International journal of business and applied social science, May 31, 2023
This manuscript captures the leadership development of two Black leaders at a Predominantly White... more This manuscript captures the leadership development of two Black leaders at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) as they navigated their way through the whirlwind of decisions that needed to be made during the 2020-2021 academic year of the pandemic and social and racial unrest. The leaders were the chancellor and the associate vice chancellor of equity, diversity, inclusion, and support programs. The leaders serve at a regional comprehensive university in a state system in the Midwest with a population of 11,900 students, including a 2-year campus. During the 2020-2021 academic year, the leaders embarked on an investigation of Whiteness through the lens of Blackness as they developed programs, practices, policies, and protocols to assist students, faculty, staff, and fellow administrators with decisions during a time of conflict, criticisms, and crisis.
UNIversitas: Journal of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity, 2013
Guide to Selection of Queer Adolescent Literature for Language Arts Teachers and Librarians" This... more Guide to Selection of Queer Adolescent Literature for Language Arts Teachers and Librarians" This article was written based on the belief that if teachers and librarians were aware of criteria that would allow them to select appropriate literature for adolescents that are inclusive of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer, and questioning characters, themes, and plots, then these educators would be bold and resolute in including such literature in their classrooms and libraries. There have been copious articles that discuss the merit of such literature in the classroom and libraries. We will revisit some of those justifications, but our main emphasis of this article is to determine a set of criteria that librarians, teachers, parents, and others could use to select adolescent queer literature. The term queer is specifically used to make an empowering statement about the emancipatory strength of a word that was once used as hate speech and as a collective noun to capture the multiplicity of sexualities and gender expressions that are usually captured as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning/queer) as well as an adjective that describes the collective such as in adolescent queer literature. Blackburn and Buckley (2005) explain that the word queer recognizes "sexual and gender identities as social, multiple, variable, shifting, fluid, and allow for movement among such identity categories (p. 202).
This manuscript describes a hybrid teaching practice that combines components of literature circl... more This manuscript describes a hybrid teaching practice that combines components of literature circles with the jigsaw cooperative learning model. This practice was conducted in a sixth-grade classroom to motivate the students to read books of literary merit and to model effective differentiated reading instruction for a teacher who was using a onenovel, whole-class approach. The manuscript chronicles processes and procedures that teachers can use to replicate this practice in their classrooms. Introduction After seven years removed from K–12 teaching, I was hungry for the authenticity of the classroom. As a college literacy professor, I taught elementary, middle school, and high school literacy courses. In these courses, I tried my best to integrate both theory and practice. But at times, I just could not help feeling like a bit of a charlatan. I was professing about practices that I only read about or observed as I supervised student teachers. There were so many literacy changes that...
White teachers who purpose to support the cultural integrity of African American students must po... more White teachers who purpose to support the cultural integrity of African American students must possess essential knowledge, skills, and dispositional understandings relative to Black history and culture. This qualitative study examined the content and conceptual knowledge of 41 individuals relative to African American history and culture through personal interviews, a focus group, and survey interviews. Utilizing their formal and informal learning experiences, the participants highlighted the essential content and concepts relative to Black history and culture necessary for White teachers who work in schools with large numbers of African American students. We provide recommendations for teacher educators charged with preparing culturally relevant teachers and school administrators for supporting the enhanced content and conceptual understandings of White teachers.
I am queer. I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are of very different sexes and genders.... more I am queer. I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are of very different sexes and genders. I am very much in love with no one in particular. I've been trying to figure out relationships . . . . I don't know if it is responsible for kids my age to be aggressively pursuing monogamous binds, because I don't think we're ready for them. The romanticism within our culture dictates that that's what you are supposed to be looking for. Then [when] we find what we think is love-even if it is love-we do not yet have the tools. I do feel that it is possible at this age to be unintentionally hurtful, just by being irresponsible . . . . I am just trying to make sure my lack of responsibility no longer hurts people. . . . . Getting socially outcast can be the best and most informative thing that could ever happen to you because you have to learn who you are separate from the pack.-Ezra MillerThe quote above by Ezra Miller, the out, young actor who played Patrick in the 2...
This chapter focuses on a university case that interprets the variability of academic freedom in ... more This chapter focuses on a university case that interprets the variability of academic freedom in terms of faculty’s textbook selection and the need for students’ textbook affordability. Faculty members are participants in a collective bargaining unit and students are members of the student government organization in a state university system. The faculty contract outlines tenets of academic freedom that delineate faculty selection of curriculum (textbooks), instruction, and assessment practices. This chapter highlights the nuances of faculty rights in the name of academic freedom and the students’ need for more affordable textbooks which includes open educational resource materials. In this case, the administration, faculty association, and the student government worked together to create a set of conditions for a more affordable textbook selection. This collaborative process is explored and explained as a set of practices that other colleges and universities can replicate at their ...
