Transforming Education Through Absent Narratives

Tuesday, October 18, 2:00pm – 4:30pm*

Organized by David O’Fallon, PhD, President, Minnesota Humanities Center.

Presented by Eleanor T. Coleman, EdD, Senior Team Leader, Minnesota Humanities Center; Nora Murphy, PhD, Developmental Evaluation Consultant, Founder, TerraLuna Collaborative; and David O’Fallon, PhD, President, Minnesota Humanities Center.

This session explores an innovative arts and humanities-based education strategy that is demonstrating significant results in addressing racial equity in K–12 schools in Minnesota and Omaha, Nebraska. Working with storytellers, writers, filmmakers, visual artists, and others, the Humanities Center delivers a research-based strategy that helps educators and communities recognize and engage with cultural storehouses of knowledge — assets that students bring into the classroom every day. These intensify the bedrock of learning — the teacher-student relationship — and strengthen connections to community cultural resources. Participants will learn how research and rigorous evaluation are affirming the effectiveness of this work as it transforms the perspectives, practices, and relationships of educators within the context of culture and community.

This session will be held at Minnesota Humanities Center.

*Off-site session schedule:

• 1:45: Group gathers in Great River Court
• 2:00: Bus loads
• 2:10: Bus departs from hotel
• 2:30 – 4:00: Session
• 4:00 – 4:20: Site visit
• 4:30: Bus departs to hotel

• Minnesota Humanities Center Absent Narratives Resources Collection
• Facebook Page set up for our Omaha Public Schools Education Project Participants
• Education Strategy Information Booklet and Professional Development Opportunities