Presented by Denver Public Schools’ Imaginarium and A+ Colorado
By Kelli Brown (Denver Public Schools) and Cristina Ceballo (Blake Communications)
On Wednesday, April 5, 2017, Denver Public Schools’ Imaginarium and A+ Colorado invite the public to an enlightening evening with New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Christopher Emdin examining reality pedagogy and how it can lead to student success.
This evening event enhances Imaginarium’s pilot program, Growth Through Connections funded by Janus Capital, and will take place at the History of Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway, Denver, Colorado.
Emdin is a social critic, public intellectual and science advocate whose commentary on issues of race, culture, inequality and education have appeared in dozens of influential periodicals including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. Most recently, he made the New York Times Bestseller list with his book, “For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education.”
Merging theory and practice, connecting contemporary issues to historical ones and providing a deep analysis on the current state of education, Emdin ushers in a new way of looking at improving schools and schooling. Drawing from themes in his New York Times Bestselling book, and the latest album from rap group, A Tribe Called Quest, Emdin offers insight into the structures of contemporary schools and highlights major issues like the absence of diversity among teachers, the ways educators of color are silenced in schools, the absence of student voice in designing teaching and learning and a way forward in addressing these issues.
Said Peter Piccolo, executive director of Imaginarium:
“At Denver Public Schools, our goal is to provide every student with an exceptional learning experience that prepares him or her for success in life. Studies show that one key to doing this is for teachers and students to build deep, authentic relationships. By hosting Dr. Emdin, we want to inspire our educators and families to think differently about what a 21st century learning experience can and should look like, starting with how teachers and students connect with each other to support success in school and beyond.”
The event will begin with a book signing and cocktail hour from 5-6pm, followed by the keynote address and question-and-answer session. The event is free and open to the public. To register, visit this EventBrite page.
Dr. Christopher Emdin holds a PhD in urban education with a concentration in mathematics, science and technology; master’s degrees in both natural sciences and education administration and bachelor’s degrees in physical anthropology, biology and chemistry. Dr. Emdin is a social critic, public intellectual and science advocate whose commentary on issues of race, culture, inequality and education have appeared in dozens of influential periodicals, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. For more information about Dr. Emdin, visit his website.
Imaginarium is Denver Public Schools’ Innovation Lab. The Imaginarium seeks to stimulate and support innovation across Denver, to transform learning and public education systems. It exists to serve anyone in the DPS community, who has a passion for public education and a belief that innovation is key to closing opportunity gaps and ensuring every student graduates prepared to succeed in college and his/her career. For more information about Imaginarium, visit imaginarium.dpsk12.org.
A+ Colorado (formerly A+ Denver) is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to ensuring every Colorado student can access an excellent education. For more information about A+ Colorado, visit apluscolorado.org.
