School–University–Community Collaboration: Building Bridges at the Water's Edge

Students learn best when their out‐of‐school literacy experiences are incorporated into daily classroom instruction. Teachers who participate in community‐based initiatives, develop relationships and acquire knowledge and skills needed for this type of instructional practice. They get to know students, families, and community cultural brokers who can share experiential knowledge that influences literacy teaching and learning. When teachers become a part of the community, they are also able to prepare students to successfully negotiate cultural borders, improve academically, and serve their own communities. This commentary is a call to action for teachers to understand the benefits of community‐based initiatives and become active participants.