Priscilla Sanville
Professional Title: Associate Professor
Areas of Academic Focus and Expertise:
Social justice through the arts; curriculum integration and the dialogue that can occur in groups cross-culturally and multiculturally
Area of Work and Concentration at Lesley: Drama, multicultural education, community arts
Representative List of Recent Courses Taught:
Drama and Critical Literacy; An Arts Approach to Multicultural Education; Arts Approach to Diversity and Reflective Practice; Creative Movement: Kinesthetic Learning Across the Curriculum
Education: Ph.D., Union Institute; M.A., Lesley University; B.A., University of Denver
Representative List of Recent Publications / Exhibitions:
Sanville, P. & Kemeh, M. (2009). "Using Drama to Bring Marginalized
Voices in Literature to the Center." Scholarship day, Lesley University.
Sanville. P. (2008). "Pursuing Equity and Excellence Through the
Arts." Race, Culture, Identity and Achievement Seminar Series. Twelve
sponsoring organizations. Boston Teachers Union, Boston, MA
Sanville,
P. (2000). "What's In A Name? Claiming Cultural Identity." The power of
performance for sabbatical research. Lesley University, Cambridge, MA.
Sanville, P. (2003, January). "What is Respect? Beyond Tolerance." Massachusetts MASCD Perspectives Magazine.
Preview of new book and writing of testimonial for publishing: Trusting
the Moment: Unlocking Your Creativity and Imagination (2011), by Jeannie
Lindheim, MFA.
Presentations
Moderator, George Hein Lecture, 2012
Conference with the Guild on Community Arts, 2012
Facilitator, Wise Women Conference, 2011
Co-author, with Julia Byers and Matthew Hirshberg, of Centennial Publication Chapter 3: Froebel and the Firefly: Legacies of Excellence in Teaching
Presenter for DOVA (Directors of Volunteer Administration) internship panel, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA, 2011
Priscilla Sanville, PhD, advocate of culturally responsive teaching, has more than 30 years experience in schools and community organizations, also acting as a drama supervisor for 15 years in the public schools. Priscilla also earned her PhD from the Union Institute in Multicultural Education with a focus on the interface of culture and learning style theory. Her Master's degree was in the Arts, Creativity, and the Power of the Arts to Heal from Lesley College. Her BA was in Speech and Theatre with a minor in Education from the University of Denver. She has also done training with the dialogue project at MIT with William Isaacs, studied with the National Coalition-Building Institute and The World of Difference in Boston, and taught in Russia, Israel, British Columbia, and Quebec.
Prilly loves teaching all ages. She was an elementary school teacher for fifteen years (first, second, and third grade), and a supervisor of a drama/theatre program for another 15 years in K-12 public schools. Her expertise lies in drama, dance, and group facilitation, particularly in dealing with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. She taught extensively in Russia over three summer with the International School for Psychotherapy, Counseling, and Group Leadership. For two summers, she facilitated with a team, and during the third summer went alone and taught An Arts Approach to Differences in Cultural Context to teachers and clinicians from different parts of Russia. She has also given a keynote speech at the Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado and was keynote speaker for Acton Public Schools professional development day (topic: diversity and freeze moments in education).
Her current career focuses on supporting educators and community leaders in their endeavor to offer the highest quality arts education to children and adults. She has worked with educators and community leaders on equity and social justice issues, including cross-cultural work in the US and beyond, creating bicultural teams for teaching. Prilly is presently on the board and program committee for the Community Arts Center in Cambridge, MA.
sanville@lesley.edu