AILACTE Annual Conference, 2013 Orlando, FL

1. The Development of Beloved Communities:How the Liberal Arts Can Contribute to the Vision of MLK in K-12 Schools AILACTE Annual Conference, 2013 Orlando, FL

2. PanelParticipants • Michael R. Hillis, Pacific Lutheran University: Moderator & Opening Comments • Barbara E. Kennedy & Verna J. Lowe, Asbury University: “All children are sacred: An educator dispositional fit”  • Mariana Robles-Dalany, California Lutheran University: “How can universities help teacher candidates develop an understanding that all children are sacred?”  • Kathlyn Mickel & Amy Lavold, Pacific Lutheran University: “A responsive partnership model: Overriding tradition” • Frank M. Kline, Pacific Lutheran University: “The beloved community: An administrator’s perspective”

3. The Immergence of this Theme • Hillis, M.R., & Woolworth, S. (2008). If Dr. King were a principal: Building the 'beloved community' in schools. Democracy & Education, 18(1), 9-15. • Theme issue on school violence • We attempted to imagine the way Dr. King would build a school culture using the premises of his “beloved community” • The premise here was that in schools that often have cultures of anonymity, which may subsequently give rise to student dislocation, we needed to take a more holistic approach to build healthy school communities.

4. Development of the Beloved Community • While there are many facets that could be explored within this topic, let me provide two ideas that are central to its establishment • Two Premises (Gary McNeil) • Love • “The dream of a kingdom on earth is driven by love to create a world as it should be” (McNeil, p. 7) • Not settling for the status quo • King’s conception of love as agape is his premise that this form of love is “understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill for all men” (Kenneth B. Clark Interview, 1991)

5. Development of the Beloved Community • Power • “Alongside the dream of love, there are acts of power. In the world as it is, Dr. King recognized that you had to create this kingdom, that unjust power had to be challenged by just power” (McNeil, p. 7) • Love needs to be expressed in specific action • As King wrote: “We’ve got to get this thing right. What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love” (Where do We Go from Here?).

6. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Beloved Community, and Personalist Theology • A second conceptualization I’ve recently written about is the personalist theology undergirding King’s (in press for Summer, 2013 Religion & Education) • Implications of personalist theology for education • “Centrality of Personhood” • Personalism dictates to us a way of living – affirming each other’s dignity, worth, and sacredness • “Personalism & Freedom” • Crosby (2000): “If we are really going to respect persons, then we must step back from them, take our heavy hands off them, and let them be” • “Personalism as Relational” • A personalist orientation pushes us to actually live for others

7. All Children are Sacred: An educator dispositional FitPresenters:Dr. Barbara E. KennedyDr. Verna J. Lowe Using Dispositions to Build Beloved Communities

8. Setting: Asbury University

9. Asbury Cultural Quick Facts • Asbury School of Education Mission: …to facilitate the preparation of professional educators who embody world-class academic excellence, spiritual integrity, and servant leadership. • Educator Preparation since 1925 • NCATE (CAEP) and SACS accredited • Faith-Based; Non-denominational • Offers 42 certification areas • Views teaching as a “calling” • AACTE Dispositions Award 2005 • Revised Assessment Process for graduate candidates 2006 • Clinical Based Program Redesign Spring 2010

10. New Challenges • Differentiation of leadership roles in education • 21stCentury learner… -revolution in technology, globalization, -diversity, shift in methodology due to shift in learners • KY Senate Bill One: Unbridled Learning • National and State Core Standards

11. Teachers as Leaders-Graduate Students “Educators who use their expertise to improve student learning by building Beloved Communities (Communities of Professional Learners) in these ways: • Strengthen the culture of the school; • Improve the accountability in the school; • Collaborate inside and outside the classroom in formal and informal ways; • Augment the professional skills of colleagues; and • Plan strategically for school improvement.

12. Building Beloved Communities Program • Cohort – based • AU Wide World • Two Foci: • Teaching & Learning • Dispositions • 360-Degree Assessment • Know thyself-self assessment • AU faculty assessments • P-12 community assessments • Problem of Practice Focus • Action Planning P-12 Community • Collaborators with teachers & administrators • Reflective teacher & learner • Ethic of care for students • Distributed, shared leadership model as heart of 21st century • Coaching as a skill • Directed to school wide improvement • Emphasis on Differentiation & RtI

13. Standard XI Asbury’s Dispositions and Indicators

14. Standard XI Asbury’s Dispositions and Indicators

15. Program Elements

16. Result = An “Ethic of Care”

17. How Can Universities Help Teacher Candidates Develop an Understanding that all Children are Sacred? Mariana Robles-Dalany, Ph.D. Graduate School of Education California Lutheran University

18. How Do We Learn What is Sacred? Mosaic of Images Found on the Web (2013). Mars Hill College. Retrieved with permission from Rel 450: Senior Seminar. http://users.mhc.edu/facultystaff/mbaldwin/REL450

19. The Role of Teaching Students do not necessarily enter teacher preparation programs with an innate awareness of children as sacred beings or the classroom as a community where each member’s mind, body and soul are nourished through learning and being.

