Valentina B. decided to attend the University of Minnesota because of her love for the state of Minnesota, as well as its reputation as an academically rigorous university. She admired the U’s commitment to diversity, as well as the opportunity to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. When she toured campus, she appreciated the resources available to students, along with the wide array of activities available on campus.
Originally from Colombia, Valentina and her family moved to the United States when she was 9. Out of all the places she has lived, she considers Minnesota her home and it holds a special place in her heart.
Valentina started at the U of M as a student in the pre-vet program in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. After taking an introduction to elementary education course during her first year, she realized that teaching was the right path for her. She realized she could make a positive impact on kids’ lives and wanted to help students learn and make them believe in themselves and in their abilities.
In spring 2022, Valentina had the opportunity to study abroad in Montpellier, France. She’s grateful for the scholarships that helped make that experience possible. During this experience, she developed and learned cross-cultural skills by co-teaching English to French students.
Valentina is thankful for the financial assistance she has received as a student at CEHD. She shares, “Scholarships have allowed me to focus on learning rather than figuring out how to pay my tuition. I’m grateful to the donors who support and believe in me to accomplish my goals.”
Valentina plans to graduate from the U of M this December. She’s currently applying for jobs in her field and has not decided if she’ll go back to school for her master’s of education next fall or wait a few years and gain valuable experience working.
As a future teacher, she hopes to create a classroom environment where students feel safe and valued so that meaningful learning can occur.
YoUthROC, a University-connected youth research group, with faculty advisor Abigail Rombalski received an award from an AmeriCorps grant to research civic life in America. YoUthROC will be using the grant to conduct a project on “Using Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) insights to transform school policies & practices” in partnership with Dr. Anita Chikkatur at Carleton College. School partners on this grant include St. Anthony Middle School with Ms. Alison Criss, Rochester Public Schools with MN 2021 teacher of the year Natalia Alvarez Benjamin, St. Louis Park Schools with alumna Dr. Silvy Un Lafayette, Brooklyn Center Community Schools with alumnus Dr. Ryan Oto, and Faribault Middle School.
Teachers from Meadowbrook Elementary in Golden Valley, MN host partner teachers from Jamaica.
Associate Professor Keitha-Gail Martin-Kerr in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction is co-leading a week-long immersion experience for four Jamaican teachers as part of the Jamaica Exchange in Teaching (JET) program. The program is designed to build a sustainable partnership with the Ministry of Education in Jamaica where every year at least eight teachers from both countries will have a transformative week-long experience being immersed in the education system and culture.
This year, teachers from Jamaica are visiting the University of Minnesota campus and five metro schools including Meadowbrook Elementary, North Junior High, Hopkins High, Collaborative Lab, and Global Arts Plus. The JET program began with an exchange of four Minnesota-based teachers at Meadowbrook Elementary who visited Jamaica in February, 2021 for a parallel immersion experience.
In February 2023, four teachers from Highland Elementary in Columbia Heights will visit Jamaica to partner with an Infant School in St. Ann. In May 2023, the St. Ann teachers will visit Minnesota for an immersive education experience with their partner teachers in Highland Elementary .
Learn more about teacher preparation in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
Elementary Education foundations major and TESL minor Michael Del Conte tells us how he found his path to teaching.
Why did you decide to major in Elementary Education Foundations?
I originally came to the U of M planning to be a social studies/economics teacher at the high school level. Given this, I started as a history and economics major who planned on doing the DirecTrack to Teaching program. After some important realizations about what I wanted to do in the future, really enjoying some of the Elementary Education program’s intro coursework, and great experiences working in elementary schools, I decided to change my major to elementary education after my freshman year.
When did you realize you wanted to be a teacher?
During my sophomore year in high school I started working an after-school job at the elementary school that I attended when I was young. The program was generally for students that were behind their peers in class and needed tutoring. It surprised me how much I enjoyed helping these students and seeing their progress after working with them. In the following years, I continued to work a variety of positions in my local districts elementary ranging from teaching after-school program classes, youth sports, and para-educating at a summer school. As previously mentioned, I started as a history and economics major. After two semesters of the coursework, I found I was feeling unfulfilled. I took some time to reflect, and found that the elementary education jobs I had worked for brought me a lot of happiness and fulfillment that I wasn’t getting from my other classes. I ended up switching majors at the end of that freshman year and have continued working elementary school jobs over the summers. I really feel that I have found my calling and where I can make the biggest difference in the world.
