The Freire Project

Urban Education - Cuny Graduate Center - PhD (2006)

Critical Analysis and Critical Consciousness of the “What Is” Reality of Students "of color".

I am excited to have a space to exercise critical voice concerning the realities of the twenty-first century in reference to high school students “of color”. I share the same preoccupation that many critical educators have about minority students who are overrepresented in lower tracked high school classes. Mentally undernourished students are typically classified and stigmatized with dehumanizing labels. Historically, labels have been used to paralyze the spirits of minority student and leave their minds in temporary or long-term hibernation. I believe in order to combat minority underachievement we must maintain a vigilant critical mindset and change the “What Is” reality.

I have been in the field of education for over 30 years. I completed my doctorate in urban education at the CUNY Graduate Center in 2006 with my research exploring the deficit and affirming influences of the achievement gap from three perspectives, self, school, and society. I earned a Masters degree in Reading at Montclair State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Queens College. I am a Reading Specialist at Montclair High School where I teach four English support classes for basic skills students. I also train Montclair State University teacher education students to tutor in my English support classes. In an effort to encourage minority voices at my school, I instituted a student Ambassador Program of giving back which connects seamlessly with the college tutoring initiative. Student Ambassadors enrolled in my English support classes agree to work with teacher education students as a way of giving back to society.

My current research is focused on the idea of re-framing and co-framing affirming learning environments for students of color. I call these environments “Spherical Learning Environments” and envision them to be nurturing pathways to a more democratic educational system. In 2008, I wrote “School Hazard Zone: Beyond the Silence/Finding a Voice” (New York: Peter Lang) which draws attention to the “what is” realities of the racially imbedded flaws in the education system and provides suggestions for a variety of “what can be” transformational changes. I have also authored a number of book chapters that speak directly to the concerns of minority achievement. Currently, I am collaborating with Wayne Madsen, the author of “The Misadventures of Inspector Moustachio”, on a new children’s chapter book series. My website is: www.911educator.com

I love to read and travel to European countries. Traveling to Europe is like an out of body experience for me. It takes me back in time through architectural design, language, and culture and rejuvenates my spirit.