July 19-20, 2024
BERC Summer Conference
“Black Studies as the Study of the World:
Teaching Black Studies in New York City”
Cowin Auditorium
Teachers College, Columbia University between 120th and 121st streets
3040 Broadway New York, NY 10027
Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more; contact cps@tc.columbia.edu for more information.
Day One | July 19
8 a.m. | Registration & Breakfast
Attendees and guests receive registration materials and enjoy a continental breakfast.
9 a.m. | Welcome
President Tom Bailey and Council Member Rita Joseph welcome conference attendees and guests to Teachers College.
Tom Bailey Ph.D.
President of Teachers College, Columbia University.
Rita Joseph
New York City Council Member; Brooklyn's District 40
9:15 a.m. | Background & Purpose
Professor Sonya Douglass, Founding Director of BERC, will present the purpose and learning goals for BERC’s First Annual Summer Conference, and acknowledge those who made this work possible, including the New York City Council, Education Equity Action Plan Coalition, NYCPS, and pilot school administrators, principals, and teachers and a special award presentation.
Sonya Douglass, Ed.D.
Professor and Founding Director of the Black Education Research Center; Teachers College, Columbia University
9:45 a.m. | Grounding Ourselves
“The Black Freedom Struggle as Praxis: Teaching and Leading Black Studies in K-12 Schools”
Deirdre Hollman, BERC Senior Curriculum Specialist,, will moderate a conversation with renowned Black education scholars Professor Emerita Linda C. Tillman and Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair Joyce King to ground the conference in the conceptualization and development of the Black studies curriculum for NYCPS as part of larger curricular transformation efforts in large urban districts across the U.S.
Panelists: Profs. Linda Tillman and Joyce King
Moderator: Deirdre Hollman
Deirdre Hollman
Senior Curriculum Specialist, Black Education Research Center; Teachers College, Columbia University
Linda C. Tillman, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Joyce King, Ph.D.
Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair for Urban Teaching, Learning and Leadership; Professor of Educational Policy Studies, College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University
10:30 a.m. | Curriculum Overview
An Introduction to the Black Studies as the Study of the World Curriculum for NYCPS
BERC’s Curriculum and Professional Learning team will provide an overview of the “Black Studies as the Study of the World” curriculum and professional learning guides with a focus on key themes, lessons across grade bands, and resources available to NYCPS teachers and leaders.
Samantha Chung, Ed.D.
Doctoral Lecturer and the Program Coordinator of the Educational Leadership Program at CUNY Lehman College
Dane Peters
Doctoral Assistant, Black Education Research Center
Deirdre Hollman
Senior Curriculum Specialist, Black Education Research Center; Teachers College, Columbia University
Alexandria Lowe
Curriculum and Youth Engagement Specialist, Black Education Research Center
11 a.m. | Break
11:15 a.m. | Why Black Studies? Why NYC? Why Now?: A Superintendent Roundtable Discussion
This discussion will feature NYCPS Superintendents who piloted the BSC in conversation about their experiences, lessons learned, and plans for implementation.
Moderator: Dr. M. Christopher Brown II
Panelists: Sean L. Davenport, Ed.D., Kamar Samuels
M. Christopher Brown II, Ph.D.
Executive Director, The Payne Institute For Social Justice
Sean L. Davenport, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools, Harlem Community School District 5, NYCPS
Kamar Samuels
Superintendent of Schools, District 3, NYCPS
12:15 p.m. | Lunch
Attendees are invited to grab a boxed lunch and meet with colleagues in one of the designated lunch areas.
1:00 p.m. | Workshops
Black Studies Curriculum DesignLabs for Teachers
DesignLabs are designed to prepare teachers for implementing the Black Studies Curriculum through hands-on engagement with lesson plans and planning tools for each grade level. Participants will gain valuable pedagogical insights in collaboration with peers. Facilitated by BERC’s Curriculum and Professional Learning Team.
It’s Time to Teach the Truth: The Political Context for Black Studies for School and Community Leaders
We will review the political context nationally and in New York City for teaching Black Studies in K-12 schools, and invite participants to strategize about the implications for the successful rollout of the Black Studies Curriculum in the 24-25 school year.
