Dr. Shanita Brown Aaron is a wife, mother, professor, mentor and author. Dr. Aaron holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, a Bachelor of Science in Special Education, a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Leadership. She has worked in education for over 20 years as a high school special education teacher, and school principal before moving into higher education.
As an instructional leader, Dr. Aaron is an advocate for teachers providing lessons and content that reflects the students in the classroom. When students can see themselves in their learning materials, they are more invested in the lessons. Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American children make up the majority of the 50+ million students in the nation’s public schools. At some point in their career, every teacher will encounter students from different racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds in their classroom. In order to reach these diverse students and ensure they achieve academically and socially, there is a need for diverse books that reflect the world we live in. Dr. Aaron has led two schools to be designated as Schools of Promise by the state of Ohio for closing math and reading achievement gaps for all students. She has led professional development on strategies for teachers to foster cultural awareness in the classroom and taught courses on the study of cultural competence and inclusive practices to collaborate with families and other professionals.
Dr. Aaron is a member of the American Association of School Personnel Administrators, the National Alliance of Black School Educators and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
As a professor in the College of Education, Dr Aaron knows that books where children can see themselves as well as expose them to the values, viewpoints and historical legacies of others are needed in today’s classrooms. She remains devoted to writing books that feature diverse characters for all children and promoting diversity in teachers through Grow Your Own programs.