ABSTRACT This article provides a rationale for and methods to assist elementary educators in crea... more ABSTRACT This article provides a rationale for and methods to assist elementary educators in creating spaces where the enhancement of awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ)-themed literature could be explored in elementary schools and classrooms. The authors assert that an approach to providing gender and sexuality diversity in the elementary grades is part of multicultural practice in elementary classrooms. Through document analysis, the authors discovered the existing theories, practices, and evidence available in the literature that would provide elementary educators support to use LGBTQ-themed children's literature in academic spaces. The authors then provide a set of guidelines for educators to modify their existing instructional practices in order to empower young learners with the critical literacy attributes necessary in order to gain access to knowledge, power, and opportunities.
International Journal of Multicultural Education, 2015
Diverse education professionals learned about African cultures in a workshop experience by making... more Diverse education professionals learned about African cultures in a workshop experience by making African masks using authentic symbolism. Analysis of reflections to evaluate the workshop for applicability to participants with and without African heritage showed that both groups expanded their cultural knowledge of traditional African ethnic groups. Those participants with African heritage noted valuing of women while those without African heritage expressed appreciation for African culture, self-evaluation of work, and the desire to investigate their own heritages.
Reclaiming the education of our children consists of multiple elements that go far beyond the cla... more Reclaiming the education of our children consists of multiple elements that go far beyond the classroom. This article critically examines the Network for the Development of Children of African Descent (NdCAD) in regards to the organization's work in the lives of African American children and the community surrounding them. Education plays an important role in a child's future academic success, cultural identity, and spirituality. The NdCAD created three programs to help engage the community in the development of Black children. They include the Sankofa Reading Program™, “Parent Power” Literacy & Advocacy Workshops™, and the book distribution program. The Literacy programs are presented, described and applied to the unique needs of these students, including their cultural and social development, spiritual values, and the role of the Black Church in their academic achievement. Solutions are offered to assist communities and schools in growing and constructing a supportive environment for children as they progress through the education system.
As I read the book, Neither Jew Nor Gentile by George Yancey, I constantly thought about the prac... more As I read the book, Neither Jew Nor Gentile by George Yancey, I constantly thought about the practicality of what was discovered from his research. The author explored the shortage of students of ethnic and racial diversity on faith-based Protestant campuses. He conducted survey research at institutions that he deemed as religious conservative and mainline Protestant. A conservative campus was one that embedded sacred practices in its daily routines such as chapel, convocations, religious services, and curriculum alignments. Mainline Protestant colleges and universities were faith-based but loosely affiliated. The author conducted a series of surveys that focused on students of color and their reasons for applying to, accepting the offer of, and attending these historically White institutions. The author also surveyed all students about the racial diversity on campus, the courses that focused on diversity, diversity programming, organizations that were racially or ethnically based, and the intent of faculty of color. The introduction to the book gave an overview of the purpose and intent of Protestant institutions and why diversity was not a traditional mainstay on these campuses. The historical origin of many of the institutions was to educate the converted and to promulgate the word and teachings in an academic setting. The author conjectured that many of the academies were segregated because the churches in which they were aligned were segregated. The onset of diversity on these campuses was an extension of the mission of the church. As people of color were converted to the various faiths, then they were encouraged to attend the accompanying institutions. The next wave of diversity was recruitment based on athletics. Some of the respondents attested to being offered athletic scholarships as an incentive. Other students of color were often attracted to the courses and the mission of the institutions. The author discussed the retention of students of color by analyzing the feedback from both students of color and White students in reference to the climate and acceptance of racial and ethnic diversity on campus. Most telling were some of the testimonies that indicated that the focus on holidays, celebrations, or diversity months were divisive and that some Whites thought that Religion & Education, 38:179–181, 2011 Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1550-7394 print=1949-8381 online DOI: 10.1080/15507394.2011.579551
... DOI: 10.1080/01626620.2011.627302 Cathy A. Thorsen a ... in nonjudgmental/objective categorie... more ... DOI: 10.1080/01626620.2011.627302 Cathy A. Thorsen a ... in nonjudgmental/objective categories of eligibility (deaf, blind, orthopedic impairment, or pronounced cognitive impairment) that are linked to an identifiable organic cause (Bollmer, Bethel, Garrison-Mogren, & Brauen ...
