An Invitation to Join EDPL Solidarity Circles

Dear EDUC/EDPL students, faculty, and staff:

This past summer the department of Educational Policy and Leadership made a commitment to act in solidarity with our communities of color fighting against racial injustice and to take action towards dismantling white supremacy. Read our full Solidarity Statement and Call to Action. One action that we are taking towards these commitments is building Student Solidarity Circles that will be advised by EDPL faculty/staff. 

People of Color (PoC) Solidarity Circles 

The EDUC/EDPL People of Color (PoC) Solidarity Circles will support students of color by providing community and authentic connection amongst students and faculty of color. This will also be a space for discussions about students’ experiences at MU and in Milwaukee and their ideas for change. Dr. derria byrd and Dr. Julissa Ventura will serve as the PoC Circles advisors. They hope to create a space where EDUC/EDPL undergraduate and graduate students can connect with each other in solidarity for racial justice and liberation and also receive support from faculty and the overall department. The PoC Solidarity Circles will meet twice a month – once as a PoC Solidarity Circle and once as either a Black or Latinx Student Solidarity Circle. Meeting dates/times will be confirmed based on participant availability. 

If you are a student of color interested in joining the EDUC/EDPL PoC Solidarity Circles -or- if you know a student that might be interested, please fill out our interest form. More information about meeting dates & times will be sent to interested students in the next couple of weeks. If you have any questions, you can contact Dr. byrd (derria.byrd@marquette.edu) or Dr. Ventura (julissa.ventura@marquette.edu). 

White Aspiring Allies Student Solidarity Circle 

The White Aspiring Allies Student Solidarity Circle will be advised by Dr. Burmeister (sara.burmeister@marquette.edu) and Dr. Gibson (melissa.gibson@marquette.edu). Interested students should look forward to additional information about joining the circle. In the meantime, feel free to contact the advisors if you have questions.

Dr. van den Kieboom

Dr. Leigh van den Kieboom serves as the Chair of the Educational Policy and Leadership within the College of Education

How the McNair Program Changed My Education

My name is Areli Herrera, and I’m a senior at Marquette. I’m originally from Moroleón, Mexico, but immigrated to Aurora, Illinois, as a child. I’m currently studying Secondary Education and English. I chose to go into education after feeling inspired by all the supportive teachers I had growing up, I realized I wanted to be that source of support for others. I’m also just a big nerd who loves English and reading, so I’m very comfortable with the prospect of doing that for the rest of my life. I still can’t decide if I want to teach middle school or high school, hopefully I’ll get to experience both over the course of my career!

I became involved with the Ronald E. McNair Scholars program through friends who were alumni of the program. I had received emails encouraging me to apply before, but I never really understood what the program was until I had a friend from the 2019 cohort tell me about how amazing her experience was and how much it was helping her prepare for graduate school. I applied the following year and was lucky enough to get in!

So far, the best part of the experience has been the research itself. I’ve always been intimidated by research projects, but McNair gave us so much freedom to research whatever we wanted. It turns out research can actually be really fun when you’re passionate about the work. I also really appreciated my mentor, Dr. Terry Burant, who was wonderful. Working with her and getting to know h​er was definitely one of the best perks of the program. My research focused on how feminist pedagogy in the classroom can serve as a protective factor for Black and Latina girls experiencing adultification and early puberty. Adultification and early puberty both rob children of color of their childhoods while enforcing systemic oppression with harsher disciplinary punishments than those given to their white peers, so my research sought to explore how feminist classroom practices can help alleviate that burden instead of enforcing it.

I’m not sure where I see myself in five years- hopefully in grad school! I do want to teach for a few years before going to grad school, get some experience first, so I’m not in any particular rush. However, hopefully I’ll at least be applying to a few graduate programs within the next five years.

Getting to Know Our Students: Meet Imoni DeJesus

This year, we are spending time getting to know our students! You can get to know more of our students and our faculty/ staff on previous posts. Read on to meet Imoni, one of our current freshmen!

Hi! My name is Imoni DeJesus, and I am a current freshman studying Secondary Education and History. I am even thinking about adding a Broad Field Social Studies minor! I grew up in Chicago, Illinois, very close to downtown but I currently live in Norridge, Illinois. I have lived here for about seven years, and it was definitely hard to say goodbye when I left for college. I have a huge Hispanic family and although there are many of us, we are all extremely close with one another. My nana (grandmother) is one of thirteen children. I am the oldest of four grandchildren and the first family member to attend a four-year university! My immediate family is blended, and I have known my stepfather and stepbrother since I was 4. 

