Teaching STEM #4Real

S3 E5: Anti-Racism in Universal Design for Learning, with Andratesha Fritzgerald

May 22, 2024  |  44 mins

Teaching STEM #4Real podcast

Welcome to another episode of the Teaching STEM #4Real podcast! In this powerful conversation, we speak with Andratesha Fritzgerald, author of "Anti-Racism and Universal Design for Learning: Building Expressways to Success."

Andratesha is the co-founder of Building Blocks of Brilliance Educational Consulting Firm and has served in education as a teacher, curriculum specialist, administrator, and director. Her work calls organizations to evolve into inclusive, anti-racist safe zones for all learners.

In this episode, she shares insights on interweaving anti-racism with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework:


  • Her journey writing the book after the murder of George Floyd, to provide an anti-racist lens to UDL

  • How UDL is a powerful tool for liberation, especially for marginalized students  

  • The 3 steps of UDL: defining goals, naming barriers, and redesigning learning experiences

  • The need to name racism explicitly as a barrier to be addressed through UDL  

  • Moving beyond just UDL strategies to redesigning systems like master schedules 

  • Building "UDL evangelists" - teams of teachers empowered to redesign learning 

  • Using UDL to create "on-ramps" that tap into student interests and backgrounds



This conversation provides a powerful vision for how the UDL framework, combined with an anti-racist mindset, can reimagine education to be liberating for all students. Tisha shares personal stories and wisdom that will stick with you long after listening.


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Teaching STEM #4Real is a podcast dedicated to #4Real conversations on educational equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education hosted by Dr. Leena Bakshi McLean. If you’re interested in exploring what anti-racism and socially just instruction looks like in our classrooms, schools, and beyond, you are in the right place. Dr. Bakshi is also the founder of the non-profit,⁠ STEM4Real⁠. Please visit our⁠ website⁠ for information on how to partner with us. Thank you for helping us make STEM, #4Real.


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