Terri L. Rodriguez

Before the COVID-19 pandemic surged across the globe, several decades of unprecedented population shifts created a worldwide “asylum crisis” that impacted millions of children and the educators that support them worldwide (Pinson & Arnot, 2007). Pandemic-era teaching, with all of its challenges, arrived on the heels of massive refugees’ resettlement across communities in the U.S. Light Through a Prism explores stories of K-12 educators committed to social justice pedagogy, especially with refugee and displaced students, as they navigate the complexities of pandemic-era schooling. It raises awareness of these students’ unique strengths and needs and focuses on the personal and professional knowledge, skills, and resources upon which educators draw.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic surged across the globe, several decades of unprecedented population shifts created a worldwide “asylum crisis” that impacted millions of children and the educators that support them worldwide (Pinson & Arnot, 2007). Pandemic-era teaching, with all of its challenges, arrived on the heels of massive refugees’ resettlement across communities in the U.S. Light Through a Prism explores stories of K-12 educators committed to social justice pedagogy, especially with refugee and displaced students, as they navigate the complexities of pandemic-era schooling. It raises awareness of these students’ unique strengths and needs and focuses on the personal and professional knowledge, skills, and resources upon which educators draw.

This book provides school professionals - including teachers, principals, counselors, psychologists, and administrators - with a practical guide for supporting Muslim students in PK-12 schools. It is important that school professionals are culturally responsive and understand students’ backgrounds in planning effective instruction and creating safe schools. However, in the post-9/11 world, negative biases and stereotypes permeate mainstream discourses. Muslim students and their families often find themselves in conflict with school practices, procedures, and policies and do not often find themselves represented in the curriculum. This book provides a practical guide to the important issues that may impact the lives and education of Muslim students. This books give essential information about Islam and Muslim students from authentic perspectives. This text will support teachers and other school professionals in their advocacy for all students to provide equitable and just educational opportunities for all students. Beyond basics such as food and clothing requirement, this text advocates for the implementation of anti-bias pedagogy for diverse learners. Through school-based vignettes and case studies, we situate experiences of Muslim students in lived realities and help school professionals think deeply and critically about who their students are and how to engage their experiences in the curriculum.

This book provides school professionals - including teachers, principals, counselors, psychologists, and administrators - with a practical guide for supporting Muslim students in PK-12 schools. It is important that school professionals are culturally responsive and understand students’ backgrounds in planning effective instruction and creating safe schools. However, in the post-9/11 world, negative biases and stereotypes permeate mainstream discourses. Muslim students and their families often find themselves in conflict with school practices, procedures, and policies and do not often find themselves represented in the curriculum. This book provides a practical guide to the important issues that may impact the lives and education of Muslim students. This books give essential information about Islam and Muslim students from authentic perspectives. This text will support teachers and other school professionals in their advocacy for all students to provide equitable and just educational opportunities for all students. Beyond basics such as food and clothing requirement, this text advocates for the implementation of anti-bias pedagogy for diverse learners. Through school-based vignettes and case studies, we situate experiences of Muslim students in lived realities and help school professionals think deeply and critically about who their students are and how to engage their experiences in the curriculum.