Kenneth Fasching-Varner

Kenneth J. Fasching-Varner
Born Kenneth James Varner
(1979-08-22) August 22, 1979
Rochester, New York
Occupation University Professor

Kenneth J. Fasching-Varner (August 22, 1979) is a professor whose ideas contribute to education and social reform. Fasching-Varner has proposed a non-developmental theory of white racial identity offering a direct counterpoint to the developmental theories of racial identity.[1][2] He, along with colleagues Christine Clark and Mark Brimhall-Vargas have written about the occupation of the academy in higher education to discuss the treatment of diversity in higher education during the Obama-era.[3][4][5] The edited volume has received praise, being awarded the Duke University Office of Inclusion and Equity's December 2012 book of the month.[6] While receiving praise, the volume has also received critique from the neo-conservative Manhattan group, citing that the book does not account for fiscal needs when advocating for diversity.[7]

Fasching-Varner has published articles, books, and book chapters, and has contributed to academic discourse through presentations at academic conferences at international, national, and local contexts.

Early life

Fasching-Varner grew up in Rochester, New York and attended public schools from K-8.[8] Fasching-Varner had the unique experience of being taught in K-8 by a significant number of Black female educators, whose teaching style and activism made a significant impact on his own teaching.[9] Fasching-Varner was influenced significantly by negative community narratives about the value of urban inner city students, of which he was one, and has published about the disconnect between teacher identities and student identities and the contribution of negative perspectives to community narratives about students from underrepresented groups.[10]

Free and Reduced Pedagogy Concept

Fasching-Varner, along with colleague Vanessa Dodo-Seriki, has advanced a critique of under engaged teaching called "free and reduced pedagogy.[11] Fasching-Varner and Dodo-Seriki discuss free and reduced pedagogy as a non-people first style of teaching that reduces, through a teacher's discourse, the value of the student and the teacher's ability to teach the student based on non-controllable demographics. In his own work,[12] Fasching-Vanrer has found that teachers in high needs areas tend to look across areas of difference as a means of dismissing a student's potential, and has often found students being referred to as "free and reduced lunch students," helping in coining the term "free and reduced pedagogy"

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Working in the traditions of Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay,and Adrienne Dixson, Fasching-Varner's work reflects and engagement with and interest in culturally relevant perspectives and approaches to education. Fasching-Varner has published in the area of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy[13][14][15] Fasching-Varner's most recent book publication "Working Through Whiteness"[16] attempts to, in part, understand how teacher narratives reveal preventative gaps from achieving culturally relevant pedagogy.

Critical Race Theory and White Racial Identity

Fasching-Varner has an active research agenda centered in Critical Race Theory. While studying with theorist Adrienne Dixson at The Ohio State University, Fasching-Varner developed an interest in Critical Race Theory with an emphasis and focus on the manifestation of white racial identity in the narratives of pre-service teachers[17] Fasching-Varner's work links considerations of Critical Race Theory and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, with an emphasis on the property value of whiteness. Fasching-Varner has proposed a non-developmental model for racial identity which provides a radically different approach than proposed by Janet Helms, long considered the authority in white racial identity racial identity development. Fasching-Varner's work has received praise from several leading authorities in the fields of Multiculturalism, Whiteness studies, and Culturally relevant teaching.[18] Kevin Kumashiro, President of the National Association of Multicultural Educators suggests that Fasching-Varner has written an "important new book[19]" in this field. Elaine Richardson, professor of language and literacy at The Ohio State University encourages people to "read this book. [to] be inspired and informed[20]" A leading authority in Culturally Responsive Teaching, Geneva Gay says of Fasching-Varner's work that "This is a must read for White prospective and practicing teachers, as well as teacher educators.[21] Finally, Tim Wise, famed author of "White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son" says of Fasching-Varner's work that "All pre-service teachers should read it, as should anyone who cares about the creation of educational equity in the United States.[22]"

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Fasching-Varner, K.J., Dodo-Seriki, V.C. (2012). Moving beyond seeing with our eyes wide shut: A response to “There is no culturally responsive teaching spoken here.” Democracy and Education, 20(1), 1-6.

Fasching-Varner, K.J., Bible, C. (2012). What it means to mentor?: One student’s non-traditional journal.. Think College Policy Insight Brief, 11, 1-4.

Rome, M., Ruiz, M.A., Fasching-Varner, K.J. (2012). On the road to engagement: Teacher action research and student engagement in socially responsible literacy and social studies instruction. Literacy and Social Responsibility.

Fasching-Varner, K.J. (2009). “No, the team ain’t alright!:” The institutional and individual problematics of race. Social Identities, 15(6), 811-829.

Fasching-Varner, K.J. (2006). Pedagogy of respect: The inter-generational influence of Black women’s pedagogy of respect. Midwest American Educational Research Journal, 19(2), 28-35.

Books

Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2013). Working through whiteness: Examining white racial identity and profession with pre-service teachers. Lanham, MD: Lexington Press.

Clark, C., Fasching-Varner, K.J., Brimhall-Vargas, M. (Eds.). (2012). Occupying the academy: Just how important is diversity work in higher education? Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield.

