2023-24 Communities of Practice
Active Communities of Practice
(This is a sample page, these CoPs might not meet in 2023/24)
History We Never Learned in School
If you’ve ever thought “I’d rather be talking about history right now” on a Wednesday afternoon, we’d love for you to join us in a Community of Practice called History We Never Learned in School.
We want to learn history and to appreciate the power of historical thinking in a collaborative fashion. In addition to exploring new historical content, the group will discuss approaches to historical thinking that challenge simplistic narratives, uncritical assumptions, and privileged perspectives. We want to learn new stories about the past, challenge how present society chooses to record and remember the past, and discuss how we might connect the past and present to a better future.
Expect a variety of approaches (short readings, podcasts, mini-lectures, art, music, etc.) on all kinds of histories with the chance to facilitate your own sessions and/or suggest topics for the group.
- Leader(s): Kathy Swart, Karen Senaga, David Thomas, Arturo Laris
- Meeting times: TBA
- Meeting Location: This CoP meets via Zoom although there may be some in-person opportunities.
Decentering Whiteness in English Language Learning
We want to look at the ways that white supremacy culture and colonialism exist in English language instruction and want to address that in what and how we teach.
We will be looking at various readings and media sources that explore topics including nativespeakerism, the White gaze in English language instruction, cultural humility, multiple Englishes, and the role and place of grammar in curriculum among other topics. Our emphasis is on English language learning and multilingual learners, but we welcome all to join us as we recognize that these issues exist everywhere language does, not just in the classroom.
- Leader(s): Andrea Whittemore
- Meeting Times: Generally, 3rd Thursdays from 3-4 pm.
- Meeting Location: This CoP meets via Zoom.