(L-R) Left to right Principal Lori Touloumian, Dr. Tyrone Howard, Dr. Mary Stevens (Photo – Felita Kealing)
As a member of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), I make it a point to attend conferences, which offer practical and relevant professional development opportunities for educators interested in honing their craft.
By Lori Touloumian
In March of 2023, I attended ACSA’s Equity Institute. The keynote speaker was Dr. Tyrone Howard, the best selling author and nationally recognized Professor of Education at UCLA’s School of Education and Information Studies.
He made a call to action for justice and equity that struck everyone in the room at the core.
I was fortunate enough to secure Dr. Tyrone Howard, as the keynote speaker at Marshall Fundamental School’s opening of the year professional learning session. He was scheduled to speak in the afternoon, when teachers typically have their minds on obtaining keys and setting up classrooms for the first day of school. Yet as soon as Dr. Howard began, he captured the attention of our team members by honoring the work of Marshall teachers and staff.
He asked members of our team to stand and be recognized for their years of service. This set the tone for our session by acknowledging that our work as educators is more challenging than ever.
Professor Howard asked members of our team what has kept them in the field of education for 15, 20, and 25-plus years? Several of our team members responded with one word: love. He then launched into his topic, focusing on culturally responsive teaching and the imperative need for it in schools. He defined culturally responsive teaching as education where “culture is central”, it “empowers students”, it “recognizes students’ identities”, and it does not require students to “sacrifice cultural knowledge to pursue academic excellence”. Our team members were engaged and inspired during Dr. Howard’s session.
Dr. Mary Stevens, Instructional Coach said, “Dr. Tyrone Howard’s professional learning session emphasized the importance of culturally responsive teaching. He called upon all Marshall educators to act with urgency to build community, affirm our students’ identities, and change the narrative of what it means to be an educator in current times.”
Dr. Howard provided us with inspiration to launch our year at Marshall, where one of our school-wide goals is community building. The road ahead is bright at Marshall and we thank Dr. Howard for the valuable lessons he shared with us. Eagles SOAR.
Lori Touloumian is the Principal of Marshall Fundamental Secondary School.
Dr. Tyrone Howard (Photo – Felita Kealing)
Daarina Abdus Samad, Art Teacher and Catherine Charles, Counselor engaged in the conversation (Photo – Felita Kealing)
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