Closing the Instructional

Equity Gap

with Soul

Our soulful approach to culturally responsive teaching  and leadership centers students and supports educators, organizations, and companies to create and sustain impactful systems of transformation, liberation, and healing for all. 

BECOME A SOUL SCHOLAR
Cultivating Space for Soul Scholars to Thrive

How do we serve? 

Culturally Responsive Teaching 

Our combination of cognition (brain science) and culture are the foundation for our commitment to supporting teachers in building their capacity as culturally responsive teachers and leaders.

  • Professional development workshop series
  • Instructional coaching support (small group or 1:1) 
  • Customizable to meet your specific needs 
  • Goal: Build teacher self-efficacy strategically and intentionally 
Contact us

Culturally Responsive Leadership

Leaders need support and care too!  This is an opportunity to focus on cultivating community-based schools through ongoing critical self-reflection (Khalifa, 2020) and moving theory into practice.

  • Leadership retreats
  • Workshop series 
  • Leadership coaching-small group and 1:1
  • Goal:  Build compassionate, curious, and resilient leadership teams
  • Goal:  Build soulfully connected and reflective leaders who lead through empathy, care, and intentionality
Contact us

DEIJ+Healing

This service is exclusive to organizations and companies who are ready to excavate their current structures and practices towards equitable solutions for their members and the people they serve.

We center radical belonging, inclusivity, and healing as the core tenants of our work to lead leaders and teams towards centering community and cultural humility in their work.

  • Company retreats
  • Workshop series 
  • Leadership coaching
  • Team-building
  • Tiered systems of support
  • Goal:  Reimagine justice-centered systems that are culturally sustainable and responsive to the needs of those they serve.
Contact us

This text will guide you on a journey of understanding culturally responsive teaching as a way of being that takes...

  • unpacking the conditioning of your identity as a human and an ed professional  
  • building academic mindset within students
  • confronting blindspots within your instruction
  • embracing the mindset necessary to be culturally responsive
  • advocating for your own support while practicing critical self-reflection.
YES, I WANT MY COPY!
Hey there Soul Scholar

I'm Dr. Melanie (Desmuke) Battles, affectionately known as Dr. Mel

 

After spending over a decade working in public and charter schools, I learned that the key to accelerating student learning and building spaces of belonging is supporting the adults who serve our youth.  So often the focus is narrowed to center our students without considering and responding to the needs of educators and staff members who interact with those students on a daily basis.

Working as an instructional coach and forming a community of soul scholars led me to identify the top need for educators:  strengthen their self-efficacy through intentional coaching for mental wellness and strategic instruction.  This led me to start Scholars for the Soul: An Educational Solutions Firm, LLC.  Our vision is to foster soulfully safe spaces where student joy and genius are centered, with the support of loving and well adults who are on the journey of life-long learning with their students.  

"I thought you did an excellent job. I enjoyed the collaborative activities and your general vibe. Kept me interested the whole presentation!"

Project Connect, Cincinnati Public Schools

Cincinnati, OH

"Loved the experience. Made we want to implement several changes to my day to day instruction.

Lisa Academy Teacher 

Little Rock, AR

"The experience from session 1 to 2 has been refreshing. Dr. Mel is one to bring a bright and light spirit to the passionate work of educators. She is clear and concise in her delivery while exposing the truths and barriers that compete with student success."

Freedom Prep Academy Charter Schools

Memphis, TN

Join the Soul Scholar Community

Get reflective and actionable tools and tips to your inbox.

Being culturally responsive takes a commitment to a marathon, and not a sprint.  Joining in community is a beautiful way to unlearn what does not serve us and our students so that we can relearn and re-member the beauty of who we are as people who educate and transform the world.

You're safe with me. I'll never spam you or sell your contact info.