John W. White

I'm a professor of English Education and Literacy at UNF. I teach at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels.  I also teach some of our foundations courses as well as freshman-writing courses.

In my scholarship I examine ways to broaden “what counts” as legitimate literature, language, and writing in the English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms. I posit that to reach and engage today’s secondary students in the ELA curricula, we must begin to embrace new conceptions of literacy; we must increasingly make use of young adult literature and graphic novels, integrate popular culture into the curriculum, encourage students to use modern technology and creativity to demonstrate learning, and teach and encourage critical literacy. 

My teaching includes undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of secondary school English methods, reading methods, and the foundations of education (Introduction to Education, Multicultural Education, History and Philosophy of Education). I also work with graduate students on independent study projects and research in the areas described below. Some of my graduate students’ work has been been published and has been presented at regional and national educational conferences. I taught public high school at an inner-city school in Denver and spent a year directing a literacy program at an Elementary school in Colorado.

I spent three years as Assistant Chair to my department and work currently as a Senior Faculty Fellow where I help coordinate student mentoring initiatives at UNF. 

I've been very involved in faculty governance at UNF. I served for three years as president of the UNF chapter of the United Faculty of Florida (the union), two years as president of the UNF Faculty Association (our faculty governance) and as a member of the Board of Trustees, one year as president of the Faculty Assembly (COEHS), and led President Limayem's transition team (Summer and Fall 2022).  I have led six study abroad trips to the UK and one to Belize. 

See also johnwesleywhite.com