Peace Class during the autumn of 2002 when the United States declared war on Iraq. The study examines the teacher\u27s use of critical pedagogy as it relates to Freirian concepts of dialogue and revolution, and her use of critical intertextuality as I call it, and the academic achievement and agency of her students. The teacher, who is the main participant of this study, is committed to issues of equity and academic excellence. She is engaged in an interest convergence that promotes success for the teacher, her students, and the larger school community. Ms. Cowhey is an excellent white multicultural educator and ally. This critical ethnography includes findings from data collected over a full school year of research. The teacher featured in this study retained her students as they looped from first to second grade, providing a rare opportunity for further research. It is a hopeful study with implications for teacher preparation programs, professional development and white teachers who want to gain the understanding and skills needed to respond to a changing demographic landscape and who are committed to social justice issues in education