School of Education

I have been a professional educator for over 27 years. Prior to joining the academy, I was an elementary teacher and taught first, second, and third grades. As a teacher educator, I draw upon my own classroom teaching experiences focusing on the complexities of teaching diverse learners and attending to social justice issues pertaining to the marginalization of children in U.S. schools.

I consider myself a scholar-activist and am committed to social justice issues pertaining to the historical and contemporary oppression, miseducation, and liberation of children of Color in U.S. schools. My teaching, scholarship and service is a means of activism. I explicitly apply my knowledge and understanding of my field to interrupt institutional inequity and promote social justice in education.

My scholarly agenda coheres around equity methodologies aimed at improving schooling outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse students through teacher development and learning from the teacher identities and praxis of Black women educators and faculty. I design research projects and situate my research, teaching, and service within spaces that acknowledge the perspectives and voices of historically oppressed and marginalized populations.

My most recent research and grant projects center the nexus of ethnic studies and teacher education, Freedom Schools as sites of liberation for Black children, education for liberation through the development of culturally relevant/sustaining practices, and the teacher identities and praxis of Black mother educators.

• Ph.D. Curriculum, Teaching and Educational Policy. Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. (2006)
• M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction. Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana. (1998)
• B.S. Elementary Education K-8. Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. (1996)

• Teacher learning and development across the professional continuum (preservice, induction, and continued professional development) specifically focused on preparing teachers for diversity; teaching for social justice; culturally responsive pedagogy; teachers of Color; urban education; identities and praxis of Black women educators and faculty.

• Piper, R.E., & Jackson, T.O. (2022). Who will remember?: Racial identity and civil rights literature for Black children at Freedom School. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 22(4), 481-499.

• Jackson, T.O. (Ed.) (2021). Black Mother Educators: Advancing Praxis for Access, Equity, and Achievement. Information Age Publishing.

• Kazembe, L.D., Etienne, L.K., & Jackson, T.O. (2021). Teaching our children about Blackness in the world. In G.S. Boutte, J.E. King, G. Johnson, & L. King (Eds.), We Be Lovin’ Black Children: Learning to Be Literate About the African Diaspora (pp. 77-87). Myers Education Press. (*2022 Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award)

• Boutte, G.S., Jackson, T.O., Johnson, G., & Etienne, L.K. (2021). Centering blackness as freedom scholarship: Case studies from freedom scholars. International Journal of Qualitative Research in Education.

• Jackson, T.O., Kazembe, L.D., & Morgan, L. (2021). Internalized racism and the pursuit of cultural relevancy: Decolonizing practices for critical consciousness with preservice teachers of color. Theory Into Practice, 60(3), 291-300.

Shen-Berro, J. & Darville, S. (2023, February 2). Advanced Placement debate feels high-stakes for teachers of African American history. Chalkbeat Indiana.

Wang, S. (2022, June 13). These Indiana schools made racial equity their mission. Now they face hostile legislation. Chalkbeat Indiana.

Pough, N.O. (Spring 2021). A flaw in the foundation. Teaching Tolerance, 66.

• Co-PI. (with PI Dr. Leslie Etienne and Co-PI Dr. Lasana Kazembe). IU Indianapolis Freedom School and Black History Saturday School. Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative (IAAQLI). National Urban League. Project Period: May 1, 2023-April 30, 2025. Award: $200,000.
• PI. IU Indianapolis' Collaborative Urban Partnerships for Attracting, Preparing & Retaining Teachers. Indiana Department of Education. Project Period: September 1, 2022-August 30, 2024. Award: $568,708.
• PI. (with Co-PI Dr. Leslie Etienne). Culturally Relevant Ethnic Studies Teaching (CREST). Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative (IAAQLI). National Urban League. Project Period: August 1, 2022-May 31, 2025. Award: $400,000.

Links:

School of Education at IU Indianapolis receives grant to train 300 Indiana schools in cultural competency

• American Educational Research Association

  • Division G: Social Context of Education

  • Division K: Teaching and Teacher Education

  • SIG-Research Focus on Black Education

• National Association for Multicultural Education

• National Council of Teachers of English