Carol Lee Honored for Transformative Teaching, Research
Northwestern University’s Carol Lee, President Elect of the National Academy of Education, has received the 2021 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) James R. Squire Award for her “transforming influence” and lasting contributions to education.
Lee, Professor Emeritus (the former Edwina S. Tarry Professor) of Education at the School of Education and Social Policy is best known in academia for her work helping underrepresented students excel in an environment of low expectations and other "whirlwinds," including poverty and negative stereotypes.
She was among the early scholars to explore ways to build on childrens' everyday experiences as a resource for learning in school. Today her sophisticated ideas behind “cultural modeling" and structured support are a standard approach in the field.
Lee has spent more than five decades working as a university professor, an English and language arts teacher at the high school and community college levels, and a primary grades teacher. Lee also is a founder of four African centered schools that span a 49-year history, including two charter schools under the umbrella of the Betty Shabazz International Charter Schools where she serves as chair of the board of directors.
Among her many awards and honors, she is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a past president of the American Educational Research Association (AERA.)
In August, she received the Distinguished Contributions to Research in Education Award, from AERA, the premier acknowledgment of outstanding achievement and success in education research. She has authored numerous journal articles, handbook chapters, and four books.
NCTE will be holding a live, virtual awards ceremony at 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday, Oct. 21 to celebrate this year’s NCTE Awards honorees. All are welcome to attend and registration is required.