Tabitha Dell'Angelo

Tabitha Dell'Angelo is Professor of Urban Education and Dean of the School of Education at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), where she also serves in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. She founded TCNJ's Urban Education Program in 2009, which focuses on recognizing and responding to conditions that contribute to inequities in schools. As Dean, she provides leadership for the entire School of Education while maintaining her faculty position and research agenda.

Dr. Dell'Angelo earned her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania (2009), an M.S. in Education, Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania (2003), and a B.A. in Special Education with a Psychology concentration from Rowan University (1997).

Her research interests center on urban education, social justice in teaching and learning, and arts-based research methods. She explores how playfulness and the arts can be incorporated into classroom teaching, particularly in high-needs schools. Her work examines teacher preparation for urban settings, the impact of political polarization on school communities, and decolonizing educational practices. She is particularly interested in how creative methodologies like photovoice and ethnodrama can illuminate educational experiences and promote social change.

Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on teacher identity development, particularly for those working in challenging school environments. She examines how political polarization affects school communities, explores decolonizing approaches to education, and investigates the relationship between creativity and educational equity. Her work consistently connects arts-based methods with critical pedagogy to address systemic inequities in education.

Dr. Dell'Angelo is also a playwright and storyteller who incorporates improvisational acting into her teaching practice. She has created resources for educators on integrating playfulness and the arts into classrooms, as evidenced by her TedxTCNJ Talk on the subject. Her approach emphasizes the importance of creativity in fostering connection and addressing educational challenges.