We are three women scholars who guide and lead teachers in engaging in critical conversations related to social justice with young children. In this presentation, we consider how our professional collaboration has created an intentional space for growth as social justice advocates, teachers who teach teachers, and human beings. We paint a personal narrative of our collective critical work as scholars in the creation of a Third Space (Gutiérrez, 2009) in which intellectual scholarship and strong womanhood can co-exist. We explore our roles and advocate for ourselves as we navigate shifts in our personal and professional lives. Previous work has examined social justice journeys and approaches, including specifically for women, yet this work is a deep dive into the collective imagination–both professional and personal–of three diverse women across intersections. We consider how we can create and maintain a third space of development, safety and bravery for our students, teachers we work with, and ourselves for and within our own families. A critical examination of our own third space from our intersectional identities provides an invitation for diverse women scholars and educators who are seeking opportunities to be known and seen as both people and professionals. We seek to provide an entry point for those who are eager to interact with justice and the human condition. We hope that women feel humanized and seen in this work, and can co-create their own third spaces. To be courageous, to be vulnerable, to engage in dialogue and conversation, in a third space.

Authors:
Rayna Fujii, University of Hawai'i Manoa, United States
Lisel Murdock-Perriera, Sonoma State University, United States
Rosela Balinbin Santos, University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Rayna Fujii is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at University of Hawai'i Manoa in United States

Rosela Balinbin Santos is an Associate Professor in the School of Teacher Education at UH Mānoa. Her research includes developing place-based teaching strategies for elementary social studies and creating third spaces to foster professional growth.
https://coe.hawaii.edu/elem/faculty/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

Bookmark