Letter from the Editors

This special edition is an ode to the practitioners educating our children and supporting our teachers and building leaders daily. We believe educator-practitioners possess the skills, expertise and experience to lead our nation’s schools in the work of flipping obstacles into opportunities.

In the articles that follow, educator-practitioners provide insight into how to promote brave spaces in schools. The word brave is intentional because the stakes are high in our current educational landscape. One wrong move can cost you your career and, in some states, jail time. Yet, these practitioners press on. The moral imperative of creating school cultures that value multiple perspectives, celebrate identity and interrogate power is high. Schools are in crisis. It is time to turn to the experts to find our paths forward.

We put out a call to educator-practitioners from A Celebration of Writing and Literacy: Creating Brave Spaces in School, the 2023 conference convened by the Philadelphia Writing Project (PhilWP) in collaboration with partners at the Teachers Institute of Philadelphia (TIP), the Penn Museum, the Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational and Organizational Leadership, and the Literacy Studies Program at Penn GSE. At the conference, each of these educators provided meaningful professional learning opportunities, by practitioners for practitioners. Their articles promote ongoing reflection and self-assessment – a temperature check on how well we are making space for dialogue – including multiple perspectives. The practitioners outline and critically evaluate their own practices, contributing to personal growth and also to the overall effectiveness of teaching and learning in our schools.

There is power in the tapping into practitioner wisdom of practice. It invites educators to take ownership of their own professional development, allowing them to contribute to the development of others and learn from each other’s experiences.

Through the composition of this edition and the overall editorial process, we navigated individual and collective imposter syndrome, reminding ourselves that educator-practitioners are a critical source of best practices and solutions. We know you will glean practices you can implement immediately in your schools and classrooms.

Yours in Education,

Drs. Latisha Chisholm and Michelle Robinson