Ferial Pearson

Biography

Dr. Pearson earned her teaching degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, and both her Master's Degree and Ed.D from UNO. She taught English and Reading at Omaha South High School and was a talent advisor for the Avenue Scholars Foundation at Ralston High School. She has been teaching full time at UNO since 2013. She has earned three national and several local awards for her work in education and social justice, including the Kennedy Center's Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher award. She is the founder of the Secret Kindness Agents Project, which is the subject of two published books, her dissertation, and a TEDx Talk. The project is in over 500 K-16 schools worldwide and has been highlighted by Hallmark, Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation, Parents Magazine, Medium, Midwest Living, and SPLC'S Learning for Justice Magazine.

Teaching Interests

Recruitment and Retention of Teachers from Minoritized Communities

Culturally Responsive and Critical Pedagogy

Teacher Education Methods/Effective Practices

Multicultural Education

Multicultural Literature for Children and Youth

Trauma-Informed Education

Research Interests

Faculty Fellow at Rural Futures InstituteCulturally Responsive TeachingSocial Emotional Learning, Mindfulness, and Kindness EducationTrauma Informed EducationRecruitment and retention of BIPOC teachers

Service Summary

Faculty Co-Chair - Chancellor's Commission on the Status of Gender EquityCommittee Member - MOEC Task Force on Dual EnrollmentCommittee Member - UNO Bias Assessment and Response TeamCommittee Member - Civil, Safe, and Inclusive Classrooms, Center for Faculty Excellence at UNOTrainer: Microaggressions Awareness Program, Center for Faculty Excellence at UNOLiaison: Dual Enrollment for 14 area high schools for TED 1010 Introduction to EducationMember - UNO CEHHS Diversity CommitteeMember - Teacher Education Advisory CommitteeCo-Founder and Sponsor - Teacher Education Diversity OrganizationSponsor - Melanated Queerations, UNO Office of Gender & SexualityFacilitator - Teacher Education Culture WalksBoard of Directors - Nebraska Writers CollectiveBoard of Directors - Stand for SchoolsAdvisor - Embrace RaceCo-Founder and Leader - Open Arms Transgender Social GroupCommittee Member and Chaperone - Pride Prom