Shanett Dean Named Holmes Scholar of the Month
Congratulations to Shanett Dean, Holmes Scholar of the Month for June 2020. Dean is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Her research interests include the school-to-prison pipeline, critical pedagogy, technology integration, and critical literacy. She earned a B.A. in English literature from the University of South Florida and an M.A. from New York University. Dean has 10 years of experience as a literature, philosophy, and research instructor, and has facilitated professional development sessions on the implementation and implications of technology in secondary classrooms.
As a Holmes Scholar, Dean has presented her research at several national conferences, including the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. She is also the recipient of many awards and recognitions, including the FAU’s Provost Fellowship, the Broward Education Foundation Teacher Grant for her work on micro-narratives and project-based learning, and the Super Teacher Award received in March 2019 for her creative and fun learning techniques in the IB Literature class that she teaches at Boyd Anderson High School in South Florida. Dean has also created a website for her students, which can be found at deanintheory.com.
Dean is more than an educator and researcher. She is also an artist who uses textiles to explore language, communication, and indigeneity. Her work is influenced by coastal communities around the world and the work of Toni Morrison and Edwidge Danticat. She often uses literature and travel as an impetus to create. Her work has been exhibited in major cities across the United States.
Azaria Cunningham is a doctoral student at The Pennsylvania State University and AACTE Holmes Council vice president.
Tags: Holmes Program