I work at restaurant in Norridge, IL, called the Blossom Cafe. I got a hostess job my sophomore year of high school and have been working ever since…two years strong! I love my coworkers and the atmosphere of the restaurant. I always get a lot of regular of customers who bring me small gifts any chance they get. I work with five of my best friends as well, so it is always a great time whenever we work together. It was a challenge to learn and recite the entire 120+ item menu, but once I was able to do so I never forgot it. I will miss working there but it’s time for bigger and better things! 

A good friend of mine is currently a student at Marquette. He offered to give me a tour once my acceptance letter came in and really pushed me to explore my options. Once I arrived, I fell in love with the campus, the academics and the overall energy of the school. I was even able to stay overnight with a female student from my old high school, which was a very fun experience! I was able to really see Marquette as a student, rather than an outsider looking in, which made it extremely exciting. The moment I got into my car to drive home after my visit, I knew I wanted to commit to Marquette. The College of Education at Marquette stood out to me mostly because I was able to start hands-on experience within my first semester of college. I was drawn to the fact that I could start my education major as a freshman rather than waiting a year to apply into the education programs at other schools. 

One hobby of mine is playing softball! One of my best friends asked me to try it with her in middle school. I had never touched a softball in my life but decided to try it out. I ended up loving it as soon as I stepped on the field. Everything was new to me, but I was ready to learn about the game. It took some practice but eventually I began winning metals and playing on multiple teams. I started off playing shortstop and after two years, I began playing third base. In high school, I begged my coach to let me play first base because it was the only infield position that I never played. He eventually let me, and I knew it was perfect for me. Everything came so naturally at first base, so I worked to make it my permanent position on the field. I ended up being a varsity starter at first base. Softball has always taught me to work hard, stay dedicated, and has even improved my teamwork skills. If anyone is thinking about trying softball, I say give it a shot and be prepared for some bruises and jersey tan lines! Stay focused and trust within your coaches and teammates. 

In high school, I had two amazing teachers who really changed my life. They always supported, believed and helped me when I felt no one else did. Throughout high school, I was completely set on going into archeology and was convinced no one could change my mind. One day, I signed up to help tutor some students who were struggling and really enjoyed the feeling of teaching others and seeing them grow academically. Both of my teachers noticed and brought up the idea of going into education. I was nervous at first because teaching is an extremely important job, and I felt that I couldn’t do it. They helped me see that I was capable of doing anything I put my mind to and that I had a natural ability to lead, teach and listen. Without them, I would be on a completely different path. Now I feel as if this is what I was meant to do all along, which is a pretty wonderful feeling. 

Reflections on Teaching in a Pandemic

By Jody Jessup-Anger, Ph.D.

I have had several folks ask about my in-person teaching experience, so I thought I would share in case others are curious.

On Monday I went to campus and taught a 2.75-hour class to 29 students. Below is a picture of each classroom where I am teaching. If you look closely at the auditorium, you will see the yellow dots indicating where students should sit. As students arrived, I announced, “you have to wipe down before you sit down,” and guided them to the wipes that were provided. Although it was awkward, I think it will become normal and students were in agreement that they would wipe their spaces better for themselves than for the next group. I taught in a mask and students all wore masks. At times I found myself inhaling my mask, so I ordered a silicone guard for keep it away from my mouth but still appropriately sealed. During class, students participated in discussion and were easy to understand for the most part. I did try to do a discussion through Microsoft Teams channels and using mic’ed headphones. That didn’t work at all. However, students found that chatting via text through Teams channels worked okay.

auditorium classroom with seats designated for students

Tuesday, I taught a class of 10. I got to my room and immediately noticed it had a note on the door indicating a maximum number of eight students. I texted my department chair, and she quickly found me a new room. I waited for students to arrive and then sent them across campus and then booked it across campus to join them (in the rain). My new room worked fine, and afterward we discovered the sign was wrong, so the room would have been okay.

With two classes under my belt, here are my observations: the campus seemed really well organized and has clear communication about how to maintain social distancing. It was clear that a lot of planning and brain power went into preparing the campus to open. Everyone on campus was wearing a mask. People responded really quickly when problems arose. There was a certain feeling of anxiety in the room when the class started, but it seemed to abate as class went on. If the first week is any indication, I am glad to be teaching on campus. I recognize that choice isn’t possible or desirable for everyone but many of my students are frontline workers who are engaging with the public every day and they are studying colleges and college students. It seems preferable to teach and support them in their space. I imagine we will likely pivot to virtual instruction at some point, which I am prepared to do. For now, I am grateful to build community and engage with students.

Dr. Jessup-Anger is an Associate Professor and the Coordinator of the Student Affairs in Higher Education program in the College of Education.