2:30 p.m. | Keynote and Panel Discussion
Black Studies as Community Studies: Revisiting Path, Purpose and Self Determination
Professor David Stovall of University of Illinois at Chicago will discuss the significance of teaching Black studies in New York City and help us understand the current landscape of education policy and politics and the role that Black studies curriculum can and should play in advancing educational equity and racial justice in schools and districts.
Keynote: Prof. David Stovall
Panelists: Profs. Linda Tillman and Joyce King
Moderator: Prof. Rosa Rivera-McCutchen
David Stovall, Ph.D.
Professor of Black Studies and Criminology, Law, and Justice, University of Illinois at Chicago
Linda C. Tillman, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Rosa L. Rivera-McCutchen, Ph.D.
Professor of Administration & Supervision, Instructional Leadership, Hunter College
Joyce King, Ph.D.
Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair for Urban Teaching, Learning and Leadership; Professor of Educational Policy Studies, College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University
4 p.m. | Reception
Join us for a reception to close out the day. Light refreshments and beverages will be served.
Day Two | July 20
8 a.m. | Registration & Breakfast
Attendees and guests receive registration materials and enjoy a continental breakfast.
9:00 a.m. | Welcome Back, Day One Reflections, and Introduction to Day Two
We will begin the day with reflections and insights from Day One and an overview of the theme and agenda for Day Two.
9:20 a.m. | Plenary Presentation
Thematic Tour of the Black Studies Curriculum: African Diaspora, Literacy, and Liberation
Several key themes integral to teaching and learning Black Studies in PK-12 classrooms are woven into the Black Studies as the Study of the World lessons across the grades. This session explores the themes African Diaspora, Literacy, and Liberation and provides the pedagogical content knowledge teachers need for implementation .
Dane Peters
Doctoral Assistant, Black Education Research Center
Deirdre Hollman
Senior Curriculum Specialist, Black Education Research Center; Teachers College, Columbia University
Alexandria Lowe
Curriculum and Youth Engagement Specialist, Black Education Research Center
10:00 a.m. | Panel Discussion
Teaching Black Studies in the Mecca: Keys to Implementation
This session will feature a discussion among a NYCPS district leader, principal, teacher, and student in Harlem Community School District 5 who used BERC’s DesignLabs model to pilot the BSC. They will share their experiences, lessons learned, and keys to preparing for implementation from the classroom to the building and district levels.
Panelists: Dr. Dawn Brooks-DeCosta, Deputy Superintendent, D5; Michelle Verdiner, Principal, TC Community School; Ms. Tiana Green, Assistant Principal, TC Community School; Ms. Anne Lattner, TC Community School
Dr. Dawn Brooks-DeCosta
Deputy Superintendent, Harlem Community School District 5, NYCPS
Michelle Verdiner
Principal, Teachers College Community School (TCCS)
11 a.m. | Break
11:15 a.m. | Plenary Presentation
“Black Studies Across the City”
All five boroughs of New York City have historic landmarks and cultural heritage sites that speak to the experiences of Black New Yorkers from the 17th century to the present. Join Dr. Samantha Chung to learn about the prominent role place-based learning plays in the Black Studies Curriculum with special guest presentations from representatives of key cultural and historical sites in NYC.
Samantha Chung, Ed.D.
Doctoral Lecturer and the Program Coordinator of the Educational Leadership Program at CUNY Lehman College
12:00 p.m. | Lunch
Attendees are invited to grab a boxed lunch and meet with colleagues in one of the designated lunch areas.
1:00 p.m. | Workshops
Black Studies Curriculum DesignLabs for Teachers
DesignLabs are designed to prepare teachers for implementing the Black Studies Curriculum through hands-on engagement with lesson plans and planning tools for each grade level. Participants will gain valuable pedagogical insights in collaboration with peers. Facilitated by BERC’s Curriculum and Professional Learning Team.
It’s Time to Teach the Truth: The Political Context for Black Studies for School and Community Leaders
We will review the political context nationally and in New York City for teaching Black Studies in K-12 schools, and invite participants to strategize about the implications for the successful rollout of the Black Studies Curriculum in the 24-25 school year.
2:15 p.m. | Closing Keynote
It’s Time to Build a New House: A Call to Action
Prof. Sonya Douglass will present The SCALE Framework for Learning & Liberation as a leadership and organizational development tool for principals and superintendents.
Sonya Douglass, Ed.D.
Professor and Founding Director of the Black Education Research Center; Teachers College, Columbia University
