Dr. Jerome Harste talks to us about writing in early childhood, the inherent social risks in writing, Sketch to Stretch writing, arts-based ways of communicating, kids as curricular informants, teachers as intellectuals and philosophers, and schools as spaces of possibility. Dr. Harste is best known for his work exploring young children’s written language literacy learning, connecting arts and literacies, and critical literacies. As a literacy educator his expanded view of what it meant to be literate went far beyond traditional notions of reading and writing to include visual literacy and more generally semiotics. Jerry is also a celebrated artist, working mainly in watercolors. He has published over 200 articles in refereed journals and won many awards for his research and teaching. Notably, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame, given the James Squire “Paradigm Shifters'' Award (National Council of Teachers of English), the Oscar Causey Reading Research Award (Literacy Research Association) and the David Russell Research Award for his work in the Language Arts (NCTE). He also earned the coveted Gorman Teaching Award from the School of Education and the Frederick Bachman Teaching Award from Indiana University. Before retirement, he was an elementary teacher in Monticello, Minnesota and the Peace Corps, a college professor for nearly 50 years at Indiana University, and an educational researcher. Dr. Jerome C. Harste retired from Indiana University as a Distinguished Professor where he held the Armstrong Chair in Teacher Education. He currently teaches graduate courses at Mount Saint Vincent University in Canada. You can connect with Jerry on Facebook at “Harste as Artist”or online at jeromeharste.com.

Resource PPT to accompany this episode: Harste Podcast PPT

To cite this episode: Persohn, L. (Host). (2023, Feb. 28). A conversation with Jerome “Jerry” C. Harste. (Season 3, No. 19) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/DD6E-8C6E-272E-1073-EB2E-U

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