Acts of Imagination: Rethinking What Is Possible for Education in America
About this ebook
“Yes, we have been, and continue to be, in immensely challenging times—times that will have consequential effects on children, families, and educators for many years to come. But we believe that these times are also creating an opening for us to imagine something new.” —from the introduction by Na’ilah Suad Nasir and Megan Bang
The challenges facing American education can seem daunting, from the lingering effects of pandemic losses, intensifying climate-related impacts, homelessness and food insecurity, to exponentially rising costs, school funding disparities, censorship, and the unprecedented attacks on equity. And yet, this moment also holds the promise of a new future, and reason for hope. That is because so many educators have come to understand that schools are a true battleground of our democracy, and a test of who we will become as a nation and as a society.
Acts of Imagination brings together some of the top thinkers in education to reflect on what re-imagined education and learning systems could look like in tomorrow’s America. Each chapter tackles one facet of the problem—including curriculum, assessment, AI, the role of community and family engagement, climate change, justice and restorative practices, immigration, and more—informed by deep knowledge and the latest research, showing how a different way of schooling is not only essential but also possible. These vital perspectives, from today’s most respected teachers, scholars, and educational leaders, cover the full sweep of the educational experience, from K-12 through higher ed.
A landmark book with an all-star cast, Acts of Imagination will be a touchstone for the next phase in the long fight to remake the nation’s schools—and to refresh our democracy.
About the author
Na’ilah Suad Nasir is the president of the Spencer Foundation, which funds education research nationally. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the National Academy of Education and is a fellow of the American Educational Research Association. The co-editor (with Megan Bang) of Acts of Imagination (The New Press), she lives in San Francisco.
Megan Bang (Ojibwe and Italian descent) is a professor at Northwestern University and a member of the National Academy of Education. The co-author with Bryan Brayboy, Ananda Marin, and Linda Tuhiwai Smith of Across Lands and Waters (The New Press), she lives in Chicago, Illinois.