International journal of business and applied social science, May 31, 2023
This manuscript captures the leadership development of two Black leaders at a Predominantly White... more This manuscript captures the leadership development of two Black leaders at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) as they navigated their way through the whirlwind of decisions that needed to be made during the 2020-2021 academic year of the pandemic and social and racial unrest. The leaders were the chancellor and the associate vice chancellor of equity, diversity, inclusion, and support programs. The leaders serve at a regional comprehensive university in a state system in the Midwest with a population of 11,900 students, including a 2-year campus. During the 2020-2021 academic year, the leaders embarked on an investigation of Whiteness through the lens of Blackness as they developed programs, practices, policies, and protocols to assist students, faculty, staff, and fellow administrators with decisions during a time of conflict, criticisms, and crisis.
UNIversitas: Journal of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity, 2013
Guide to Selection of Queer Adolescent Literature for Language Arts Teachers and Librarians" This... more Guide to Selection of Queer Adolescent Literature for Language Arts Teachers and Librarians" This article was written based on the belief that if teachers and librarians were aware of criteria that would allow them to select appropriate literature for adolescents that are inclusive of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer, and questioning characters, themes, and plots, then these educators would be bold and resolute in including such literature in their classrooms and libraries. There have been copious articles that discuss the merit of such literature in the classroom and libraries. We will revisit some of those justifications, but our main emphasis of this article is to determine a set of criteria that librarians, teachers, parents, and others could use to select adolescent queer literature. The term queer is specifically used to make an empowering statement about the emancipatory strength of a word that was once used as hate speech and as a collective noun to capture the multiplicity of sexualities and gender expressions that are usually captured as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning/queer) as well as an adjective that describes the collective such as in adolescent queer literature. Blackburn and Buckley (2005) explain that the word queer recognizes "sexual and gender identities as social, multiple, variable, shifting, fluid, and allow for movement among such identity categories (p. 202).
This manuscript describes a hybrid teaching practice that combines components of literature circl... more This manuscript describes a hybrid teaching practice that combines components of literature circles with the jigsaw cooperative learning model. This practice was conducted in a sixth-grade classroom to motivate the students to read books of literary merit and to model effective differentiated reading instruction for a teacher who was using a onenovel, whole-class approach. The manuscript chronicles processes and procedures that teachers can use to replicate this practice in their classrooms. Introduction After seven years removed from K–12 teaching, I was hungry for the authenticity of the classroom. As a college literacy professor, I taught elementary, middle school, and high school literacy courses. In these courses, I tried my best to integrate both theory and practice. But at times, I just could not help feeling like a bit of a charlatan. I was professing about practices that I only read about or observed as I supervised student teachers. There were so many literacy changes that...
White teachers who purpose to support the cultural integrity of African American students must po... more White teachers who purpose to support the cultural integrity of African American students must possess essential knowledge, skills, and dispositional understandings relative to Black history and culture. This qualitative study examined the content and conceptual knowledge of 41 individuals relative to African American history and culture through personal interviews, a focus group, and survey interviews. Utilizing their formal and informal learning experiences, the participants highlighted the essential content and concepts relative to Black history and culture necessary for White teachers who work in schools with large numbers of African American students. We provide recommendations for teacher educators charged with preparing culturally relevant teachers and school administrators for supporting the enhanced content and conceptual understandings of White teachers.
I am queer. I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are of very different sexes and genders.... more I am queer. I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are of very different sexes and genders. I am very much in love with no one in particular. I've been trying to figure out relationships . . . . I don't know if it is responsible for kids my age to be aggressively pursuing monogamous binds, because I don't think we're ready for them. The romanticism within our culture dictates that that's what you are supposed to be looking for. Then [when] we find what we think is love-even if it is love-we do not yet have the tools. I do feel that it is possible at this age to be unintentionally hurtful, just by being irresponsible . . . . I am just trying to make sure my lack of responsibility no longer hurts people. . . . . Getting socially outcast can be the best and most informative thing that could ever happen to you because you have to learn who you are separate from the pack.-Ezra MillerThe quote above by Ezra Miller, the out, young actor who played Patrick in the 2...
This chapter focuses on a university case that interprets the variability of academic freedom in ... more This chapter focuses on a university case that interprets the variability of academic freedom in terms of faculty’s textbook selection and the need for students’ textbook affordability. Faculty members are participants in a collective bargaining unit and students are members of the student government organization in a state university system. The faculty contract outlines tenets of academic freedom that delineate faculty selection of curriculum (textbooks), instruction, and assessment practices. This chapter highlights the nuances of faculty rights in the name of academic freedom and the students’ need for more affordable textbooks which includes open educational resource materials. In this case, the administration, faculty association, and the student government worked together to create a set of conditions for a more affordable textbook selection. This collaborative process is explored and explained as a set of practices that other colleges and universities can replicate at their ...
