Velma L. Cobb is Director of the Lander Center for Educational Research in the Touro College Graduate School of Education. The Lander Center supports learning from practice for both college faculty and teachers and administrators in PrK-12 educational settings.  She approaches this work by incorporating culturally responsive-sustaining practices, social and emotional intelligence, mindfulness and other contemplative practices, and positive psychology methodologies with an equity and anti-bias lens. With more than 30 years of professional experience in the education and not-for-profit sectors, she is also the Principal and Founder of the V L. Cobb Leadership Group.  Cobb is a certified coach; a licensed Bigger Game© trainer; and a Leadership Circle Profile (LCP)© and LCP Culture Survey© 360 assessment practitioner.  She invites collaborative partnerships in exploring possibilities for new insights, building creative and innovative teams, and cultivating inclusive, intentional and compassionate work cultures.

Areas of Expertise

Culturally responsive pedagogy, school culture and climate, social and emotional learning,  emotional intelligence, equity and inclusion

Education

• Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, 1993, Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
• Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1976, Master of Education (M.Ed.)
• Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 1975, Bachelor of Arts (AB), cum laude, Honors in Psychology. 

Recent Publications

 Being in School Transformation Toward Equity and Social Justice.  (Chapter). In Patricia A. Jennings (Ed) Transforming School Culture with Mindfulness and Compassion. New York, NY: Guilford Press. (Publication pending).

 The Question about the Question: Transforming Educational Policy from the Inside Out. (July 2017). Social Justice, Inner Work & Contemplative Practice: Lessons & Directions for Multiple Fields.  The Initiative for Contemplation, Equity & Action (ICEA), Vol. 1 No. 1, Center for Contemplative of Mind in Society.

Response to “Evaluating No Child Left Behind” by Linda Darling Hammond.  The Nation, May 21, 2007.  Article can be found on the web at http://www.thenationa.com/doe/20070521/darling-hammond. 

A community building approach to educational improvement: The National Urban League (2005).  In Edmond Gordon & Beatrice Bridglall (Eds.) Supplemental Education. Rowman & Littlefield.

An international comparison of teacher education (1999, November).  ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Washington, DC.

Rethinking teacher leadership through professional development schools (1995, September).  With Linda Darling-Hammond and Marcella Bullmaster.  In Mark Smylie (Ed.) The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 96(1), pp. 87-106.

Teacher preparation and professional development in APEC members: A comparative study (1995).  Edited with Linda Darling-Hammond.  Office of the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education.  Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

Teacher preparation and professional development in APEC members: An overview of policy and practice (1995).  With Linda Darling-Hammond and Kavemuii Murangi.  In Linda Darling-Hammond and Velma L. Cobb (Eds.).  Teacher preparation and professional development in APEC members: A comparative study.  Office of the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education.  Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, pp. 1 -16.

The changing context of teacher education (1996).  With Linda Darling-Hammond.  In Frank B. Murray (Ed.), The Teacher Educator’s Handbook:  Building a Knowledge Base for the Preparation of Teacher.  Sponsored by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Inc., pp. 14 - 62.

The teaching profession and teacher education in the United States (1995).  With Linda Darling-Hammond.  In Linda Darling-Hammond and Velma L. Cobb (Eds.).  Teacher preparation and professional development in APEC members: A comparative study.  Office of the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education.  Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, pp. 221-240.