The Center for Education Innovation’s (CEI), Thank a Teacher program allows students to provide unsolicited feedback by sending thank you notes to teachers who make a positive difference in their education and personal development. Annie Hansen-Burke, senior lecturer in the Department of Educational Psychology’s school psychology program, recently received one of these “thank a teacher” notes which showcases the positive learning environment that she creates for her students.

The note reads:

“Thank you for making my graduate school experience enjoyable, enlightening, and empowering. Your calm and positive support has allowed me to push my limits and learn more about schools, systems, other people, and myself. You are truly a light, and your stories and advice will continue to help me grow into the future, personally and professionally.”

-Student in Hansen-Burke’s class

Have you had a teacher that has made a difference in your education? Visit CEI’s website to thank them.

The Center for Education Innovation’s (CEI) Thank a Teacher Program allows students to provide unsolicited recognition by sending thank you notes to professors who make a positive difference in their achievement and development.

We interviewed Mollie Weeks, a fourth-year PhD student in the Department of Educational Psychology’s school psychology program about her interests in the field and what brought her to the Department of Educational Psychology.

What are your research interests?

“My personal research interests focus on the promotion of evidence-based practices to improve educational disparities across general and special education for traditionally marginalized youth as well as the subsequent policy and legislative changes that help promote educational equity.”

How did your path lead to the Department of Educational Psychology and your particular major?

“Ever since learning what graduate school was, I aspired to seek an education beyond my undergraduate degree. However upon graduation, I did not know exactly which field I wanted to pursue. My problem was that the fields of which I was familiar (e.g., clinical and counseling, developmental psychology, neuroscience, IO, etc.) seemed too narrow for my broad interests and career ambitions. Rather than applying to graduate school during my senior year of college, I accepted a position in my alma mater’s admission office and began a three-year stint as an admissions officer and then an assistant dean of admissions. Over those three years, I learned first-hand the very real barriers students experience in the pursuit of education. As a result, I became more and more passionate about issues of educational equity, access, opportunity, and mental health. During my search for a fulfilling graduate program, I began reading about the field of school psychology and came to the realization that it fit my interests perfectly. With a degree in school psychology, I would be able to combine my passion for education and the field of psychology into one area of study. I began reading some of the academic literature of various scholars in the field (and browsing websites of many graduate programs). I became convinced that the University of Minnesota would provide me a solid foundation to succeed in both research and practice, and I submitted an application. Although I had developed extensive knowledge about the college admissions process during my day job, I wasn’t prepared for the anxiety that would come from submitting my own application. I felt a renewed appreciation for the bravery of the students with whom I worked. Thankfully, the faculty decided that I was a good fit for the program and admitted me. That is how I came to the Department of Educational Psychology.”

What surprised you along the way?

“After taking time off between my undergraduate and graduate pursuits I was very nervous to re-enter the world of academia and felt the full weight of imposter’s syndrome even prior to the start of classes. A large part of me worried that I was not smart enough for graduate school and that I had forgotten how to actually be a student during my time off. I was incredibly relieved when I started my program and realized that there were many people with similar career trajectories as myself and that most students shared my concerns. One of the most surprising aspects of graduate school was the emphasis on mastery learning which differed greatly from my undergraduate experience. As opposed to writing a paper and submitting it for credit, there were ample opportunities to learn about your mistakes and make corrections. The logic of this is clear- in graduate school you are trained to perform a task in practice which means that you need to know what you are doing. This does not happen overnight and without errors. The emphasis on mastery learning was one of the greatest supports in helping me overcome anxiety about succeeding as a graduate student.”

What is something you’ve most enjoyed about your experience?

“I have really enjoyed the variety of my graduate experiences and feel that this variability is the reason why graduate school has been one of the most interesting periods of my life. I love that some days I am tasked with reading a lot of literature, other days I am in class, and other days I am practicing in the field—applying what I have read and learned to my practice. One of the reasons I initially struggled to find the right psychology career to pursue was the narrow scope of research and practice that seems to characterize other disciplines (at least from an outsider’s perspective). Although chaotic at times, the ability to have a multifaceted graduate experience has been extremely enjoyable and is one of my favorite aspects of graduate school.”

What is most exciting about your work?

