Biography

Miche’le is an alumna of the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign earning a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She has worked in the Public and Charter school sectors as a traditional Kindergarten and Second grade teacher and in a community center as an After-school teacher. It was during these years that she grew an affinity towards Black Language, Black culture and Black identity and recognized the need for authentic and continuous representation throughout literacy instruction. Miche’le’s research interests include critically analyzing current literacy curriculum and assessments for Black elementary students and restructuring these tools using a linguistically and culturally responsive approach.

Courses

EDUC 202: Social Justice, School and Society (EDUC 202) Examines the nature of justice and the dynamics of a pluralistic society to derive a conception of social justice. Working with this conception, it asks how schools function to perpetuate and/or remediate social injustice. The course will consider the history and nature of schooling, issues of access and tracking, and notions of the public and the common. The course is designed for students interested in reflecting on their own educational histories, for those considering careers in teaching, and for all future parents and citizens needing to be able to reflect critically on justice, school, and society.