Dr. Cynthia McCallister is an Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University.
Dr. McCallister's innovative approach focuses on cultivating individual agency and optimal decision-making. Her research uniquely bridges educational theory with broader concepts of human well-being across the lifespan, from early childhood through adulthood, that emphasize continuous self-improvement and adaptation. Her work offers insights into how individuals can be supported to make free, independent choices that align with their highest potential.
Key aspects of Dr. McCallister's work include:
- Agency Cultivation: The McCallister Model provides individuals with tools and strategies to develop an individual's capacity for independent action and decision-making.
- Higher Self Alignment: Dr. McCallister's methods aim to guide individuals towards actions and choices that consistently reflect their best selves and highest aspirations.
- Scientific Foundation: Her work is grounded in rigorous research, applying cross-disciplinary principles to the realm of education and personal development.
The McCallister Model has been used as a holistic curriculum in many New York City schools, enabling learners to take action in ways that point unwaveringly to their highest potential.
Dr. McCallister's contributions to the field are documented in her influential books:
- Reconceptualizing the practice of equality of educational opportunity. New York: Routledge.
- Sauna Salvation: Harnessing Heat for Physical and Mental Well-being, Spiritual Rebirth, and Enhanced Longevity (2024, Workshop of Possibility Press)
- A Pedagogical Design for Human Flourishing: Transforming Schools with the McCallister Model (Routledge, 2011)
- Unison Reading: Socially Inclusive Group Instruction for Equity and Achievement (Corwin, 2011)
Through her ongoing research, Dr. McCallister continues to explore how educational principles can be leveraged to enhance overall human well-being and self-actualization across diverse life stages and contexts.
Selected Publications
- McCallister, C. with Gordon, E. W. (in process).
- McCallister, C. (2024). Sauna Salvation: Harnessing Heat for Physical and Mental Well-being, Spiritual Rebirth, and Enhanced Longevity. Workshop of Possibility Press.
- McCallister, C. (2022). A pedagogical design for human flourishing: Transforming schools with the McCallister Model. New York: Routledge.
- McCallister, C. (2021). “The rise of the phoenix”: Empowering learners to create their own learning cultures and transform their school. International Journal of Educational Reform. 115(2) 279-304. DOI: 10.1177/1056787921991513.
- McCallister, C. (2019). Learning cultures: Assessment and instruction in advance of development. In E. Thomas, C. McCallister, W. Boykin & E. W. Gordon (Eds.). Assessment and human variance. Chicago: Third World Press.
- Armour-Thomas, E., McCallister, C., Boykin, W. & Gordon, E.W. (Eds.). (2019). Assessment and human variance. Chicago: Third World Press.
- McCallister, C. (2011). Unison reading: Socially inclusive group instruction for equity and achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
- McCallister, C. (October, 2017). A sufficiency-based model of education: Toward “an education on equal terms.” Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. 49- 64.
- McCallister, C. (October, 2017). Exploring successful teachers’ conceptions of student achievement through a relational theory of teaching: Applications for practice. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. 65-74.
- McCallister, C & Gordon, E. W. (September, 2017). The landscape of classroom education. Sciencia.
- McCallister, C. (2017, February 22). Fostering selfhood and inspiring student writers using ‘Metropolitan Diary.’ The New York Times.
- McCallister, C. (October, 2017). A sufficiency-based model of education: Toward “an education on equal terms.” Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. pp. 49- 64.
- McCallister, C. (October, 2017). Exploring successful teachers’ conceptions of student achievement through a relational theory of teaching: Applications for practice. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. pp. 65-74.
- McCallister, C. (1998). Reconceptualizing literacy methods instruction: To build a house that remembers its forest. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.