Getting to Know Our Students: Meet Felicia Homan

This year, we are spending time getting to know our students! You can get to know more of our students and our faculty/ staff on previous posts. Read on to meet Felicia, a graduate student in our Student Affairs in Higher Education program. 

I was born and raised in Janesville, WI. Growing up, I spent a lot of time between good ol’ Wisconsin and visiting family in Mexico. Later, I went to undergrad at Carroll University (not too far from Marquette) and spent a year abroad in Rome, Italy. I moved to Milwaukee about a year ago for the start of my master’s program and to begin my graduate assistantship at UWM.

My husband and I have been married for four years, and we have an old man cat (Howard) and a husky (Lexi). I also have a very close-knit family and I love them dearly.

After undergrad, I spent two years working at UW-Madison in the College of Engineering. When I decided to come back to grad school, I applied to the Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE) program at Marquette, and I will be starting my second (and last!) year come Fall. I’m the graduate assistant for Campus Activities Board at UWM during the academic year. Also, this summer, I’m currently working as a graduate assistant at Marquette with the College of Education SPARK program and at UWM as a graduate assistant working on summer and Fall Welcome events. I love that I get to have so many different experiences in higher ed but it’s been a struggle to transition everything virtual amid the pandemic.

I love the theory-to-practice model within the SAHE program. I get to apply what I’m learning in the classroom to my various experiences in higher ed. This model in conjunction to the cohort model is what drew me to Marquette. Shout out to Orange Cups.

My favorite educational experience was my study abroad program to Rome, Italy. This experience guides me to this day and has sparked my interest in pursuing a career working in international education in higher ed. I also picked up the travel bug while I was at it. This year, I’m very excited to use the knowledge that I’ve gained in my educational program to start tackling the search for full-time employment!

I love to travel and be adventurous! Whether that’s skydiving over the Swiss Alps, cliff-jumping in the Mediterranean, getting lost in a new city, or trying all kids of new foods- my name is written all over it. I’ve been fortunate to be able to travel to 17 countries and I’m always looking for new places to go- you should see my bucket list. My advice for anybody interested in traveling or getting out there is to take the leap. There’s always going to be a reason to not do something and the circumstances may never be perfect, but you have to take a leap of faith that everything will work out but also to be okay with it if they don’t. Don’t live to regret the “what if’s.”

Interested in learning more about our Student Affairs in Higher Education Program? Check us out online or reach out to chat!

 

Getting to Know Our Students: Meet Andrew Hirsh

We’re excited to continue our series getting to know our students. You can get to know more of our students and our faculty/ staff on previous posts. Read on to meet Andrew, one of our undergraduate students!

My name is Andrew Hirsh, and I am entering my senior year at Marquette. I am studying secondary education and broad field science with a minor in chemistry. I am from Buffalo Grove, IL.

As a student, I had the unique opportunity to get hired by Milwaukee Tennis and Education Foundation (MTEF) to be an Academic Instructor. I was able to rewrite the academic lesson plans across disciplines that are a component of their summer tennis camps. I then got to implement facilitating these lessons to students ranging in age from 6-18. It was amazing to work in a non-traditional environment with such a range of students in regards to their previous knowledge and backgrounds. This year, I am looking forward to student teaching this fall in a chemistry classroom at Central High School in West Allis.

My decision to come to Marquette boiled down to my love of the campus and the strength of the College of Education. It is powerfully unique that we are required to get two majors, gain wide exposure to various educational experiences, and begin our field work right away our first semester. These were highly important to my college decision.

Outside of the classroom, I am involved in a lot on campus. I am a percussionist in the MU Band, have been an RA the past two years (and will be in a manager position this fall) in a residence hall, am a Tour Guide for the University, play volleyball as frequently as I can, and enjoy working with prospective students and curriculum planning for the Honors Program.

I think that working in education is such a crucial role for people to fill in society. My opinion is that educators are perhaps the most important profession as they lay the groundwork for any career path that people may take later on in life. Everything any person learns come from a teacher, be it in school or in general, and without them no one would be able to achieve anything in any field of work/study.

Want to learn more about our undergraduate or graduate programs in the College of Education? Visit us online today!

Getting to Know Our Students: Meet Rory Ravenscraft

We’re excited to continue our series getting to know our students. You can get to know more of our students and our faculty/ staff on previous posts. Read on to meet Rory, one of our undergraduates!

I grew up in a small town known as Lexington, Kentucky. This would be my third year living in Milwaukee and my third year living in Chicago since we moved from Lexington. I have a very closeknit family! We spend time together by watching classic movies such as Road to Bali starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope or going for an adventure outdoors. Our favorite place to vacation is Montana where we stay at hot springs and love to go white water rafting down the Yellowstone river, venture to the Livingston rodeo or horseback ride through the mountains.

