45.010 - A Presidential Circle: Sage Up: A Dialogical and Healing Space for Reimagining Education

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

What does it mean to truly reimagine education? What does it mean to Reimagine Research? To answer these questions, this AERA Presidential Circle brings together scholars from different disciplinary areas of education to explore multimodal ways (e.g.. through poetry, song, community dialogue, visuals, etc.) for understanding how the research can apply and inform practice.

This Presidential Circle centers on the work of scholars who have designed and developed the Reimagining Education Summer Institute at Teachers College. We argue that this work, which seeks to dismantle a racial hierarchy within the educational system, is the knowledge base for educating students in a racially, ethnically and culturally complex society. This research helps us not only understand what we should do, as scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and leaders in education, but also how we should do it.

Out of this scholarship, the work done within Reimagining Education Summer Institute centers on four themes:
Theme #1: Why Reimagining? Since Brown v. Board, our educational system has been defined by many policies and practices that work against “real integration” in our schools. The knowledge of our field can lead us in a new direction, toward not only meaningful integration but also better teaching and learning for all students. The first step is to tap into our professional knowledge about how children learn and thrive to reimagine what education can be.
Theme #2: Racial and Cultural Literacies: In order to reimagine we must recognize that we are not “colorblind” and strive to develop racial and cultural literacies that enable us to see how race shapes our personal experiences and our professional practice. Our goal should be to teach ourselves and our children to recognize, respond to and counter inequality related to race and certain cultural orientations.
Theme #3: Equity Pedagogy: With racial and cultural literacy as our lens we must embrace teaching strategies and build classroom environments that enable all students to reach their highest potential. The educational benefits of racially/ethnically and culturally diverse schools and classrooms are derived when students attain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to function effectively within, and help to sustain a just, humane, and democratic society.
Theme #4: Culturally Sustaining Leadership: Critical to this reimagining process are 21st Century leadership practices that foster racial and cultural literacies and support equity pedagogy across the curriculum. Such leadership – at all levels of the educational system -- values the gifts of each educator and student; it centers the multiple experiences and understandings of racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse learners, including those not measured on standardized tests.

Sub Unit

• AERA Presidential Session

Chairs

• Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Detra Price-Dennis, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Phillip A Smith, Teachers College, Columbia University

Participants

• Gloria J. Ladson-Billings, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Jamila Lyiscott, University of Massachusetts – Amherst

• Sonia Nieto, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Django Paris, University of Washington

• Vanessa Siddle-Walker, Emory University

• Angela Valenzuela, The University of Texas at Austin

• Ansley T. Erickson, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Felicia Moore Mensah, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Detra Price-Dennis, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Laura Smith, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Christopher Emdin, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Michelle G. Knight-Manuel, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Mariana Souto-Manning, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Erica Walker, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Sonya Douglass Horsford, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Mark Anthony Gooden, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Jeffrey M. Young, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Sandra Overo, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Dianne Delima, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Thomas R. Bailey, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Limarys Caraballo, Queens College

• Haeny Susan Yoon, Teachers College, Columbia University