A Brief Biography

Virginia Dearani, MA. Ed. is currently a full-time Lecturer at UMF in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Program and completing her Doctoral Studies in Literacy/Curriculum Design at UMO. As a multi-dimensional woman, she has learned to navigate the world with a perspective on pluralism, honoring the both/and in all her relations.  Her focus of teaching and learning is Embodied Peace Education and Interdisciplinary Curriculum Designer for Pre-K through 8th grade.  She was the Founder and CEO of One Tree Center in South Portland, ME, a 17-year old nonprofit that promoted non-violence and cross-cultural understanding through community based dialogue and education. 

Throughout the past 25+ years, Virginia has focused her education and professional work in the areas of cross-cultural pedagogy, social studies, arts based teaching, and emotional intelligence for children 3 years through adulthood.  She has developed a variety of curriculums for young children, school-aged, teens, and adult professionals on topics including: Pluralism, Equity, & Belonging; Radical Love in Action; Intuitive Teaching; Being a Whole Teacher; Creative Arts as a Vehicle for Social Change, Equity Literacy, Media Literacy, Multiple Intelligence Theory and Practice, Power, Privilege, and Difference; Embodied Liberation in the Classroom; and  Partnership Education.

Virginia developed a model of Radical Love Teaching, in One Tree’s Roots & Fruits ECE Program, based in peace; cultural understanding of the “other;” and higher conscious discipline for young children. The model has a strong emphasis on deepening children's roots, nurturing their gifts, while at the same time teaching them skills for valuing differences. The school featured a creative arts emergent curriculum with a strong emphasis on cross cultural education, global justice teaching, empowerment, and peaceful problem solving. Problems that arose between kids were the basis for teaching them to be "Peace Leaders," working towards caring, creative solutions. 

The Roots & Fruits model and methodology of teaching and facilitating dialogues, among young children, is being applied to children of all ages beyond preschool, as Virginia trains educators of early childhood, elementary and middle school teachers/professionals.  She has designed multiple projects, that evolved from her work at One Tree, offering a variety of services to schools, families, social services, and corporations.  Virginia has traveled locally, Nationally, and Internationally training professionals on the tools of weaving diversity within their communities, and creating authentic inclusive environments, where children and youth learn how to transform the dualistic view of “us versus them.”  She values, and focuses on the joy, of partnering with children and youth to create communities of belonging so needed in our world today.