Dr. Deepti Kharod

Dr. Deepti Kharod is an Associate Professor at the Dreeben School of Education, University of the Incarnate Word. She specializes in playful pedagogies, care and compassion in learning and teaching, and nature-based learning.

Dr. Kharod has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and edited books in various disciplines and has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences. She also partners with community educators in formal and informal settings for research and to enrich teaching. Dr. Kharod is dedicated to fostering culturally responsive teaching and compassionate learning communities.

• Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching, University of Texas at San Antonio, TX (Early Childhood and Elementary Focus)
• M.A., Journalism, University of California, Berkeley, CA
• M.A., Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, CA
• B.A., International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, MD

• Elementary (Grades 1-6), Texas,
• Early Childhood Education, Texas
• Gifted and Talented Education, Texas

• Associate Professor, Dreeben School of Education, University of the Incarnate Word , 2024-present
• Assistant Professor, Dreeben School of Education, University of the Incarnate Word Adjunct Faculty, Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching, University of Texas at San Antonio, 2017-2018
• Research Intern for Program Evaluation, Department of ILT, UTSA and San Antonio Museum of Art collaboration, 2017-2018
• Elementary Teacher, Kindergarten and Grade 4, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District, 2003-2013
• Adjunct Faculty, Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching, University of Texas at San Antonio, 2017-2018
• Research Intern for Program Evaluation, Department of ILT, UTSA and San Antonio Museum of Art collaboration, 2017-2018
• Elementary Teacher, Kindergarten and Grade 4, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District, 2003-2013

• Creative Arts in the Elementary Classroom
• Child Development and Play
• Social Studies Instruction
• Teaching Children in Kindergarten and Early Childhood Settings
• Learning Theories
• Teaching Children in Primary Settings
• Instruction and Assessment
• Culturally Responsive Teaching
• First Year Experience Seminar
• Philosophy of Education

Recent Publications:

Peer Reviewed Journals:

• Kharod, D., & Guzman-Foster, S. L. (2023). Playful and compassionate approaches for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Play in Adulthood, 5(1), 61-81. https://doi.org/10.5920/jpa.1284 

• Kharod, D. (2022). Nature-based play and education: A goldmine in our backyards. Early Years, 43(2), 23-24. 

Book Chapters:

• Kharod, D., Guirguis, R., Longley, J., Tunçdemir, T. B. A., Sutterby, J. A., Kamen, M., Wisneski, D. (2024). Perspectives and Beliefs of Teacher Educators about Play. In M. K. Felton & D. H. Cortez-Castro (Eds.), Re-Exploring play and playfulness in early childhood teacher education: Narratives, reflections, and practices (pp. 29-40). Routledge.  

• Patte, M., Jarrett, O., Sutterby, J. A, & Kharod, D. (2023) Preparing future teachers for play advocacy. In Jarrett, O. et al. (Eds.), Play and social justice (pp. 187-194) Peter Lang. 

• David, A. D., & Kharod, D. (2023). Care and accreditation: The intersection of sacred and secular in teacher education. In A. Webb & M. Shoffner (Eds.), Care after COVID: Reconstructing understandings of care in teacher education (pp.15-35). Routledge.

• Kharod, D., (2021). Creating a caring culture in the classroom. In A. Quinzio-Zafran & E. A. Wilkins (Eds.), The new teacher’s guide to overcoming challenges: Curated advice from award-winning teachers (pp. 155-156). Taylor & Francis.

Recent Presentations:

• Kharod, D., Kissler, R., & Navarro, C. (2024, March). Belief in Play: Art and Stories for Qualitative Data Gathering. The Association for the Study of Play annual conference, Rochester, NY.  Accepted for presentation.

• Kharod, D., Dow, E., Fraga, L., Guzman-Foster, S. L. (2023, May 23). Faculty play day: Play and service unite through innovative pedagogy [Conference session]. Lilly Conference: Evidence-based Teaching and Learning, Austin, Texas. 

• Kharod, D., Wisneski, D., Guirguis, R., Longley, J., Sutterby J., Tunçdemir, T. A., Kamen, M. (2023, May 18). Playful pedagogies in early childhood teacher education: Building a playful ECE workforce [Roundtable session]. The Association for the Study of Play annual conference, New York. 

• Charlton, L. & Kharod, D. (2022, Nov. 17). Risky play in preschools: Why we need it, how to support it [Conference session]. National Association for the Education of Young Children annual conference. Washington, D.C. 