What do you hope to get out of your educational experience?
In the U’s elementary education program I hope to gain the experience, framework, and knowledge of how to best create an equitable, positive, learning environment for my future students. Particularly in the first practicum that I am involved in this year, I feel I am gaining a lot of applicable experience and knowledge from the teacher I am working with about how to best lead a classroom.
What has been your experience with the faculty?
I have always had extremely positive experiences with the faculty at the University of Minnesota. Especially given the pandemic, the professors of CEHD have given students flexibility and support. I’ve found that the relationships they build with their students tend to be stronger and more personable than within other majors or colleges. In addition to this, the faculty of CEHD are great at crafting curriculum that is poignant to the moment and challenges students to think through tough questions. Overall, I feel as though the elementary education degree I will get from the U of M holds a lot of value within the education world, and that is due to the work of the faculty.
Rache Nader is a current ESL teacher in the St. Paul Public Schools. She completed her MEd degree and dual licensure in French and ESL in Curriculum and Instruction and graduated in May, 2022 after spending time teaching abroad and studying French and linguistics. She talks with us about her program experience.
I was drawn to the program for its solid reputation and accelerated timeline. I wanted a program that would allow me to get both my master’s degree and provide me with the opportunity to get licensed and do student teaching.
When did you realize you wanted to be a teacher?
I started working with kids and teaching in high school. All throughout college, I continued coursework in education, tutored ESL and French, and worked as a summer camp counselor for French immersion. After college, I taught English abroad in Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa. Even after all these experiences, I still hadn’t totally embraced teaching as a career path. After working in international development and having so much time to reflect during the pandemic, I realized how much I missed teaching and supporting learners and decided to circle back to my background in education as a teacher.
What did you hope to gain from the program experience, both coursework and student teaching?
I was hoping to learn theory, as well as how to apply it. Additionally, I wanted to gain a professional and personal network and classroom experience through student teaching. I also wanted to learn more about social justice and anti-oppressive practices in education.
Were there any surprises and challenges along the way?
The coursework is heavy and the entire program is challenging, but it’s also great to be able to earn an advanced degree and licensure in one year.
How have you felt about the cohort model and experience?
I have loved having a cohort. It has been a great asset to our learning as we all have unique experiences and areas of expertise that we get to share. From a personal perspective, having the cohort has been such a strong support system.
Describe your experience student teaching.
My first student teaching placement was in a small district just north of Minneapolis. I had been working with 3rd and 4th ESL classes, primarily newcomers, or students who have just recently moved to the US. Almost all of my students had Spanish as their home language and were from Central and South America. Working with them has been a really enriching experience and they have taught me so much about teaching, their cultures, and how to speak Spanish!
My second placement was with Saint Paul Public Schools in a secondary setting (grades 6-9), where I ended up accepting a teaching position.
Did the student teaching helped you feel prepared to enter your own classroom?
Yes, definitely. I’ve had the opportunity to take the lead on managing the classroom and instruction during full time student teaching.
Dr. Marek Oziewicz lecture on climate literacy in Chile.
Marek Oziewicz, a Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Director of the Center for Climate Literacy, delivered an invited lecture on climate literacy at Pontificia Universidat Católica De Chile in Santiago. The lecture was part of the talk series “Sustainability Dialogues—Imagining Futures” hosted by Pontificia’s Sustainability Institute. Oziewicz spoke about the strategies to develop universal climate literacy education for K-12 students. Over the next five days in Santiago, he gave a talk to graduate students and faculty at the Center for Educational Justice, met with Pontificia’s faculty, and led two workshops for teacher candidates taking a course on ecocriticism pedagogy. Oziewicz’s visit was organized by Dr. Andrea Casals Hill and is part of the Center’s effort to develop climate literacy networks at colleges of education and other teacher-training institutions across the globe.
The University of Minnesota’s Center for Climate Literacy is excited to announce the launch of its inaugural Climate Literacy Teacher Leader Fellowship Program. The Fellowship will support seven committed teachers from the Metro area to develop and implement climate literacy curriculum in their classrooms. Fellows will gain a greater understanding of climate literacy education, contribute to scholarly publications, collaborate with international partners, and become leaders in the growing community of climate literacy educators in Minnesota and nationwide.
