Program Panel: Approaches to Teaching Critical Multicultural Education

Join us to learn about approaches to teaching critical multicultural education from Gabrielle Arca, co-founder of Teaching Pluralism, Dr Patty Bode, Ph.D. co-author of Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education (2018, 7th edition) and Dr Tonya E. Walls, Ph.D, Visiting Assistant Professor at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 

Our panelists will weave their experiences as education practitioners and academics to share with us what it means to engage in pedagogies that are rooted in equity and anti-racism serving students of all ages. 

The hour-long panel will be followed by optional breakout sessions where participants can discuss the applications of these approaches in their workplace, their communities, or at Camp Rising Sun.
 

Speaker bios: 

Dr Tonya E. Walls, Ph.D.,  Assistant Professor at Touro University Nevada, 

Dr Tonya Walls serves as an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Touro University Nevada. She is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) committed to engaging humanizing praxis. Her work as a scholar bridges educational leadership, critical multicultural education, Black feminist thought, critical race theory and critical pedagogy to examine, critique, and disrupt educational inequities faced by Black girls and women, and other marginalized peoples. Tonya organizes with Teachers for Social Justice Las Vegas and advocates through Code Switch, a university-school-community partnership she helped co-found to disrupt and dismantle school-to-confinement policies and practices in Southern Nevada replacing them with restorative justice, youth action, and the cultivation of youth leaders prepared to address local and national issues critical to the social, emotional, psychological, and physical well-being of under-supported, under-resourced girls and young women of color. Learn more about Dr Walls here and here. 

Dr Patty Bode, Ph.D. - Coordinator of Art Education at Southern Connecticut State University

Rooted in anti-racism and anti-bias activism, Dr. Patty Bode weaves a tapestry of teaching and leadership experiences in PK-12 public schools, higher education teacher preparation programs and community settings. Her work is defined by equipping teachers and professors to prepare their students to be full participants in our multicultural democracy. Patty worked in public schools for over 20 years as an art teacher, curriculum leader and school principal, and in higher education settings for over 10 years in teaching and leadership. She has received several awards from the National Art Education Association (NAEA), and from other organizations such as the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) , and the Anti-Defamation League. Her publications include a 2018 book with co-author, Sonia Nieto, the 7th edition of Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education, used by teacher education programs nationally and internationally. She is the Coordinator of Art Education at Southern Connecticut State University. Learn more about Dr Bode here. 

Gabrielle Arca ‘05, ‘06 - Educator and co-founder of Teach Pluralism 

Gabby is an educator passionate about equity and setting our student’s up to be the best versions of themselves. She has taught bicoastally in the US in both private and public schools, general and Special Education, and K-12. She has found she ends up loving whatever case of characters she has the opportunity to teach and learn with. Gabby is a graduate of Middlebury College where she studied Sociology, Education, and Mandarin Chinese, as well as the University of Oregon where she received her Masters degree and licensure in K-12 Special Education. She enjoys spending time with her family, eating, gardening, making art, and going for long walks with her big dog, Bear. She is also an avid children’s, middle grade, YA, and graphic novels reader. Gabby founded Teach Pluralism with Nina Sethi, an organization that offers pedagogical strategies and content to educators to further equity and pluralism. Learn more about her work here. 

Janessa Schilmoeller (’05, ’06, ’10, ’11, ’16-’18) Educator and Program Consultant - Moderator 

As a global educator and facilitator, Janessa works with organizations to develop critically-conscious world leaders through programs that transcend borders while centering equity and social justice education. She received her M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis on Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Over the past decade, Janessa has managed nonprofit and academic programs reaching students ages 2-22 from over 30 countries as a program director, elementary teacher, and youth librarian. Janessa was the LAJF Program Director from 2016-2019. Her work has been featured by the American Camp Association and the National Association of Multicultural Education.