“Walk the Talk” UFP Project Studying How to Help Faculty Become More Equity-Centered Moves to Next Phase

On Friday, March 25th, over fifty UAGC faculty (Full-time and Associate) and staff participated in the unique virtual interactive experience, "Factuality the Game" that simulated structural inequality in America. Their participation supported an ongoing University Fellowship Project, “Walk the Talk,” that seeks to explore what the ignitor for movement from talk to action is. What is an effective way to help faculty and staff become more culturally responsive and equity-centered in both thought and action? Figure 1 is the word cloud of the Factuality participants.

Figure 1
Word cloud of the Factuality participants.

The next step in the study is that participants will read and discuss the book, From Equity Talk to Equity Walk by Tia Brown McNair, Estela Mara Bensimon, and Lindsey Malcolm-Piqueux. Over four sessions, participants will discuss chapters entitled: From Equity Talk to Equity Walk, Building an Equity-Minded Campus Culture, Using and Communicating Data as a Tool to Advance Equity, Aligning Strategic Priorities, and Building Institutional Capacity, and Building Capacity for Equity-Mindedness among First-Generation Equity Practitioners. Researchers will lead participants in discussions of these rich chapters in one-hour virtual sessions.

Another tool in this multi-pronged approach is the voluntary, self-guided 21-day Equity Challenge. An equity challenge allows participants to keep growing and learning through this change process. So, over 21 days, participants can further their learning through the following categories: read, listen, watch, notice, connect, engage, act, reflect and stay inspired. The researchers sent each participant an online tracking tool to track and reflect on their learning. At the end of the three-week challenge, participants will complete a survey.

 

The researchers are excited about the next phase of the project! Stay tuned!

Background on Researchers:

Dr. Teresa Handy

Dr. Teresa Handy is a Core Faculty member in the Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education Leadership College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arizona Global Campus. Teresa has been a Turn the Tide Facilitator at UAGC, a Power of One Faculty member, and a Donna Beegle Certified Poverty Coach. She earned the Ed.D. specializing in Education Leadership and the Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Memphis, where she earned the distinction of Outstanding Leadership and Policy Studies Doctoral Student. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Chicago. Teresa completed her undergraduate work in Sociology and Education at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She has worked in public, charter, and private schools as an administrator, early childhood and elementary educator, and learning specialist. She has also served as a diversity consultant, helping local and national organizations develop their inclusion initiatives. Her recent children's book, "There is an Elephant in my Ear," was written for children ages 3-5 to help begin courageous conversations about differences in the preschool classroom.

You may contact her at Teresa.handy@uagc.edu

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-leary-handy-ed-d-30277a4

Dr. Tamecca Fitzpatrick

Dr. Tamecca Fitzpatrick is the Program Chair for the Master of Art in Early Childhood Education Leadership in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arizona Global Campus. She obtained her Ed.D specializing in Early Childhood Education from the University of North Texas. Her Master's degree in Education and bachelor's degree in Psychology were earned at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Her work experience includes positions as an elementary classroom teacher, a Diversity Scholar Lecturer, Professor, and Author.