This year’s applications included submissions from teachers in over 17 districts, representing content areas ranging from economics to physical education in grades K-12. The 2023-2024 application process will open in early August.
The Climate Literacy Teacher Leader Fellowship program is made possible thanks to the generous gift from Dr. Pete Palmer.
What drove you to enroll in the RJUS minor program?
After taking my first practicum within the elementary ed program, I knew that I wanted to put social justice teachings at the forefront of my philosophy. Through literature and first-hand experiences, I have not found a single more powerful way to grow closer with my students and be an advocate.
Which part of the program have you found the most valuable?
Community-service experience and getting to volunteer at local schools, such as Lucy Laney at Cleveland Park.
What do you hope to do after graduation?
I hope to enroll in the MEd and Teaching License in Elementary Education program for a year here at the U. This will help give me a steady footing for becoming an elementary teacher. After this, I would love to work with the littles in K-3 one day!
What do you hope to get out of the minor? How will it help you in your career path?
I hope to expand my teacher toolbox and learn more ways to make my future classroom an inclusive space for all, where everyone’s voice can be heard and amplified, especially students of color.
Any other thoughts you want to share about your experience?
I have loved all of the books that classes within the minor have introduced, such as “Ghosts in The Schoolyard” by Eva Ewing.
A special issue of Critical Literacies in a Digital Age, Pedagogies: An International Journal is a 2023 recipient of the Divergent Publication Award for Excellence in Literacy in a Digital Age Research. This award recognizes the most outstanding publications that bring to the forefront the importance and impact of 21st century literacies.
Members of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction contributed to two articles in the journal including Associate Professor Cassandra Scharber, PhD alumni Lana Peterson, Yu-Hui Chang, Ramya Sivaraj, and Anne Crampton, PhD student Sarah Barksdale, and former Department Chair Cynthia Lewis.
The articles are available online:
Scharber, C., Peterson, L., Chang, Y., Barksdale, S., & Sivaraj, R. (2021). Critical computing literacy: Possibilities in K-12 computer science education. Pedagogies: An International Journal. 16(2), 136-152.https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2021.1914055
Lewis, C., Crampton, A., & Scharber, C. (2021). The sociocultural role of imagination in critical digital literacy. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 16(2), 154-172.https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2021.1914056
YoUthROC, a youth-led research team affiliated with the Department of Curriculum Instruction and the R.J.J. Urban Research Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) released its first magazine titled “A YPAR Project Magazine about Centering BIPOC Youth.” This magazine installment examines the question, “What does it take to develop accessible, sustainable youth spaces?” that center Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) youth. The magazine shares reflective narratives from YoUthROC members about the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) process and features research findings from engaging with over 200 youth and youth workers. The magazine is a compilation of findings, stories, and recommendations, intended as a resource for young researchers and educators, as well as adults working to lift up the leadership of youth.
“The 2022 YoUthROC YPAR magazine is another powerful example of BIPOC youth subjectivity in academic research,” says Brian Lozenski, associate professor and Chair of Educational Studies at Macalester College. He adds, “The magazine is highly functional and provides an in-depth exploration of kinship that can help educators understand how to build more holistic and nurturing learning environments. The YoUthROC research demonstrates the importance of providing sustained support for youth-led research programs.”
The magazine is edited by YoUthROC co-founders Amina Smaller, MEd candidate Shaunassey Johnson, and Lecturer Abigail Rombalski.
View the magazine for free: YoUthROC. (2022). A YPAR Project Magazine about Centering BIPOC Youth. Eds. Rombalski, A., Smaller, A., Johnson, S. (University of Minnesota). https://hdl.handle.net/11299/226603. (Also available in a digital magazine format).
Two doctoral students in Curriculum and Instruction, Dustin Hemsath and Noah Jefferson, received this year’s prestigious Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship. The Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (DDF) gives the University’s most accomplished PhD candidates an opportunity to devote full-time effort to an outstanding research project by providing time to finalize and write a dissertation during the fellowship year.
Dustin Hemsath is in the second language education doctoral track and is working with advisor Sam David. His dissertation is on “Language Ideologies: Negotiations Between Teacher Candidates and Cooperating Teachers of World Languages.”
