Uniondale Teacher to Serve on NCTE Early Childhood Education Assembly

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK (JUNE 2023) — Uniondale School District teacher Roderick Peele was recently appointed to the executive board of the Early Childhood Education Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

“I couldn’t think of a more dedicated, deserving and passionate person to fulfill this role and advocate for early childhood education on a national level,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Monique Darrisaw-Akil. “The District congratulates Roderick Peele on reaching this achievement and we wish him the best of luck in his new position.”

Mr. Peele is a fourth-grade teacher and coordinator at Northern Parkway Elementary School. He was an NCTE cohort participant from 2019 to 2021 and has been elected to serve as an executive board member for the 2023-2025 term of the Early Childhood Education Assembly (ECEA). The ECEA aims to resolve language and literacy issues in early childhood education with guidance from the NCTE.

“I look to support this effort as an executive board member because it is an organization that exemplifies my strong commitments to teaching for justice in early childhood education,” said Mr. Peele.

Three Goals Mr. Peele looks forward to addressing as an executive board member include supporting the ECEA social justice commitment of highlighting justice work within the early education sector, continuing to focus on the valuable assets children bring with them when they are developing their language and literacy, and supporting the assembly in increasing its visibility and accessibility amongst educators throughout the United States and abroad.

Mr. Peele has been an elementary educator for the past ten years. He holds multiple certificates, including a New York State Professional Teacher Certificate for Students with Disabilities (grades 1-6), Childhood Education (grades 1-6), and a New York State Advanced Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership.

While an NCTE cohort participant, he sponsored Professional Dyads of Culturally Relevant Teaching (PDCRT). He is the co-author of Culturally Sustaining Language and Literacy Practices for Pre-K-3 Classrooms, published in 2022. Mr. Peele received the Social Justice Educator of the Year Award in 2022 from NTCE’s Early Childhood Education Assembly (ECEA).

Mr. Peele’s everyday activity is guided by Professor Kaba Hiawatha Kamene’s “VIP” model (values, interests, principles). This philosophy reflects academic initiatives such as culturally relevant, sustainable and responsive practices. In addition to these VIPs, Mr. Peele’s academic ideology is a reflection of Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s HILL model (histories, identities, literacies, liberation) which puts an emphasis on criticality, skills and intellect in education. In applying these principles, Mr. Peele coordinates a book club for educators to engage with one another and discuss their understanding of various educational topics. He hopes that his efforts within the field of education will foster a better tomorrow.

For more information on the Uniondale Union Free School District, visit the website: https://district.uniondaleschools.org. ‘Like’ our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/uniondalek12 and follow us on Instagram: @Uniondale_k12.