Light Through a Prism

Terri L. Rodriguez, PhD, is professor of education and former secondary English teacher at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University in St. Joseph, Minnesota. Her research explores issues of social justice, equity, and diversity in schools.Laura Mahalingappa, PhD, is an associate professor of applied linguistics and language education at the University of Maryland. Her teaching and research focuses on the language and education and teacher preparation for marginalized learners.Lauren Ergen teaches English to multilingual students at Apollo High School in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. Her students are primarily individuals who recently arrived in the United States, and who have limited or interrupted formal education in their background. Jennifer L. Meagher, EdD, is currently a director of student teaching at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University and was formerly a middle and high school principal and English teacher. Her professional focus is on the development of educators who tap into their identity and values to teach equitably, authentically, and lovingly.Odeese M. Ghassa-Khalil, EdD, is a community cultural consultant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She completed her doctorate in instructional technology and leadership from Duquesne University and has been an Arabic teacher and educational advocate. Ayan Omar, M.A, is the Director of Equity Services and former high school teacher at St. Cloud Area School District in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Her efforts in educational equity and community advocacy create improved connections and informed opportunities for a growing diverse community in Central Minnesota.

As political, economic, environmental, and other forms of turmoil escalate global refugee and displacement crises, especially for children, few interventions offer as much hope as nuanced portraits of teachers diving in courageously, compassionately, and with insightful self-reflection to teach and support such students. In Light through a Prism, Rodriguez and colleagues offer precisely such stories alongside conceptual tools for naming this moment and inquiring about what it means for every one of us to support refugee and displaced students in schools and beyond.

• DedicationForewordIntroductionChapter 1. Issues Surrounding Refugee and Displaced StudentsChapter 2. Critical Consciousness and White Saviorism in Teacher NarrativesChapter 3. Changemaking and ResistingChapter 4. Empathy and AgencyChapter 5. Vulnerability and Overcoming ChallengesChapter 6. Building Classroom Community and AdvocacyChapter 7. Recommendations for Supporting Educators of Refugee and Displaced StudentsAbout the Author