Noah Jefferson, PhD in Culture and Teaching
Noah Jefferson is in the Culture and Teaching doctoral track and is advised by Tim Lensmire. His dissertation is on “Exploring Abolitionist Teacher Praxis: A Study Group With Abolitionist Teachers.”
Congratulations to these two deserving doctoral candidates!
I was originally interested in the TESL program so that I would be able to teach English abroad and/or in the states. I recently completed a semester-long internship assistant teaching English in a primary school in Spain.
How was your experience with the faculty?
The TESL minor program faculty are phenomenal! I cannot speak highly enough of the amazing professors and instructors I worked with, who have driven me to become the best teacher I can be, and the advisors who supported me in making the decision to join the TESL minor program and kept me on track to graduate a year early.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, my dream is to be teaching English in a primary or secondary school in Spain. I have always been interested in living and teaching abroad and the TESL minor has given me the experience and certification to be able to do this within the next few years upon graduation.
Which part of the program did you find the most valuable?
While I originally enrolled in the program so that I could teach abroad, the part of the program I found the most valuable was the self-reflection. We learned a lot, of course, about English as a Second Language and teaching, curriculum, lesson planning, etc which was great but we also spent a lot of time reflecting on what kind of teacher we wanted to be and why we wanted to teach which I felt was really beneficial for establishing who we are as teachers.
Did you have scholarship support? If so, what did it mean to you?
This past year I did have scholarship support so that I was able to study abroad without stress and spend more time volunteering in classrooms, instead of working. This has meant the world to me to be able to gain these experiences and I am incredibly grateful to the organizations that supported me.
Any other thoughts you want to share about your experience?
I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in living and teaching abroad! The faculty is amazing and my experience has been entirely positive.
Learn more about undergraduate programs that can support your career choices in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
We are excited to introduce Valerie Bertsch to C&I as a new graduate program coordinator!
Welcome to Curriculum and Instruction! What are you looking forward to in your new role as Graduate Program Coordinator for MA and PhD students?
I am excited to meet students and faculty and learn all about their research and the exciting work they do to further the reach of the department, College, and University. I am also looking forward to learning the ins and outs of Curriculum and Instruction programming so I can support students and faculty in their important work.
Where did you come from before this?
I am coming to CEHD from CLA where I advised undergraduate students for the last five years. Before that, I worked on campus for the Minnesota English Language Program. I am an alumna of both CLA and CEHD and earned my MA in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development in International Education.
What do you like to do outside work?
Outside of work, my days are filled with family time with my husband and two little boys. We live in St. Paul and love enjoying the city and all it has to offer.
What’s your favorite campus lunch spot?
It’s a three-way tie between Wally’s, Korea Restaurant, and Afro Deli.
What do you want students to know about you?
I want students to know that I am their partner in their educational journey in CEHD and that my genuine interest in them is tied in equal parts to their development as students and professionals, and as multidimensional individuals. I bring lots of institutional knowledge and am well versed in campus resources available to support students; I will quickly become well versed in all things C&I, too, so I can serve you well!
Anna McNulty Taylor, a student in the PhD in Literacy Education program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, has earned a spot in the selective Doctoral Dissertation Development program organized by the College of Liberal Arts (CLA). The program expands and improves formal dissertation prospectus and grant proposal development for humanities and social science doctoral students at the University of Minnesota.
Chosen students participate in an intensive workshop in spring, followed by independent summer research and another workshop at the end of summer before research grant proposal deadlines. Faculty instructors work closely with students to prepare research questions and literature reviews, identify grant opportunities and work plans and write proposals. Student participants receive up to $4,000 in summer research funding.
McNulty Taylor’s dissertation will focus on the challenges of creating change in adolescent reading instruction in a large, urban school district serving youth marginalized predominantly because of racial and linguistic identities.
This summer, McNulty Taylor is looking forward to building relationships within the program to help support this critical work. “This isn’t research I can or should do alone; working closely with educators from across a school system is essential to truly understand and seek to create change about actual challenges and opportunities, in context,” she says.
McNulty Taylor is grateful for support from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and CEHD, including from her advisor Professor Lori Helman and co-adviser, the late Professor David O’Brien – who sparked her interest in adolescent literacy.