“I find the cycle of learning new knowledge about my field then subsequently contributing new knowledge to be the most exciting aspect of my work. I find so much joy in reading new research or attending conferences in which I leave with a sense that school psychology is a meaningful pursuit and can result in the betterment of education for all students. Although I find myself struggling with manuscript writing or statistics sometimes, the moment when I realize that I have something meaningful to contribute to the field is exhilarating. That feeling overshadows the self-doubt I also experience and propels me to learn more.”

How would you describe the student experience and what does that mean to you?

“For me, the student experience is characterized by the steady transition from learner to independent scholar and practitioner. My early years of graduate school were fairly prescriptive in terms of what I worked on, when I worked on it, and what classes I enrolled. Over time, a transition took place within the student experience in which I had more influence over how I spent my time, which projects I accepted, and the educational/professional experiences I pursued. It was exciting to pass program milestones and feel a tangible shift from student to scholar.”

What has been most challenging?

“Finding the right balance between being a student, scholar, family member, friend, and individual person has been the most challenging aspect of graduate school. Unlike my time in undergrad (where there were services and amenities that shielded students to some of the realities of adulthood), graduate school is a time in which you are expected to function as a student in the real world which involves cooking, cleaning, paying bills, navigating insurance, repairing your apartment, scheduling vet appointments, and—of course—being a present and active family member and friend. It can be hard to prioritize each role, and my success at balancing them has waxed and waned throughout the past three years. Although I feel that this year (my third year) was my most successful year of finding balance, there were still periods of time when some of my other responsibilities fell by the wayside because school work needed to be completed.

One of the greatest challenges I think that we face as a field, however, is helping schools shift from reactive approaches of service delivery to proactive and preventative. All school systems want to see their students flourish but may not know how to use data to efficiently manage resources and proactively provide supports. For years, the field has been seen as the gatekeepers of special education services which has severely limited our ability to implement school-based prevention initiatives. The focus on data-based decision-making and prevention was one of the greatest draws of the program here at the University of Minnesota. From curriculum to practice, faculty promote material that will allow us to work with systems to enact positive change and move towards proactive prevention.”

How have your professors helped you along the way?

“Throughout my time in graduate school, support from professors has been expansive. Not only are they very friendly and approachable, but they take time to help me really understand the material, push my critical thinking, and serve as professional role models. Although I sometimes perceive them to be larger-than-life scholars, I have come to understand that they too shared similar graduate school experiences and insecurities which they have shared in an effort to help me throughout the program. They provide guidance when I need it, but also encourage me to develop my interests and competencies independent of their direct guidance. I have left many meetings with a renewed sense of calm after speaking to professors about my concerns or questions.”

What would you like prospective students to know?

“One aspect of graduate school I have struggled with the most—and something I advise all prospective and current students not to do—is comparing my journey through graduate school with those of my peers. Each student enters graduate school with different interests and priorities and will take different pathways of reaching them—that is not only okay but expected. The most important thing is to participate in research or practice opportunities that align with your priorities and career interests. It is absolutely fine to say no to opportunities that do not help you get to where you want to be or are misaligned with your research and practice goals (even if you think students should be doing those things). You cannot do everything everyone else is doing, and accepting that reality will ease some of the stress of graduate school.”

How has your cohort helped you along the way?

“The support, kindness, and—at times—mutual stress of my cohort was one of the most significant factors in the success I have experienced in graduate school. Each graduate cohort is different, and I am incredibly grateful that my cohort is filled with people who want to see each other grow and succeed. Prior to entering graduate school, I heard horror stories about the competitive nature of pursuing a PhD and am extremely grateful that those stories have not defined my graduate experience. Rather, my cohort worked together during classes and fieldwork to help make sure that people were successful and able to balance their myriad priorities. My cohort offered support to one another so many times which, I think, has made all the difference in our perspective of graduate school.”

What are you looking forward to with graduation?

“The one aspect of graduation I am most looking forward to is also the aspect of which I am most nervous. Specifically, I look forward to the independence that my career trajectory should afford me. When talking to faculty, many have stated that they enjoy the independence of their position and the ability to choose for themselves which projects to prioritize and what to study next. That level of independence is very different from what I have experienced in other jobs and seems refreshing. However since I have not experienced that level of independence, it is also a bit intimidating.”

How do you plan to use what you are learning/your degree?

“I hope to use my degree to enter into academia and conduct original research while training the next generations of school psychologists. More importantly, I hope that my future work is used in practice or policy to improve education for all students and help create more equitable environments for all learners.”