Tanya Brown Merriman is a Chicago born educator and writer. Central to her work is exploring the use of different disciplines such as art, linguistics, history and technology to solve the pressing concerns of social and educational inequity. Tanya has taught in public, parochial and charter schools; she has taught nearly every grade level from Pre-K to doctoral students; and she has served as an administrator and designer of new schools, and curricular programs. She is a professor at University of Southern California, where her classes on social context, pedagogy, teaching English Language Arts, teaching History, and teaching linguistics. These classes and her work with pre-service teachers and with international students together with her extensive work in museums give her a panoramic, practiced view of education and the issues that impact our work.
Tanya is the author of Those Who Can: A Handbook for Teaching and Social Reconstruction. She has contributed chapters on art, popular culture, activism and critical pedagogy. Her writing is featured on We Are Teachers and YourTango websites. Her upcoming projects include a book that explores the Pedagogy of Sesame Street, a book that explores the finding common ground in a politically divided nation and COURSE™, a multimedia curriculum that supports intentional cultural competence for schools and families.
Tanya lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and two children.
COURSES TAUGHT
Teaching with Technology
TESOL Lesson Design
TESOL Unit Plan Design
Critical Reflection and Teaching
Human Difference
Curriculum & Pedagogy in Urban Schools
Curriculum and Pedagogy for Secondary Social Science Candidates
Framing the Social Context of High Needs Schools
Understanding the Social Context for Urban Schools I
Understanding the Social Context for Urban Schools II
CLAD/CTEL Portfolio
Linguistics
Culture and Inclusion
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Pedagogy A
Teaching English from a Comparative and International Perspective
Teaching in the Museum
Doing Democracy
Writing Thesis
Writing Thesis II
Elementary Curriculum
American Art
CONSULTING AND PARTNERSHIPS
Whitney Plantation
Santa Monica Arts Commission
Art Institute of Chicago
Urban Prep High Schools
Chicago School of Fine and Performing Arts
Multicultural Arts School
Little Homie Publications
Snow City Arts
Smithsonian Museums
Brilliance Academy
UCLA Extension
Chicago Archdiocese
Terra Foundation of Art and Design
Betty Rhymer Gallery SAIC
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Romare Bearden Foundation
Paradigm Productions
Depaul University Center for Urban Education
MORE WRITING
30 Young Activists Under 30
SAGE Handbook for Critical Pedagogy
Creative Careers
Critical Thinking and Learning: An Encyclopedia for Parents and Teachers
The Problematic Tyler Perry
Those Who Can
Your Tango
We Are Teachers
EDUCATION
Doctorate of Education 2008
DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Emphasis: Curriculum Studies
Master of Arts in Teaching 2000
Columbia College, Chicago
Emphasis: High School English
Bachelor of Arts 1997
DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Major: English
Minor: Art History