Bic Ngo, Rodney S. Wallace Professor for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, is the recipient of the AERA Division G (Social Context of Education) 2022 Mentoring Award.
This award recognizes a scholar who has made distinguished contributions in the mentoring of undergraduate and PhD students, as well as junior scholars, contributing to the development of a new generation of scholars who focus on social contexts of education.
The Provost’s Professional Education Diversity Fellowship is a one-year (two semesters) fellowship, awarding full tuition, a stipend, and subsidized healthcare.
Congratulations to Dyani for receiving this prestigious award!
Marketing Education major Adriana Knox is furthering her digital skills with the Learning Technologies (LT) minor, “Technology plays a big role in digital marketing, and with technology advancing so much I need to stay up to date with how it is impacting us.”
What drove you to enroll in the Learning Technologies minor?
During my sophomore year, I realized that I had the opportunity to add on another minor so I started investigating what would spark my interest and complement my major and other minor. Growing up, technology has always intrigued me and I wanted to learn more; I have always considered myself a tech-savvy person so this minor was a no-brainer for me to apply for.
Which part of the program have you found the most valuable?
The courses I have taken so far have been some of the most enjoyable courses I have taken in my college career. I also find the content in my courses to be valuable because I want to go into digital marketing and being able to understand the technology and the internet will only benefit me.
How has your experience been with the faculty?
My experience with the faculty this far has been amazing. I have taken two online courses with Angelica Pazurek and she has been a wonderful professor. I can tell she is passionate about what she teaches and truly cares about students and their learning.
Will the minor in Learning Technologies help you in your career path?
Yes. Technology plays a big role in digital marketing, and with technology advancing so much I need to stay up to date with how it is impacting us.
How do you see technology and the internet changing how you learn in the future?
Just in the past couple of years with the impact of COVID-19, technology has changed the way we learn. With the power of technology, we were able to access our education and work online. Through the advancements of technology and the internet that were made during COVID-19, I believe it has opened the door for even more changes in how we will be learning. I believe that our learning will become more digital with meetings via Zoom and using digital textbooks, for example.
Children’s literature author and playwright, Saymoukda Vongsay, joins KidLitLab! for an end-of-year children’s story hour to share her picture book When Everything Was Everything. May 2020.
In 2019, graduate instructors and C&I doctoral students Denise Hanh Huynh and Nick Kleese founded KidLitLab!, a group for educators to explore picture books as curriculum through the creative process. “We believe that in order to truly understand something, you need to make it,” explains co-founder Denise Huynh. “If our future educators want to understand picture books as curriculum, we hope to provide them with the experience of making picture books themselves.”
KidLitLab! seeks to encourage creativity and exploration among educators and support writers eager to produce diverse and transformative literature for young people. To that end, they seek to bring decolonizing children’s literature and diverse artists and writers to the forefront through a series of events and workshops for pre-service teachers. Past invitees include Carole Lindstrom, author of We Are Water Protectors (Caldecott Winner 2021); Saymoukda Vongsay, author of When Everything Was Everything (2018); and Emma Reynolds, author-illustrator of Amara and the Bats (2021) and founder of KidLit4Climate with support from the Norine Odland BIG-small Fellowship in Children’s Literature.
In December 2021, KidLitLab! released Here on Earth: A Children’s Literature Anthology. The anthology shares stories at the intersection of environmental justice and fantasy while critically examining living in balance to preserve our world. The work features an interview with Caldecott winner Bao Phi, a poet and author of A Different Pond.
“We hope that by presenting educators with examples of works-in-progress, and works by both established and emerging authors from diverse backgrounds, the creative process itself becomes more accessible, generative, and joyful,” says co-founder Nick Kleese.
PhD in STEM Education candidate Megan Parise builds on bridging the gap between research and teaching, and finding supportive mentors in the program.
What drove you to enroll in the program?
I was driven to enroll in the program because of my desire to pursue the answers to questions I have about mathematics education and the passion to guide future mathematics educators.
What do you hope to get out of your educational experience?
I hoped to gain experience teaching pre-service mathematics teachers and learn how to conduct empirical research in this field. I also hoped to better understand the connections between research theories and teaching practice.
Were there any surprises and challenges along the way?
