Democracy in Action: A Book Review of \u3ci\u3eJohn Dewey’s Imaginative Vision of Teaching: Combining Theory and Practice\u3c/i\u3e

With his new book, John Dewey’s Imaginative Vision of Teaching: Combining Theory and Practice, Deron Boyles set out to explore the confluence of Deweyan practice in real-world educational settings. Arguing there is a dearth of books analyzing Dewey’s pedagogical philosophy in these settings, Boyles detailed and clarified Dewey’s imaginative vision of teaching via the blending of theory and case studies. This approach honors the merger of theory and action that characterizes Dewey’s unique brand of pragmatism. Here, Boyles gave credence to Dewey’s claim that philosophy can be recovered by applying it to our own, real-world problems. This easily accessible book is useful for those searching for an introduction to Deweyan philosophy as well as for educators seeking to revitalize their practice with democratic notions of education

Raising the B A.R.: Becoming an Anti-Racist Educator Via Critical Reflection: Using Critical Whiteness Studies in Pursuit of Racial Equity in A White Teacher’s Classroom

Attempting to mitigate the pervasive and racialized academic and discipline gaps, researchers and scholars have extensively explored how to more effectively educate BIPOC students. Despite the proliferation of scholarship of this nature, there is a dearth of research conducted by in-service White educators working to promote racial equity in their classrooms. Addressing this, I conducted a critical autoethnography analyzing my efforts to promote racial equity in my classroom learning environment. Based on my analysis, which was conducted over approximately six months, my findings revealed that critical Whiteness studies was useful for revealing, critiquing, and confronting the Whiteness in my professional practice; how this process resulted in the creation of my own personal barriers; how I sought to overcome those barriers; how I monitored my development via a growth spectrum; and how curiosity and power played central roles in my efforts to promote racial equity. Further, findings revealed that my efforts to promote racial equity included navigating the realities, challenges, and barriers within contemporary schooling. These findings have profound implications for educators, researchers, theorists, policymakers, and more as they seek to more effectively educate BIPOC students