Meet Dr. Marlee S. Bunch
Dr. Marlee S. Bunch is an interdisciplinary educator, scholar, author, and story collector. With over seventeen years of teaching experience at the secondary and post-secondary levels, she has continuously worked in diverse classrooms and sought to ensure that students receive equitable and rigorous instruction and mentorship.
She graduated with a B.A. from National-Louis University, which included a major in literature and a minor in psychology. Bunch received her M.Ed. in secondary education from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, and later obtained an M.S. in Gifted Education. Bunch also holds an ESL (English as a Second Language) certification and gifted certification. She obtained her Ed.D. from the University of Illinois in Education, Policy, Organization, and Leadership with an emphasis in diversity and equity.
She has two forthcoming publications: Unlearning the Hush: Oral Histories of Black Female Educators in Mississippi in the Civil Rights Era (University of Illinois Press, 2025), Leveraging AI for Human-Centered Learning: Culturally Responsive and Social-Emotional Classroom Practice in Grades 6-12, co-authored with Brittany R. Collins, (Routledge, 2025).
Dr. Bunch is an advocate for students, and uses writing, poetry, art, and history as a means to encourage dialogue and self-reflection. Her research focuses on Black female educators in Mississippi who taught between 1954-1970.
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The un/HUSH Framework Origin Story
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The un/HUSH Framework was born out of research focused on the oral histories of Black female educators in Mississippi from 1954-1970.
The framework helps create culturally & community immersive classroom lessons by recognizing and celebrating marginalized histories (H), unlearning (U), sharing stories (S) and healing (H) through connection and relationships.
Interested in learning more about the research? Keep scrolling.
What Does Unhush Mean?
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​The phrase “unhush/unlearning the hush” speaks to dismantling constructs and barriers imposed on marginalized people through systemic and historical implications. Unhushing allows us to share stories often overlooked or marginalized.
The un/HUSH Framework was born out of research focused on the oral histories of Black female educators in Mississippi from 1954-1970. The un/HUSH Framework is a culmination of emerging best teaching practices. Some of the research considered when creating this framework includes the oral histories of past educators, grief responsive teaching, trauma informed teaching, differentiated instruction, oral histories, the benefits of storytelling in the classroom, culturally responsive teaching, and the knowledge I have gained from students throughout my career regarding impactful classroom practices.
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The Big Picture
There are many frameworks available to teachers, but what was missing from the picture was the voices of the past educators who could offer their guidance and lessons. Many of those teachers navigated times not too different than today. What can we learn from them? How can we use oral histories, histories, and stories to forge relationships and coalitions with one another? We hope the framework guides you & inspires you to use it in powerful ways that bring about positive changes in your classrooms and learning.
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The Importance of Mississippi
