The Daily Bulletin Archive

Buffalo State is pleased to welcome renowned teacher educator and author Gloria Ladson-Billings on Thursday, September 24, during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:30 p.m.) in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. She will present “The Language of Cultural Diversity and Education,” an examination of rhetoric versus action with respect to incorporating diversity in the field of education.

Ladson-Billings, a former president of the American Educational Research Association, is the Kellner Family Chair in Urban Education and professor of curriculum and instruction and educational policy studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She earned a Ph.D. in curriculum and teacher education from Stanford University in 1984.

Her lecture is tied to her ongoing research of critical race theory and the pedagogical practices of teachers who are successful with African American students. Ladson-Billings is considered a leader in her areas of study. The event is sponsored by the School of Education and is free and open to the public.

“Gloria is a natural fit for what Buffalo State is all about,” said Ronald Rochon, dean of the School of Education and associate vice president for teacher education. “She’s a firm believer in preservice teacher candidates reaching their full potential to serve children. She also speaks about moral accountability as a topic that teachers should wrestle with and embrace.”

Numerous associations and colleges have honored Ladson-Billings for her teaching and research. She received an honorary doctorate in 2002 from Umeå University in Umeå, Sweden. The Council on Anthropology and Education of the American Anthropological Association awarded her the George and Louise Spindler Award in 2004 for ongoing contributions in educational anthropology. In 2005, she was elected to the National Academy of Education. Last year, she received the Hilldale Award, the highest faculty award given at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Ladson-Billings has written a number of books, includingThe Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children and Crossing Over to Canaan: The Journey of New Teachers in Diverse Classrooms. She is also the former editor of the American Educational Research Journal and a member of several editorial boards.

Ladson-Billings will also speak on Thursday morning at an annual SUNY-wide meeting of deans and directors of education, hosted by Rochon, at Salvatore’s Grand Hotel in Williamsville.