I am a teaching assistant (TA) for Marquette Universities Physics courses ARSC 1020, ARSC 1021 and PHYS 1009. I love getting to know the students and being able to both teach and support them throughout the semester both inside and outside the classroom. I have had the opportunity to grade papers, exams and worksheets while also having the opportunity to lead a lab section. My main challenge that I have faced as a TA is not being able to give everybody a 100%.

My favorite educational experience was my field placement my sophomore year at Milwaukee Academy of Science which allowed me to accompany my class on a field trip to a nature preserve where I helped several students catch bugs. This was a lot of fun because it reminded me of my childhood in Kentucky when I would do this and I got to face my fear of bees and wasps by catching over 20 of them for their class project.

I am very excited for this upcoming year because I plan to be extremely involved on campus. I am helping co-lead Recruitment and Candidate Day Away for my sorority Alpha Omega Epsilon. I also plan to be the Vice President of the Physics club and continue teaching second grade at the Sunday School of Gesu Parish.

I was drawn to Marquette for several reasons one of which was the feeling of home I felt on campus. My parents and grandfather all went to Marquette, so I felt at home knowing that they had taken some of the same courses and lived in the same residences or walked the same halls as I do today. I felt a strong connection to the College of Education because they offer amazing opportunities and a wonderful support system that other schools cannot even comprehend. I loved that I would start working in schools my freshman year and slowly build up to student teaching through my service learning experiences and field placements. I also loved how small the community within the College of Education is because I felt I could really connect with the faculty, staff and students which has been one of the best parts about choosing Marquette.

I am very outdoorsy and have had horseback riding lessons for nine years, so whenever I have the opportunity to be around horses or ride one I always take the chance. My family used to be a part of the horse racing industry and growing up in Kentucky I was always able to spend time at horse farms so being around horses or riding them makes me feel both free and at home. I am a huge coffee lover and I like to believe I am a fairly talented photographer. I love to sing in the car on my way to Starbucks and I am an avid photographer too! I love practicing photography because I love to capture the beauty in the world and share that beauty with others. A couple of tips: bring your horse some peppermints or carrots so you can grow a closer bond! Make a budget for Starbucks so you don’t blow all your money away (like me) and take pictures of the moments that make you happy so you can keep them forever.

My grandparents and my parents inspire me everyday. My mom is literally a superhero and my father is my rock in my life. I look to them for guidance and support and they give me both in ten fold. My grandparents have always taught me to smile, stay positive and do my best. I take this inspiration with me when I teach and I try to inspire my students to do the same. My parents and my grandparents mean the world to me and they inspire me every day to be myself and be the best that I can be.

Never forget to think positively and be yourself!

Want to learn more about our undergraduate or graduate programs in the College of Education? Visit us online today!

RAD Self-Care

By Dr. Karisse Callender

We spend a lot of time checking in with others around us as our loved ones, friends, colleagues, and community may need us for emotional and physical support. I’m also here to remind you that you need yourself. When you take the time to check in with yourself, you allow yourself to do what is best for your mental and emotional health. What do you need right now? What would help you to feel better? I came up with the RAD approach to help me navigate the start of the year and I continue to find it useful, especially during these challenging times. Here’s a little more information about RAD:

• Regulate: what is one thing you can adjust or change?
• Adopt: what is one thing you can add or include?
• Drop: what is one thing you can remove?

Let’s take a closer look at how you can implement the RAD approach using an example. Let’s say you are feeling increased anxiety and not able to sleep at night, so instead of going to bed you stay up late scrolling online and watching tv. Here’s the RAD approach:

Regulate: “I want to increase the hours I sleep so I want to adjust my sleep time.”

Adopt: “I want to get to bed at an earlier time. Instead of going to bed at 1 am to get up at 6 am, I want to go to bed at 11 pm. I will try to do this, 2 nights a week – Sunday and Monday”

Drop: “I probably should stop watching tv and scrolling online right up until bedtime. I can turn the tv off, or close off social media 5 minutes before bed and sit quietly in my room.”

Remember, self-care is not a selfish act. It is an intentional lifestyle to help you nurture and nourish your body, mind, and soul! It’s flexible and unique to your needs. Take care of yourself. We need you.

Be well.

