Athens, Ga. – University of Georgia education professor Bob Fecho has received a national award for a book he wrote that focuses on his work as a teacher in a working-class African-American high school.
Fecho, an associate professor of reading education, received the James Britton Award from the National Council of Teachers of English for his book, “Is This English?” Race, Language, and Culture in the Classroom.
“Winning is especially thrilling because James Britton was an early influence on my efforts to become a reflective practitioner, a teacher who inquires into and reflects upon his classroom,” said Fecho. “By winning this award, I feel I’ve helped to keep the legacy of James Britton alive.”
The Britton Award is given annually to encourage English language teacher development by promoting reflective inquiry in which teachers raise questions about teaching and learning in their own settings.
“The book documents the way my students and I took a critical inquiry stance on issues of language learning, identity, race and culture,” said Fecho. “In this book, I chronicle our struggles and successes as we strived to make meaning of our worlds through literacy practice.”
Fecho taught English for 24 years for the School District of Philadelphia. He has taught at UGA since 1998 and serves as a co-director for the Red Clay Writing Project, a collaboration of UGA faculty and local K-12 teachers who work to help schools improve the teaching of writing.
Fecho received his Ph.D. in reading, writing and literacy from the University of Pennsylvania.