Devani Lemmon

Research & Writing:
UCEA Presentation, 2022: Understanding How Teachers and Leaders Foster Black Students’ Sustained Academic Identities. Erin Anderson, University of Denver; Devani Lemmon, University of Denver.Understanding how teachers and leaders practice culturally responsive pedagogy and education to ensure Black student achievement is necessary for addressing long-standing inequities and oppression within the education system. Through a cross-case comparison of three middle schools with Black students demonstrating higher than average growth than other schools in the district, we found the importance of sustaining an academic identity through care, cultural consciousness, and assessing bias and race evasiveness.
AERA Presentation, 2023: Caring for Cultural and Academic Identity: School Conditions and Teacher Practices Supporting the Academic Growth of Black Students
This cross-case comparison study seeks to provide insight into the teaching practices and school structures positively impacting the academic growth of Black students in a large, urban district- unpacking practice. The school-level conditions or systems that support Black students' academic growth include (a) being non-race-evasive, (b) consistent messaging about high academic expectations and associated training, (c) systems of co-planning and co-learning, and (d) data use and culture. The practices and specific strategies fell within four emerging themes. Teaching practices that meet the needs of Black students and ensure academic growth emphasize the student as an individual with a cultural and academic identity that both need to be nurtured by the teacher and made explicit to the students.
Authors: Dr. Erin Anderson & Devani Lemmon
Publication on study forthcoming.

• Provide school based and district wide professional development for pk-12 professionals
• Manage cohort schools' data collection and analysis
• Model, coach, and support the implementation of restorative practices in schools
• Co-create and lead professional development on restorative practices and the relationship to educational theory & best practice
• Led workshops aligning restorative practices with child development, enhancing understanding of student behavior through data-driven insights
• Supported project planning for restorative practice initiatives, scheduling bi-weekly sessions across schools, and data management and analysis
• Facilitated research collaborations with schools, advancing restorative practices through bi-weekly data meetings and workshops

• Managed the YESS Program at Kennedy High School.
• Rewrote and updated curriculum for cultural and age specific relevance.
• Taught and managed YESS classes during the school day.
• Worked on programing related to SEL, resilience, and mentorship

• Met with and created behavioral and academic plans with high needs students.
• Collaborated with counselors and teachers to support students.
• Worked with other educators to create an anti-racism task force at BCHS.
• Created and implemented anti-racism training and managed communications related to the task force.
• Guest spoke in classrooms on topics including consent, mindfulness, and social justice.
• Created lesson plans on Teen Dating Violence and Consent to be used by teachers.

• Attended and taught Pulitzer sponsored education events at D.C. k-12 schools
• Connected school teachers and journalists via Skype in the Classroom program.
• Created lesson plans and content.
• Helped create and implement a teacher specific track for the annual conference.
• Provided advising on gender based violence for student fellow reporting.
• Developed and integrated programming curriculum for K-12 students, enhancing engagement during educational events.