Spring 2026 - EDUC 854 G001
Teachers as Agents of Change (5)
Class Number: 3132
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Mon, 4:30–9:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Roumi Ilieva
rilieva@sfu.ca
1 778 782-4570
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
The narratives of teachers of minority and Anglo-European ancestry will provide insights into how teachers work within and beyond normative institutionally prescribed roles to define and implement positive social and educational changes for their students. Equivalent Courses: EDUC712
COURSE DETAILS:
Narratives of teachers of minority and Anglo-European ancestry provide the key readings in this course and help us understand how teachers work within and beyond normative, institutionally prescribed roles to define and bring about positive social and educational changes for their students. Theory from post-structuralist, ecological, critical, and socio-cultural approaches will be considered throughout our discussion and analyses of the teacher narratives. In addition to reading the narratives and analyses, we will also write brief case examples from our own experiences of teachers we know who have helped to bring about change. We will consider the similarities and differences among these teachers and relate their experiences to those narrated and theorized in the course readings and to our own experiences as educators
Grading
- Participation in class 35%
- Short essay 25%
- Major essay 40%
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
Most of the required readings will be read in a jigsaw format and all are available online through the SFU library
Ladson-Billings. G. (2009/2013). The dream-keepers: Successful teachers of African American children. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2016). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. Bloomsbury Publishing
Denos, C., Toohey, K., Neilson, K., & Waterstone, B. (2009). Collaborative research in multilingual classrooms. Bristol, U.K: Multilingual Matters.
Bakhtin, M.M. (1981)." Discourse and the Novel " from The dialogic imagination. Ed. Holquist, M. Transl. Holquist & Emerson, C. Austin: University of Texas Press
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. New York: Routledge.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Some recommended texts will be discussed as potential sources to include in the final essay
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Graduate Studies Notes:
Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.
To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit:
- SFU’s Academic Integrity Policy: S10-01 Policy
- SFU’s Academic Integrity website, which includes helpful videos and tips in plain language: Academic Integrity at SFU
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.