Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Chandler-ward
Hi Jenna, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was an educator in many different forms for many years. After several incidents in my classroom, I became curious about how my identity influenced what I taught, how I taught, and how what I taught was received. I started going to any education conference I could find that also focused on identity. I then started meeting with a group 0f talented educators, and together we created The Multicultural Teaching Institute which was a conference that focused on identity but also gave attendees a way to apply the work to their specific learning community.
I then started to wonder why, when we talked about race in education people never mentioned whiteness as a race. It was just the default. But over 80% of educators are white I wanted to know how teachers were talking about race in the classroom, and specifically whiteness. I partnered with my friend Elizabeth Denevi, and together we created a podcast, blog, and consulting group called Teaching While White.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The political climate keeps shifting and a lot of myths have come from the idea of talking about race in schools. Many fear that discussing race is making kids feel bad and is harmful. What we have found is that students are already encountering race every day at school and in their lives, and when no one is giving good information students rely on media messages and stereotypes to make sense of the world around them. That NOT taking about race is what leads to kids feeling guilty.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We work with districts, schools, colleges and universities to ensure that schools are truly welcoming and educating ALL students. We look at curriculum, offer professional development, coaching, leadership support, to ensure that educational institutions are delivering on their mission for everyone.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in Charlottesville Virginia in one of the last schools to desegregate in the country. I went into a highly racially charged environment every day, and no adults were helping me to understand what was happening. This experience clearly informed my perspective and, sadly, I still see the exact same thing happening to kids 50 years later.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jennachandlerward.com
- Other: https://www.teachingwhilewhite.org