The Covid-19 pandemic posed an obvious significant challenge. Specifically, I found it challenging to no longer be in the physical environment with like-minded scholars who have helped me to process research and teaching.
What has been your experience with the faculty?
I have had many positive experiences interacting with the faculty in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. I have felt like a valued part of the collaborative teaching and research projects being done here at the University of Minnesota.
Which resources have you found through the program to help with your research?
My advisers and the other faculty in the Department have served as mentors with respect to my research. They have guided me through specific methodologies as well as encouraged me to pursue opportunities such as conferences and publications.
What do you hope to do after graduation?
Through this program, I have begun to understand the role of critique in mathematics education. After graduation, I hope to secure a job that allows me to continue to utilize critical theories in both research and teaching.
Did you have scholarship support? If so, what did it mean to you?
Each semester, I was provided with teaching and supervising appointments. Not only did these appointments cover my tuition, but they also allowed me to gain valuable experience teaching college-level courses in mathematics education.
What has been your favorite or most useful class and why?
The most useful class I took was the mathematics education research seminar. The topics and readings were very relevant to the specific research questions I had, and the assignments were applicable to a career in mathematics education research. I was also able to submit one of my assignments for this class for publication and experience the peer review process of publishing in an academic journal. (“Gender, sex, and heteronormativity in high school statistics textbooks” published July 2021 in Mathematics Education Research Journal).
Nearing her defense and graduation this spring, doctoral candidate Shakita Thomas Kpetay reflects on the resources that have supported her journey including traveling abroad for research, scholarship support, and access to multiple mentors.
What is your research focus?
My research focuses on urban school closures and how the political economy shapes educational opportunities for those who have been racialized as Black.
I was looking for an interdisciplinary program that would allow me to expand my understanding of education and theory related to the education of Black students in urban schools.
What do you hope to get out of your educational experience?
I hoped to be able to expand my research skills, learn theories that could help me further examine the education of Black students in the United States.
Were there any surprises and challenges along the way?
I did not know exactly what the doctoral journey would be; however, I was surprised at how much freedom I had to explore what mattered to me. With the freedom that I had, the challenge was deciding on what classes to take that would help me develop my research skills and learn theory while also understanding more of the topics that I was interested in. As a person who identifies as a Pan African/Black/African American woman, it was challenging being in a department that is heavily white and centers their ways of knowing. However, being in the Culture and Teaching program and having the ability to take classes in other departments complemented my learning in Curriculum and Instruction.
What has been your experience with the faculty?
The faculty that I have taken classes with or engaged with through research were committed to my development as a scholar-activist whose research centers community. They all were invested in the classes that they taught and assigned things that were relevant to my development. My co-advisors, Dr. Vichet Chhuon and Dr. Bic Ngo supported me through this process by being open to talking through ideas, connecting me with other doctoral students and alumni, and helping to find funding opportunities. If the faculty are not as familiar with a topic or particular methodology, they were upfront and able to suggest others who were more familiar.
Which resources have you found through the program to help with your research?
I was able to connect with the Common Ground Consortium that aided my professional development through conference support, community, career workshops. I was able to learn about the CEHD International Initiatives program that allowed me to travel abroad to Jamaica, Cameroon, and Ghana to explore Black identity, slavery, colonization, and education. In addition to exploring these topics, I was able to codesign professional development workshops for educators and conduct a self-study that resulted in my first publication.
What do you hope to do after graduation?
I hope to obtain a tenure track faculty position or post-doctoral fellowship that will allow me to expand my research and reimagine a public education system that centers on the well being of Black students and liberation.
Did you have scholarship support? If so, what did it mean to you?
Yes, I had scholarship support and it meant the world to me in terms of freedom and flexibility. I did not have to spend all of my time every year trying to find funding opportunities. I was able to focus mostly on classes, research, and my work in the community. I was also able to travel to present at conferences and for my research projects.
What has been your favorite or most useful class and why?
To be honest, I do not have a favorite class because all of the classes were useful for my development as a scholar and educator. The classes that I enjoyed the most entail experiential learning, engagement with the community, and freedom to explore my topics. These classes include Critical Ethnography, Narrative Inquiry, Historiography of Education, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Critical Pedagogy, and Culture and Teaching Seminars.
