Writing with Dignity Among Youth in Urban Communities: Using Mentor Texts as a Reflective Tool for Transformation
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<jats:p> This article describes a three-year qualitative study on how youth of color in one community-based organization, Durham Community Youth, used the mentor text, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “What’s your life’s blueprint?” speech, as a reflective tool to transform themselves and their community. Using a critical literacy framework, the authors situate the study within the rich history of the Black community in Durham, North Carolina and examine how students’ writing advocated for their communities by speaking out against oppressive forces. The article offers implications on how educators can reimagine the implementation and intentionality of mentor texts for youth. </jats:p>
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Chen Lee, C, L Jacobs and JC Mann (n.d.). Writing with Dignity Among Youth in Urban Communities: Using Mentor Texts as a Reflective Tool for Transformation. Urban Education. pp. 004208592210817–004208592210817. 10.1177/00420859221081765 Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/27395.
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Jennifer Mann
Jennifer C. Mann, Ph.D. is a Research Scientist at the Center for Child and Family Policy in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, where she conducts equity-centered education research focused on students from immigrant and refugee backgrounds and teaches Child Policy Research courses.
Dr. Mann leads the Critical In-Depth Reading and Wellbeing (CIDR) project, a five-year, school-based research and professional learning initiative that examines how literacy instruction can support adolescent wellbeing for students from immigrant and refugee backgrounds. Grounded in social-emotional learning, culturally responsive pedagogy, and critical literacy, CIDR partners with North Carolina school districts to work with middle and high school ESL teachers and students. Using mixed-methods research, the project studies how teacher beliefs, instructional practices, and student outcomes shift over time, with the goal of developing a flexible, scalable model that advances literacy, language, and wellbeing.
In addition, Dr. Mann supports research on BELLA (Bridging English Language Learning and Academics), which focuses on designing and testing asset-based professional learning to strengthen literacy instruction for educators of multilingual learners.
As part of Duke’s Program in Education, Dr. Mann contributes to the strategic growth of Duke TeachHouse, supporting program development, funding acquisition, and long-term sustainability for equity-minded early career teachers. In addition, Dr. Mann co-leads a Bass Connections team focused on scaling Duke TeachHouse. Dr. Mann also serves as an Adjunct Instructor in Duke’s Program in Education, where she teaches Instructional Methods for Teaching Multilingual Learners.
With two decades of experience as an educator and teacher educator, she has taught high school English, elementary and adult ESL, and undergraduate and graduate pre-service teachers. She earned her Ph.D. in Teacher Education and Learning Sciences from North Carolina State University, with a specialization in Literacy and English Language Arts.
Dr. Mann’s research interests include immigrant and refugee students, teacher professional learning, and participatory qualitative methodologies.
Areas of Expertise
- K-12 Education
- ESL Education
- English Language Arts
- Refugee & Immigrant Students
- Teacher Education
- Qualitative Research
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