Special Guest: Documentary poet Mark Nowak

A one-day workshop for anyone who wants to work with civic documents—textbooks, district and national policies, immigration transcripts, and constitutional law.

Redaction is commonly understood as the censoring or obscuring of text. In this studio, redaction operates differently. Drawing on the practice developed by visual artist Titus Kaphar and poet Reginald Dwayne Betts, redaction becomes a way of revealing rather than hiding—making visible the language through which values, assumptions, and power relations are maintained.

We will work with existing materials to read closely, cut, rearrange, and reposition language across different surfaces and formats, paying attention to what official texts say, what they avoid, and what tensions they carry. Through redaction, we will surface the cultural contradictions that shape schooling and public life.

Open to anyone who wants to explore this method and write, teachers will find that this studio offers concrete, adaptable practices for working with language and history—approaches that can be carried back into classrooms as ways to read critically, teach thoughtfully, and engage students with the documents that shape their lives.

Facilitator: Lisa Arrastia

Taking inspiration from the writing of Eduardo Galeano, this writing studio focused on short, precise narrative forms drawn from lived experience and the current historical moment.

A collective writing studio treating the three-line poem as a tool for refusal, solidarity, and public speech. Special guests: Mark Nowak, Eileen Tabios, and Christine Lewis.

Led by documentary poet Mark Nowak, this writing studio treats the three-line poem as a tool for refusal, solidarity, and public speech. Special Guest: Faisal Mohyuddin, “Liberation Haiku” and Lorraine Garrett, Worker Writers School.

Inspired by Barbara Kruger’s inquiries into power and access, this seminar examines the historical and economic foundations of American democratic education.

Participants will analyze contemporary controversies surrounding "critical race theory," banned literature, and the shifting landscape of public versus private schooling. Ultimately, the seminar challenges participants to determine whether a truly democratic education is achievable within the modern American classroom.

Participants in this seminar will conduct oral history interviews to explore the moral dimensions of teaching through individual narratives and shared reflection. By examining how social, cultural, and political forces shape the classroom, participants will investigate the inherent non-neutrality of educational practice.

Ultimately, the seminar challenges participants to intentionally advance equity, access, and justice in their professional engagements with families and communities.

This seminar examines the historical and contemporary factors that influence Black American life and well-being in the United States. Adopting a collaborative model of inquiry, participants and instructors will engage with multiple cultural and economic narratives to analyze the social and systemic challenges facing these communities.

The seminar focuses on developing a comprehensive understanding of these complexities while exploring the history of social resilience and the pursuit of equity.

This seminar examines historical constructions of the "female" body and their enduring influence on contemporary social, emotional, and mediated identities. Using the "nahstee" woman as a social and political lens, the seminar explores the global experiences of gendered, racialized, and queer bodies.

Participants will analyze how these identities intersect and evolve, shaping the complex relationships individuals maintain with themselves and "gendered others."

In this seminar, participants explore English not merely as a set of rules, but as a dynamic social and cultural tool. By deepening their understanding of literacy acquisition and development, participants will reflect on the unique vernaculars of their own homes and communities while tracing the historical evolution of diverse English dialects.

The seminar bridges the gap between linguistic identity and technical mastery. Educators will have the opportunity to enhance their phonological awareness and strengthen their instructional approach to how letters represent sounds. Beyond the mechanics of decoding, participants will engage with competing perspectives on reading instruction and critically examine the social and cultural forces that shape literacy environments across the United States.

By analyzing the intersection of phonics, diverse teaching methodologies, and systemic influences, this seminar empowers participants to cultivate inclusive literacy practices that honor the linguistic wealth of every learner.

This experiential, project-based seminar prepares participants to step into the roles of educational design artists and classroom facilitators. Moving beyond traditional frameworks, participants will deconstruct the fundamental purposes of education to co-create interdisciplinary, youth-relevant experiences. The seminar focuses on navigating rigid standards to prioritize deep, conceptual understanding over rote memorization, exploring proven strategies to galvanize young people and ensure they are critically engaged in their own learning.

Learning extends beyond the seminar room through insights from visiting scholars, active field placements, and immersive visits to local progressive schools that serve as sites for both critique and inspiration. Eschewing the traditional lecture model, this seminar features no tests, quizzes, or formal research papers. Instead, it functions as a collaborative studio where participants learn by doing—through critical dialogue, sharing professional insights, and drawing on personal passions — to redefine the modern classroom.