Virginia Dearani

Virginia Dearani has been a visiting instructor at UMF since 2018, teaching in both the early childhood and elementary education programs. Her areas of interest include diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging as she prepares future educators to create safe, progressive classrooms for our youngest through middle children and youth. She is currently studying curriculum design, with a focus on interdisciplinary studies, researching the philosophy of whole child/whole teacher visibility, where all beings within schools are welcomed, seen, and valued. Prior to teaching at UMF, Virginia founded a nonprofit that focused on embodied social justice teaching and learning with pre-k children, youth, and adults. The preschool methodology, rooted in Radical Love Pedagogy, has been a model for many other early childhood and elementary programs throughout Maine. Virginia resides in Auburn with her two magical children, supportive husband, and loyal dog, Shadow.

Degrees

• 2022 Doctoral Candidate in Literacy Education, University of Maine, Orono
• 2004 M.A.in Education, Concentration in Partnership, Goddard College
• 1996 B.A. Psychology and Women’s Studies, University of New Hampshire