• Guzman-Foster, S.L., D’Amico, L., Kharod, D., & Coker, A.D. (2022, Sept. 29). Mother scholar, Mexican American scholar, Omo Odùduwà scholar, and Asian American scholar: Testimonios of living in Nepantla [Conference session]. International Society for Educational Biography annual conference. San Antonio, Texas. 

• Kharod. D. & Guzman-Foster, S. (2022, July 8). Playing our way into compassionate learning communities [Conference session]. Playful Learning conference, Leicester, U.K. 

• Kharod. D. (2021, Nov. 7). Creating a caring culture in the classroom [Conference session]. Kappa Delta Pi Convo, (Virtual). 

• Fraga, L., & Kharod, D. (2021, June 27). Using choice boards with preservice teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic [Conference session]. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference, (Virtual). 

• Guzman Foster, S. L., Kharod, D., & Labay-Marquez, J. (2021, April 11). Alleviating compassion fatigue: Tools for teaching in tumultuous times [Live session]. Faculty Women of Color in the Academy conference, (Virtual). 

• Kharod, D. (2021, March 20). Lessons from kindergarten: Play in the college classroom [Live session]. The Association for the Study of Play conference, (Virtual).  

• Charlton, L., Kharod, D., Sutterby, J. A. (2021, March 20). Play in times of stress [Recorded session]. The Association for the Study of Play, (Virtual).

External Grants:

• Kharod, D. (2022, September) “Integrated social studies: Learning about economics through faith-based values and the practice of gleaning.” Interfaith Care of Creation grant (UIW with Interfaith America) 

• Guzman-Foster, S.L. & Kharod, D. (2022, January). In what ways do undergraduate teacher candidates benefit from a culturally responsive teaching course that utilizes a compassion integrity training framework? Compassionate Integrity Training Research Grant

UIW Grants:

• Kharod, D. (2023, June) “Constructing faith in play: Children’s explorations and expressions about faith development.” Faculty Endowment Research Award (UIW) 

• Kharod, D. (2023, April) “Developing professional identity for preservice teachers from under-represented populations through playful learning.” THECB Somos Unidos - One Word Grant (UIW)

Leadership Roles:

• Book Review Editor, The Association for the Study of Play
• Chapter Counselor Advisory Board member, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society for Education

Active Memberships:

• Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society for Education
• The Association for the Study of Play
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
• National Council for the Social Studies

• Sr. Margaret Rose Palmer Mission Continues Award for Education, 2023 UIW
• KDP Chapter Community Service award, 2022 KDP
• Membership Recruitment recognition, 2022 KDP

Service to the Profession:

• Book Review Editor, TASP, 2023-present
• Member, Play Policy Practice Forum, NAEYC , 2022
• Early Childhood Consultant, DoSeum Communities for Immunity Grant, 2022
• Member and Local Liaison, International Play Association Conference Planning Committee, 2021-2022
• Co-Editor—Early Years journal, Texas Association for Early Childhood Education, 2019-2024  
• Consulting Editor—International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 2018-present

Service to the Community:

• Lead, Belief in Play Community Conversations, DoSeum, 2023-present
• Member, COBOR (Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights) development committee, 2023 
• Facilitator, KDP Book Drive for Mead Ele. by UIW’s KDP members, 2022 
• Invited Participant, DoSeum Community Conversations on Race and Ethnicity, 2022 
• Member, Source of Light (SoL) Center Advisory Board, 2021-2023  
• Co-chair, Environmental Advisory Committee, San Antonio River Authority, 2020-2022  

Service to the University (2021-Present):

• DSE Representative, First Year Experience Seminar Advisory Board, 2024-present
• DSE Representative, Honors Council, 2023-2024
• Planning Committee for DSE Training on Culturally Responsive Teaching, DSE , 2023
• Member, Faculty Search Committee, Mechanical Engineering Dept., UIW, 2023  
• Member, Faculty Search Committee, Graduate Studies Education, UIW, 2022-2023 
• DSE Representative, Undergraduate Council, UIW, 2022-present 
• Member, Faculty Search Committee, Adult Education Student Services, UIW, 2021-2022
• Member, Faculty Search Committee, Environmental Sciences, UIW, 2021
• Chapter Counselor, Kappa Delta Pi UIW chapter, 2020-present 
• Curriculum Development, DSE, 2020-present 
• DSE Representative, Faculty Development Funds Review Committee of the Faculty Senate, UIW, 2020-2022