20. The Role of Teaching This asks more of teacher preparation programs than working with students toward creating a solid foundation in theory, pedagogy and practice…more than equipping candidates with the skills to meet state standards and pass performance assessments…

21. Modeling Beloved Communities in the Liberal Arts Setting …where members are sacred, free and interdependent on one another. …where partnerships are established between teacher preparation faculty and content area faculty.

22. Including Beloved Communities in a Conceptual Framework for Teacher Education

23. Including Beloved Communities in a Conceptual Framework for Teacher Preparation

24. “Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh, and the greatness which does not bow before children.” Kahlil Gibran Kahlil Grbran quotation. Retrieved from Quotationsbooks. http/quotationsbook.com/quote/41592/CachedSimilarShare K/1 Students at El Centro Summer School in the Park, Pasadena, Ca.

25. Differentiated PartnershipsA New Approach to Teacher Education within School Partnerships Kathlyn Mickel Director of Field Experiences Amy Lavold Visiting Clinical Instructor Pacific Lutheran University

26. This We Know: • The cooperating teacher is the most critical individual in the candidate’s experience • School – University partnerships are the most reliable way to find and secure the best cooperating teachers • Partnerships must endure the test of time and changes

27. This We Believe: • The University has the responsibility to serve the school community • The University can benefit through partnerships that prioritize school/district goals

28. This We Believe: • Every school is cherished community of learners with: • Valued and beloved children • Innovative leaders • Talented professionals • Unique Identities with specific goals and priorities

29. Therefore, We Created: • Symbiotic Partnerships • The school needs, hopes, and dreams begin the conversation

30. First We: • Identify projects that need support • Mentor project • Montessori Academy • Implementation of Danielson

31. Then We: • Discern where the University can help • Professional development • Facilities, shared assets • Collaboration of tools, trainings

32. What We’ve Learned: • The relationship between school/district and the University is stronger and long lasting • Honest conversations about candidates and cooperating teachers are frequent • Problems are resolved quickly with less “drama” • School personnel feel valued by the University as a vital part of the training team • Mutual projects add momentum to the school and University • Placements with Cooperating teachers are usually secured, but not always

33. A working example: Lincoln Center: A Partnership Instruction Model

34. Meeting the Needs of Diverse Students • City Search • Observation with debrief • Student interviews • Carefully selected readings

35. Addressing the Risk • Co-teaching • Structured differentiation • Intentional support • Co-teaching • Structured differentiation • Intentional support

36. Value Added for All • More hands and eyes in the classroom • Small group instruction • Teacher leadership • Sustainability • School/community specific training

37. Intentional Training

38. The Beloved Community: An Administrator’s Perspective Frank Kline, Dean Pacific Lutheran University

39. Context • What would the three attributes of a Beloved Community look like from an administrative perspective? • What can an administrator do to encourage a Beloved Community in his/her unit?

40. Sacred Nature of the Individual • Philosophically rooted in a concrete idealism expressed through personalism • “There is no theme more prominent in King’s thought than the inherent dignity and worth of personality.” (p. 111) • Bowne, Brightman • Rooted in religious perspective of “imago dei”

41. Administration of the Sacred Individual • Administrator has two tasks • Arrange for the “task” to be completed • Care for the individual(s) working on the task. • Concept of vocation • Buechner’s definition—”Where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” • Operates on two levels • Administrator • Staff/faculty • Evaluation of individuals

42. Environment of Freedom • Corollary of personalism • Three elements • Ability to weigh opportunities • Possibility of making a choice • Acceptance of responsibility • Two aspects • Personal • Environmental

43. Administering Freedom • Providing choices for the individual • Negotiation of tasks • Collaborative approach to work • Supportive atmosphere • Freedom of environment—Resources necessary to do a task • Skills • Tools

44. Interconnectedness of Individuals • Personalism and imago dei • An inseparable connection between the personal and social aspects of life. (p. 121) • Grounded in the nature of the divine personality • Reflected in the social nature of humans • Hegel—dialectic tool (not the worldview) • Thesis • Antithesis • Synthesis

45. Administrating Interconnectedness • Teleology • Movement from ___ to ____ • Mission as a statement of the coherent end • Egalitarian atmosphere • Dignity of all persons • Distinction between levels of responsibility • Managing conflict • Hegelian synthesis • Taking it serious

46. Questions?