Kai Mathews, PhD

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Dr. Kai Mathews

Educator. Researcher. Life Long Learner

The Liberatory Classroom is an education consulting practice founded by Dr. Kai Monet Mathews, a nationally recognized educator, researcher, and advocate for educational equity. Rooted in the values of Love, Liberation, Wild Potential, Alchemy, Joy, and Community, our work helps schools and educators reimagine teaching and learning as a practice of freedom.

We believe classrooms should be spaces where students and educators feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive. Our approach blends culturally responsive pedagogy, restorative practices, and project-based learning to create environments that are both intellectually rigorous and deeply humanizing.

Through professional development, coaching, and research-based design, The Liberatory Classroom supports educators in developing justice-centered practices, fostering student agency, and dismantling systemic barriers. Our work spans K–12 districts, universities, and community-based organizations, always with the goal of cultivating learning ecosystems that nurture belonging, creativity, and critical consciousness.

Dr. Mathews brings a wealth of experience to this mission—as former Research Director of the California Educator Diversity Project at UCLA, as Executive Director of Urban Ed Academy, and as a classroom teacher and program leader at High Tech High. Across these roles, she has led initiatives to increase educator diversity, designed innovative teacher preparation models, and supported schools in creating inclusive, equity-driven learning environments.

At its heart, The Liberatory Classroom is about possibility. We partner with educators and communities to unlock the wild potential of learners and teachers alike—transforming schools into places where joy, justice, and liberation are not ideals, but daily practices.

Workshop, Keynote, & Coaching Specialities:

  • Liberatory Learning

  • Project Based Learning

  • Belonging & Inclusive Practices

  • Critically Responsive Teaching

  • Systems Change

  • Humanizing Schools

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@theliberatoryclassroom

If we want diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools we need to put our money where our mouth is and financially invest in those who have been historically marginalized from these spaces. New policy brief & webinar dropping on November 17t
How do our learning spaces allow students to show up? How does it allow you as an educator to show up?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We can design a better a classroom, one that allows us all to show up whole; one that doesn’t ask us to leave any part of
This is for all my teacher friends that are currently in a CA Teacher Education Program. For those that don’t know in my day job I am a research director @transformschoolsucla and the CA Educator Diversity Project is my project. We are hold
✨FREE✨ Video Lesson & Guide ~ LINK IN BIO!