Laura Parks (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt Peabody College. Laura completed her dissertation and doctoral coursework with a focus on racial equity and disrupting adult/youth power dynamics through Restorative Practices and Youth Participatory Action Research. Laura also completed her M.Ed. in the Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies program at Peabody, and she returned for her PhD after teaching for 8 years in Metro Nashville Public Schools, where she taught high school English, coordinated Restorative Practices, and founded and currently leads Restorative Students Leaders.
Faculty Advisor: Dr. H. Richard Milner IV
Personal Website: https://www.laurafparks.com
Research Interests
Youth empowerment; Anti-racist, anti-oppressive teacher learning and development for justice and equity; Critical perspectives on restorative practices; Culturally responsive pedagogy; Youth participatory action research; Youth critical consciousness; Urban education
Education
English Literature and Secondary Education; Spanish minor B.A.
Wheaton College (IL). 2013 Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies M.Ed. Vanderbilt University, Peabody College. 2017