Dr. Karisse Callender is an Assistant Professor in the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department within the College of Education. Her research focuses on how mindfulness based interventions may improve wellbeing and quality of life. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Dwyane Wade LIVE TO DREAM Summer Reading Program: Reflections from Christine Reinders

Christine Reinders holds a Master of Arts in Literacy and Director of Instruction license from the College of Education. During the academic year, she is the Literacy Specialist at Lake Shore Middle School in the Mequon-Thiensville School District. Since 2016, she has worked with Dr. Kathleen Clark as the Director of Curriculum and Professional Development for the Dwyane Wade LIVE TO DREAM Summer Reading Program in the Hartman Literacy and Learning Center. Although the Center is not running this summer due to COVID-19 restrictions, we asked Christine to share some insights as the LIVE TO DREAM reading program hits its fifth anniversary.

Marquette Educator: What do you see as the benefit to the community (students, children, leadership team)?

Christine Reinders: The Dwyane Wade “Live to Dream” Summer Reading Program is a tremendous gift. The program gives young children, who often feel challenged in the area of literacy, the opportunity to grow in their reading and writing achievement, but also feel success. For many children, our program is the first time they’ve felt success in their academic journey. Once students feel success, they grow more self-confident and more willing to take on new academic challenges. While our program grows students’ reading and writing achievement, which is crucial for success in the 21-century, it also plants the seed of life-long learning.

What is your favorite part of the program?

I love being a part of the ​Dwyane Wade “Live to Dream” Summer Reading Program for many reasons and I cannot identify just one aspect as my favorite. Working alongside my mentor and Director of the Hartman Center, Dr. Kathleen Clark has been very rewarding. Dr. Clark possesses a wealth of knowledge and I continue to grow from her year after year. Additionally, educators participating in the summer reading program are eager to grow in their professional practice, and I love that I am able to share my knowledge and experiences with them. The children are always amazing. Many of the students participating in the Dwyane Wade “Live to Dream” Summer Reading Program feel challenged in the area of literacy. I love and cherish the days when our students begin to feel success as a reader and writer. Suddenly there are more smiles and bouts of laughter, and soon their self-confidence begins to shine through. It’s the most rewarding aspect of the entire summer and I am so fortunate to be a part of it.

What opportunities do you see for the future of the program?

Honestly, the future of the program is contingent on funding. With continued funding, we can continue to strengthen the literacy achievement of children living in the City of Milwaukee. In the future, I would love to use students’ growing strengths in reading and writing to foster learning and growth in other content areas. I dream of developing a social studies and socio-emotional hybrid curriculum that would give students the opportunity to learn about strong leaders and provide them with ways in which they can use their literacy prowess to become a successful leader. I want students to feel that they are valuable members of society that have the power and knowledge to make the world a better place.

Using Mindfulness for Emotion Regulation

By Dr. Karisse Callender

Every day we find ways to cope with challenges and life circumstances, and one part of that is paying attention to how we feel and finding healthy ways to practice emotion regulation. We may feel dysregulated (not able to control emotions appropriately) when we can’t adjust and express our emotions in safe, healthy ways. There are a few things that contribute to emotion dysregulation:

• not knowing how to cope with intense emotions
• an unsupportive environment
• underdeveloped coping skills

It may also be hard to regulate our emotions if we feel flooded (several waves of emotions at the same time, or consistently over some time), and when we believe myths about emotions. Some of these myths include:

• “emotions are bad”
• “showing emotion means I’m weak”
• “I have to be in emotion dysregulation to get what I want”
• “my emotions are who I am – it completely defines me”

Here are some mindful tips for regulating your emotions. Some of these may take some practice, and that’s okay! Remember the important thing about mindfulness is being in the present moment, focusing on one thing at a time, and having full awareness of what is happening around you.

• Name what you feel: pause to identify what you are feeling. Is it anger? Fear? Sadness? Resentment? When you can name it, you can work through it.
• Deep breathing: there’s a lot of power and healing in our breathing. Deep inhales and long, slow exhales help to regulate our bodies and emotions.
• Journaling: when you are feeling overwhelmed, get a piece of paper and write down what you’re thinking. It can be therapeutic to get your thoughts out on paper instead of storing them in your mind.
• Prayer: when you feel your emotions becoming more intense, you can close your eyes (or keep eyes open) and say a calming prayer in your mind. This prayer doesn’t have to be a long one and can be a few words.
• Self-soothing: grounding is a great way to self-soothe. An easy one is to pay attention to what is around you and in your mind, name the things you see. You can also change the temperature – you can grab an ice cube or open the freezer and feel the cool air on your face.
• Movement: you can take a quick walk, go for a run, or jump in place.

Stay well

Dr. Karisse Callender is an Assistant Professor in the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department within the College of Education. Her research focuses on how mindfulness based interventions may improve wellbeing and quality of life. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.