ABSTRACT This article provides a rationale for and methods to assist elementary educators in crea... more ABSTRACT This article provides a rationale for and methods to assist elementary educators in creating spaces where the enhancement of awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ)-themed literature could be explored in elementary schools and classrooms. The authors assert that an approach to providing gender and sexuality diversity in the elementary grades is part of multicultural practice in elementary classrooms. Through document analysis, the authors discovered the existing theories, practices, and evidence available in the literature that would provide elementary educators support to use LGBTQ-themed children's literature in academic spaces. The authors then provide a set of guidelines for educators to modify their existing instructional practices in order to empower young learners with the critical literacy attributes necessary in order to gain access to knowledge, power, and opportunities.
International Journal of Multicultural Education, 2015
Diverse education professionals learned about African cultures in a workshop experience by making... more Diverse education professionals learned about African cultures in a workshop experience by making African masks using authentic symbolism. Analysis of reflections to evaluate the workshop for applicability to participants with and without African heritage showed that both groups expanded their cultural knowledge of traditional African ethnic groups. Those participants with African heritage noted valuing of women while those without African heritage expressed appreciation for African culture, self-evaluation of work, and the desire to investigate their own heritages.
Reclaiming the education of our children consists of multiple elements that go far beyond the cla... more Reclaiming the education of our children consists of multiple elements that go far beyond the classroom. This article critically examines the Network for the Development of Children of African Descent (NdCAD) in regards to the organization's work in the lives of African American children and the community surrounding them. Education plays an important role in a child's future academic success, cultural identity, and spirituality. The NdCAD created three programs to help engage the community in the development of Black children. They include the Sankofa Reading Program™, “Parent Power” Literacy & Advocacy Workshops™, and the book distribution program. The Literacy programs are presented, described and applied to the unique needs of these students, including their cultural and social development, spiritual values, and the role of the Black Church in their academic achievement. Solutions are offered to assist communities and schools in growing and constructing a supportive environment for children as they progress through the education system.
As I read the book, Neither Jew Nor Gentile by George Yancey, I constantly thought about the prac... more As I read the book, Neither Jew Nor Gentile by George Yancey, I constantly thought about the practicality of what was discovered from his research. The author explored the shortage of students of ethnic and racial diversity on faith-based Protestant campuses. He conducted survey research at institutions that he deemed as religious conservative and mainline Protestant. A conservative campus was one that embedded sacred practices in its daily routines such as chapel, convocations, religious services, and curriculum alignments. Mainline Protestant colleges and universities were faith-based but loosely affiliated. The author conducted a series of surveys that focused on students of color and their reasons for applying to, accepting the offer of, and attending these historically White institutions. The author also surveyed all students about the racial diversity on campus, the courses that focused on diversity, diversity programming, organizations that were racially or ethnically based, and the intent of faculty of color. The introduction to the book gave an overview of the purpose and intent of Protestant institutions and why diversity was not a traditional mainstay on these campuses. The historical origin of many of the institutions was to educate the converted and to promulgate the word and teachings in an academic setting. The author conjectured that many of the academies were segregated because the churches in which they were aligned were segregated. The onset of diversity on these campuses was an extension of the mission of the church. As people of color were converted to the various faiths, then they were encouraged to attend the accompanying institutions. The next wave of diversity was recruitment based on athletics. Some of the respondents attested to being offered athletic scholarships as an incentive. Other students of color were often attracted to the courses and the mission of the institutions. The author discussed the retention of students of color by analyzing the feedback from both students of color and White students in reference to the climate and acceptance of racial and ethnic diversity on campus. Most telling were some of the testimonies that indicated that the focus on holidays, celebrations, or diversity months were divisive and that some Whites thought that Religion & Education, 38:179–181, 2011 Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1550-7394 print=1949-8381 online DOI: 10.1080/15507394.2011.579551
... DOI: 10.1080/01626620.2011.627302 Cathy A. Thorsen a ... in nonjudgmental/objective categorie... more ... DOI: 10.1080/01626620.2011.627302 Cathy A. Thorsen a ... in nonjudgmental/objective categories of eligibility (deaf, blind, orthopedic impairment, or pronounced cognitive impairment) that are linked to an identifiable organic cause (Bollmer, Bethel, Garrison-Mogren, & Brauen ...
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