Book Chapters

Brimhall-Vargas, M. Clark, C., Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2012). Preface: Why write this book? The permanence of diversity. In C. Clark, K. Fasching-Varner, & M. Brimhall-Vargas (Eds.) Occupying the academy: Just how important is equity and diversity in higher education? (pp. xvii–xxiii). Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield. [English and Spanish]

Clark, C., Fasching-Varner, K.J., Brimhall-Vargas, M. (2012). Occupying academia, reaffirming divesity. In C. Clark, K. J. Fasching-Varner, & M. Brimhall-Vargas (Eds.), Occupying the academy: Just how important is equity and diversity in higher education? (pp. 1–19). Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield.

Fasching-Varner, K. J., Brimhall-Vargas, M., Clark, C. (2012). An open letter – A call to occupy. In C. Clark, K. J. Fasching-Varner, & M. Brimhall-Vargas (Eds.), Occupying the academy: Just how important is equity and diversity in higher education? (pp. 203–209). Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield. [English and Spanish]

Fasching-Varner, K. J., Dodo-Seriki, V. (2012). “Just (don’t) do it!” Tensions between articulated commitments and action at The ACME State University. In C. Clark, K. J. Fasching-Varner, & M. Brimhall-Vargas (Eds.), Occupying the academy: Just how important is equity and diversity in higher education? (pp. 140¬¬–152). Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield.

Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2011). German language maintenance and shift: The case of Columbus, Ohio. In Q. Lê & T. Lê (Eds.), Linguistic diversity and cultural identity: A global perspective (pp. 105–116). New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

Fasching-Varner, K. J., Erklenz-Watts, M., Wood, J. (2009). What’s knowledge got to do with it?: Epistemology in diversity and social justice education. In R.D. Davis, A. London, B. Beyerbach (Eds.), “How do we know they know?:” A conversation about pre-service teachers learning about culture & social justice (pp. 211 – 235). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

Dixson, A. D., & Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2008). This is how we do it: Helping teachers understand culturally relevant pedagogy in diverse classrooms. In C. Compton-Lilly (Ed.), Breaking the silence: Recognizing the social and cultural resources students bring to the classroom (pp. 109–124). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Book Reviews

Fasching-Varner, K. J., & Cho, D. (2012). From roots to shoots: Bridging continents and cultures through the branches of globalized English. Linguistics and Education, 23, 217–218.

Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2011). Talking through shadows of the past in the classrooms of today: Exploring rhetoric and narrative ethnographically with middle-school students. Linguistics and Education, 22, 192–193.

References

  1. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K.J. (2013). Working through whiteness: Examining racial identity and profession with pre-service teachers. Landham, MD: Lexington Press
  2. ↑ http://www.usaeducationnews.com/2012/12/20/lsu-school-of-education-assistant-professor-publishes-second-book-on-diversity-in-education/
  3. ↑ Clark, C., Fasching-Varner, K.J., Brimhall-Vargas, M. (2012). Occupying the academy: Just how important is diversity in higher education? Landham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield
  4. ↑ http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/11/02/new-book-diversity-work-higher-education
  5. ↑ http://www.lsureveille.com/news/article_5ec099ee-fbd3-11e1-b0cc-001a4bcf6878.html
  6. ↑ http://www.duke.edu/web/diversitynewslinks/index.html
  7. ↑ http://www.mindingthecampus.com/forum/2012/11/dont_judge_a_book_by_its_cover.html
  8. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K.J. (2006). Pedagogy of respect: The inter-generational influence of Black women’s pedagogy of respect. Midwest American Educational Research Journal, 19(2), 28-35.
  9. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K.J. (2006). Pedagogy of respect: The inter-generational influence of Black women’s pedagogy of respect. Midwest American Educational Research Journal, 19(2), 28-35.
  10. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K.J., Dodo-Seriki, V.C. (2012). Moving beyond seeing with our eyes wide shut: A response to “There is no culturally responsive teaching spoken here.” Democracy and Education, 20(1), 1-6.
  11. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K.J., Dodo-Seriki, V.C. (2012). Moving beyond seeing with our eyes wide shut: A response to “There is no culturally responsive teaching spoken here.” Democracy and Education, 20(1), 1-6.
  12. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2013). Working through whiteness: Examining white racial identity and profession with pre-service teachers. Lanham, MD: Lexington Press.
  13. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K.J. (2006). Pedagogy of respect: The inter-generational influence of Black women’s pedagogy of respect. Midwest American Educational Research Journal, 19(2), 28-35.
  14. ↑ Rome, M., Ruiz, M.A., Fasching-Varner, K.J. (2012). On the road to engagement: Teacher action research and student engagement in socially responsible literacy and social studies instruction. Literacy and Social Responsibility.
  15. ↑ Dixson, A. D., & Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2008). This is how we do it: Helping teachers understand culturally relevant pedagogy in diverse classrooms. In C. Compton-Lilly (Ed.), Breaking the silence: Recognizing the social and cultural resources students bring to the classroom (pp.109–124). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
  16. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2013). Working through whiteness: Examining white racial identity and profession with pre-service teachers. Lanham, MD: Lexington Press.
  17. ↑ Fasching-Varner, K. J. (2013). Working through whiteness: Examining white racial identity and profession with pre-service teachers. Lanham, MD: Lexington Press.
  18. ↑ https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739176870
  19. ↑ https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739176870
  20. ↑ https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739176870
  21. ↑ https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739176870
  22. ↑ https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739176870
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