Culturally Responsive Policy and Pedagogy Building on the work of Gloria Ladson-Billings’ culturally relevant pedagogy, Django Paris developed a theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy that “seeks to perpetuate and foster—to sustain linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism,” for students in schools (Paris, 2012). In this course we examine how teachers might sustain and support students in classrooms and how educational policy might better address and respond to the rich diversity in our schools and communities. This is a required course for all students seeking a Vermont teaching licensure.

Make Room: Teaching August Wilson August Wilson has been hailed as “Theater's Poet of Black America,” yet many students have little exposure to this theatrical and literary giant. In this course we will explore Wilson’s "Century Cycle" a collection of 10 plays-each set in a distinct decade- that portray African American experiences in the twentieth century. We will take an interdisciplinary approach to reading, analyzing, staging (where possible), and understanding Wilson’s work. We will explore key influences on Wilson’s work including the blues, The Black Arts Movement, visual artist Romare Bearden, essayist and fiction writer Jorge Luis Borges, and playwright/poet Amiri Baraka among others. We also will engage with visiting artists, scholars, teachers, and community members as we consider Wilson's impact and the importance of teaching and studying his work. 3 hr. lect.

Licensure students need to enroll in this section and the discussion.

Education in the USA What are schools for? What makes education in a democracy unique? What counts as evidence of that uniqueness? What roles do schools play in educating citizens in a democracy for a democracy? In this course, we will engage these questions while investigating education as a social, cultural, political, and economic process. We will develop new understandings of current policy disputes regarding a broad range or educational issues by examining the familiar through different ideological and disciplinary lenses.

Models of Inclusive Education In K-12 education, the term "inclusion" is often reduced to where students with apparent disabilities learn within schools. In this course, we will challenge the segregation of students with disabilities in schools while expanding notions of inclusion such that students' multiple identities are incorporated into learning. Students will be introduced and provided opportunities to design lessons using a Universal Design for Learning framework. We will utilize DisCrit (Disability Studies and Critical Race Theory) as a theoretical tool to explore how ableism and racism stand in the way of equitable education for many students while exploring theories, methods, and approaches to disrupt such marginalization and lead to inclusive antiracist educational practices.  (EDST 0115 or SOAN 0215 or SOCI 0215 or AMST 0105).

Teaching ‘The 1619 Project’: Battling Miseducation, Engaging Freedom Dreaming, and Regaining Hope In August of 2019 The New York Times launched the 1619 Project, created by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Nikole Hannah-Jones, explores the history of slavery in the United States.  In this course we will explore various ways to approach teaching The 1619 Project and examine how the project pushes against miseducation within the U.S. education system.  We will also delve into various states' bans against teaching the 1619 Project and scrutinize how Critical Race Theory became wrapped in these bans.

Tara Affolter

Reviews and ratings for Tara Affolter at Middlebury College.Tara Affolter teaches Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Teaching August Wilson, Culturally Relevant Pedagogies and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Tara Affolter good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

I honestly wish that EDUSA was required for all students at Midd. Having a strong understanding of systemic inequities in our society is extremely important for work in all areas of life. This class is about so much more than schools, and it expanded my understanding of what schools can be and mean. Professor Affolter is really lovely and wants to help all students succeed. 

Professor Affolter is an amazing professor!! She's very passionate about her work. The class isn't hard, just make sure you do your weekly exit tickets and participate. I truly learned so much about the educational system. I would definitely recommend to take the course! 

I do not intend on majoring/minoring in Education Studies, but I had an extremely positive experience with Professor Affolter. She does a good job of providing students with material but also leaving lots of room for students to share their opinions. I felt supported in this class and found the information we were learning very useful, even outside the realm of Education Studies. 