3/5/2024

S2E4 Fostering Educational Equity With Dr. Gretchen Givens Generett

“What we want people to begin to do really is to think about how the stories you're telling are shaping your solutions and the ways in which you build relationships with people.”

—Dr. Gretchen Givens Generett

60 minutes

“I can’t talk about how I understand the research without first going into … the history and the experiences of the communities that I’m looking to serve,” Dr. Gretchen Givens Generett says in Season 2, Episode 4 of All For Literacy. Host Dr. Liz Brooke has a compassionate discussion with Generett about understanding the lived experiences of students and educators and how to provide support so both can thrive.

Generett currently serves as dean, professor, and the Noble J. Dick Endowed Chair of Community Outreach at the School of Education at Duquesne University. Her teaching and research work aim to enhance educators’ skills and habits so they can effectively teach diverse populations of students.

Gain thoughtful and research-backed insight into how educators can create truly equitable systems, understand education as a human system, and foster meaningful learning and relationships while considering diverse histories and lived experiences. Educational leaders will especially benefit from Generett’s deep look into her co-authored book, Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership.

Strengthen your classrooms with useful tips for navigating challenging moments, especially those often exacerbated by the realities of power, privilege, and different lived experiences.

Episode Breakdown

(01:01) – How Generett’s own educational experience influenced her professional career

(09:54) – Leading during challenging times (i.e. the pandemic)

(15:36) – Seminal studies on leadership in education

(24:07) – Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership

(25:35) – Education as a human system

(28:02) – Building teams with good relationships

(32:07) – The importance of stories

(38:07) – Supporting leaders in creating equitable systems

(43:00) – Flipping deficit-oriented stories to create change

(53:59) – How districts are embracing the work that needs to be done

About the Guest

Dr. Gretchen Givens Generett serves as dean, professor, and the Noble J. Dick Endowed Chair of Community Outreach at the School of Education at Duquesne University. Her teaching and research work aim to enhance educators’ skills and habits so they can effectively teach diverse populations of students. She is one of the authors of Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership.