The College of Education and Integrative Studies (CEIS) Council and the Office of Interdisciplinary Ethnic Studies Teaching and Scholarship (OEIS) co-sponsored an event titled Building Bridges with Education. This event took place on November 2, 2023, from 5PM – 7PM and was open to all in Cal Poly Pomona’s Ursa Minor and via Zoom. It brought together a panel of Education Advocates from Cal Poly Pomona, local districts, and community partners to hold meaningful discussions, share strategies, ideas and life experiences revolving around reshaping education.
The hosts for the evening were CEIS Council E-Board members Serena Manjur and Alison Sisco.
Manjur and Sisco led the panel through a series of questions. The questions were pre-submitted by students. The panel consisted of 3 groups each specializing in a theme of Education, each person within the group had an opportunity to answer the question.
Group Panelists:
Education, Equity, and Social Justice Group:
Dr. Tyisha Noise She|Her, Coordinator III of Equity and Access with the Los Angeles County of Education.
KD Harris She|Her, Co-Founder/Executive Director Let’s Talk LD and CPP CEIS Doctoral Candidate (’24) Education Leadership.
Dr. Michelle DeJohnette She|Her, Assistant Professor of anti-racism and equity in Cal Poly Pomona’s Early Childhood Studies Program.
Roberta Lomeli She|Her, LACOE School-to-Career Transition Specialist and Doctoral Candidate at Azusa Pacific Educational Leadership Program.
Community Engagement, Sustainability, and Broader Impact Group:
Maya King She|Her, Former BRC Social Justice Leader and Master’s student in Regenerative Studies.
Kevin Tyrrell (AIA, LEED AP) He|Him, Partner at QDG Architect.
Dr. Liane Hypolite She|Her, Assistant Professor at Cal Poly Pomona’s Educational Leadership Program.
Tech, Interdisciplinary Education, and Inclusivity Group:
Dr. Eluid Partida He|Him|El, Assistant Professor at Cal Poly Pomona.
Dr. César Larrvia He|Him, Associate Professor at Cal Poly Pomona.
Dr. Heather Taylor She|Her, Associate Professor and Education Specialist Coordinator at Cal Poly Pomona.
The discussion began with the Education, Equity, and Social Justice group whose question was, How can teachers create classrooms environment that prioritize equity and social justice? The group agreed that educators have a responsibility to get to know their students. Dr. Noise shared, “There are a lot of experiences, human, communities, families and lives that are represented in the classroom that an educator needs to get to know. Equity begins with empathy and empathy begins with the human connection. We need to take the time to find out what they want and need and who they are.” The group also shared that it is important for educators to create a space where students can become their whole self and to take the time to learn about their strengths and weaknesses to provide support for students who fall behind. Harris has worked with minoritized children. A lot of the conversations she’s had revolve around how educators and educational spaces have this concept of teaching to the middle. Everything below and above the middle is lost. She believes that is why it is so important to center relations with the students and give them a space where they develop who they really are.
Question two; What do current research trends suggest about effectively embedding equity into educational policies and curricula, started a conversation that all panelist agreed with.
Dr. Noise pointed out is that Equity is not just hard work it is HEART work. “Hearts have to change. When we serve the individual in front of us they grow and learn faster. They are more connected to school and more likely to finish high school and will go on to college and build successful careers. A child who finishes college, shifts the financial trajectory for the whole family. A handful of families who experience this then can shift the trajectory of a community. This cannot happen until we address the heart work.” Everyone in the room agreed with this powerful statement. Along with doing the Heart work, the group agreed that those creating policies do not know the students and communities they are creating these policies for. Dr. DeJohnette commented, “When we are talking about equity we need to focus on our own biases when it comes to creating policies and who are they serving.” The group closed with the discussion on addressing racism when it happens. Dr. DeJohnette shared that children as young as three years of age notice color. Lomeli expressed, “When racism happens it happens in front of you, need to be courageous and take action and address it or it will continue to happen.”
The Tech, Interdisciplinary Education, and Inclusivity Group, started their discussion with the question; How can technology and interdisciplinary approaches enhance inclusivity and diversity in education? This group had different thoughts on this question and answered it through their lens of expertise. Dr. Partida commented that educators need to disrupt the notion of who can and cannot do science and be a scientist. He believes that if technology and resources were provided to be a scientist, students would feel impowered to become them.
Dr. Taylor brought up that general education teachers do not pay close to the variables of different learners. If general ed teachers were taught also about special education, it would bring more opportunities for students to have access to general curriculum instead of being in a segregated classroom where they do not receive grade level material.
Dr. Larriva pointed out that, “A center requirement for inclusivity and diversity in education is to pay attention to culturally relevant approaches to teaching.” He went on to point out that as educators need to value the learner as a person not something to fill with information.
Their second question, “How can we align traditional educational models with technological advancements to better prepare students for future challenges, brought up the conversation of advancing technology?” The group agrees that advancing technology can bring limitations to the marginalized groups of students who do not have access to new technology. Dr. Taylor shared that educators need to know their communities. If a community has little access to WiFi and limited resources, a donated 3D Printer has no use to the community. All panelist agreed with Dr. Partida that all classrooms need to be transformed to a place where they feel wanted, where they can grow and learn about people from their communities and backgrounds. Dr. Larriva pointed out that this question is not a new one. A new way of thinking of this question is to apply the learn by doing approach to all subjects. “We teach them theory first and assume they will be able to apply it to practice.”
The final group started their conversation with the question, how can sustainability initiatives be integrated into educational practices to impact and reshape traditional methods of teaching?
This group brought to light three important points to sustainability. Krug shared that it is important to stay informed of current legislation. An example Krug used was the Inflation Reduction Act and how this piece of legislation has funded money towards sustainability. “This act could go towards something like a garden, where students could learn about nutrition, be in nature, eat nutritious foods and would benefit the community bringing fresh foods and fresh air,” Krug explained. Tyrrell pointed out that schools in wealthy neighborhoods are more sustainable because they are built to help students learn through natural light and good ventilation. Dr. Hypolite views sustainability in two ways. Her first thought; is providing classrooms where students can use their community to learn and at the same help their community. This way of teaching makes students feel empowered because they are connecting to their community and will be motivated to act on behalf of their community. Her second thought; is how to keep educators in the education field, how to keep them motivated?
Great conversations were happening, but the panel had to end. Overall, this panel shared great ideas, strategies, and live experiences on reshaping education. The panelist agreed that the current style and shape of education needs to be transformed to value the students and people in the room. It is important to get to know them, to learn about them, to welcome them so they can grow to be their full self. The first step is HEART work.
