OPEEP is hosting our 3rd Instructor Training May 5-7, 2025. This comprehensive training will cover topics such as curriculum development, interactive pedagogical approaches, and the practicalities of prison-based teaching. Participants will learn about the Black feminist, anti-colonial, and abolitionist principles guiding OPEEP’s work. Additionally, participants will learn about Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections’ (ODRC) and OSU’s guidelines and requirements for OPEEP courses.
Dr. Viet Trinh, a post-doctoral fellow in African American and African Studies (AAAS) participated in the 2024 training and subsequently taught at London Correctional Institution. Reflecting on the benefits of the training both in and outside of the classroom, Dr. Trinh states that, “Whenever you teach, it's important to build trust and rapport with your students. That can be difficult in a tense environment like prison. The OPEEP training lent me principles and tools that I used in my prison teaching, and I credit OPEEP with helping me build strong, positive relationships with my incarcerated students amidst challenging circumstances. Beyond that, I got to meet people who shared my values as an educator, and I'm grateful for the peers I connected with during those three days.” In addition to preparing faculty to teach OPEEP classes, participating in the training connects people with a community of educators with similar interests in advancing abolitionist, social justice pedagogies.
There is no cost to attend the training, and full participation is required before any OSU faculty member or instructor may offer OPEEP courses at any time in the future.
Participants must be able to attend the full three-day training.
We plan for the training to be in person on the Columbus campus, with one day (May 6) at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. Faculty and Instructional Staff from any OSU campus are welcome to apply.
AAAS Post-doctoral fellow Dr. Shavagne Scott, is looking forward to teaching an OPEEP class in the future. She explains, “OPEEP’s instructor training cemented my commitment to the project. During the training, I witnessed abolitionist pedagogies and principles at work. I left knowing that OPEEP’s instructors and students are deeply committed to each other and to bringing about transformative justice.”
If you are interested in participating in the training, please use the link below to register.
We look forward to having you join us in this work!
Register for the Training Here
