Secondary Education

MA graduate Abigail Goldberg believes teaching leads to stepping stones for change

Anonymous — Wed, 08 May 2024 15:49:11 +0000

MA graduate Abigail Goldberg believes teaching leads to stepping stones for change Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/08/2024 - 09:49

When Abigail Goldberg graduated with her undergraduate degree in anthropology, she was set to pursue a career in death investigating. An unexpected job during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, changed her whole career course and launched her into teaching.

During the pandemic, Goldberg started a job teaching seventh and eighth grade humanities. She loved it so much that she decided to go back to school, so that she could be the best teacher that her students deserved. Goldberg pursued the master’s degree at 91��ý in curriculum and instruction and the humanities education track where she could develop her knowledge of theory, pedagogy and practice. Her commitment to teaching and building her knowledge shined and she was selected as the 2024 Outstanding Graduate in the program.

“At every turn, Abby has demonstrated commitment to her teaching, centering her high school students’ perspectives and building her knowledge of anti-oppressive pedagogy,” said Professor Elizabeth Dutro, one of her award nominators.

Goldberg’s capstone research project looked into the question: “What are the impacts of a no-homework policy on engagement, motivation and well-being in a ninth grade class?” Her project, which included collecting student-centered data such as interviews, focus groups and ethnographic observations, drew on the knowledge that she’s developed in the MA program.

“For me, graduating from 91��ý represents furthering my personal commitments to myself, my students and my community,” said Goldberg.

“I have always been passionate about creating change wherever I could. As a graduate from 91��ý, I have gained another stepping stone of my journey. Even if I am not able to enact big changes, I believe I have gained skills to make small changes in the lives of my students.”

In the fall, Goldberg will continue her teaching journey as a ninth grade human development and history teacher.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I am originally from the Chicago area. I started my journey with a bachelor's degree in anthropology. After an internship at a coroner's office, I had every intent to pursue a career in death investigating, until COVID-19 hit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was offered a job teaching seventh and eighth grade humanities. Although not my original career goal, I absolutely fell in love with it. I decided in order to be the best teacher I wanted to be, I needed to go back to school. Following my parents out to the beautiful city of Boulder, I soon applied and was accepted to 91��ý.”

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

Of the many lessons I learned during my time at 91��ý, the most significant one was the importance of having a commitment to equity and promoting change. As members of the education community, it is important to use our knowledge to better our communities.”

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you or your family/community?

For me, graduating from 91��ý represents furthering my personal commitments to myself, my students and my community. I have always been passionate about creating change wherever I could. As a graduate from 91��ý, I have gained another stepping stone of my journey. Even if I am not able to enact big changes, I believe I have gained skills to make small changes in the lives of my students.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

My advice for incoming students would be to really dive into what interests you, what excites you and what scares you. There are so many unique and thrilling experiences and courses at 91��ý. Step out of your comfort zone and follow your passions.”

What are your next steps after graduation?

My next steps include continuing my work as a ninth grade human development and history teacher!”

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Meet Shay Adamo, a math teacher spreading kindness and creativity

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 04:09:51 +0000

Meet Shay Adamo, a math teacher spreading kindness and creativity Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/27/2023 - 22:09

Shay Adamo is following in the footsteps of a family full of educators and 91��ý alumni as he looks forward to becoming a math teacher who helps his students unleash their creativity and kindness.

Adamo has developed into an excellent educator through the disposition he brings to learning about the practice of teaching and his sincerity towards meeting the needs of students, and he has been selected at the 2023 outstanding graduate for the CU Teach program in the School of Education. Adamo has demonstrated a remarkable attitude towards learning about and implementing effective educational practices and strategies in his work, often going above and beyond to leverage and apply new ideas and approaches within math education, his faculty nominators noted.

Additionally, Adamo has shown a genuine interest in understanding the needs of his students and then striving to ensure they have the supports they need to be successful. His disposition and experience with be a valuable asset to his school, students, and community, as he is committed to continuously learn, improve his practice, and find inspiration in his students.

“My passion for teaching is to help students unlock their strengths and spread the kindness that I know they all have,” he said. “I am inspired by them and want to work hard so that they can continue to inspire others like they do me.”

In his own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in a rural village just outside of Steamboat Springs. For me I was inspired to go to 91��ý by my own teachers in Steamboat who expressed their love for the 91��ý education program in an indescribable way. It made CU an easy choice for me. :)"

What is one of the lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

The 91��ý education program gave me SO many opportunities to be in the classroom and meet different teachers. Through the step program I got to see all grade levels and gained more of and understanding about the ages I wanted to work with. And in the latter programs I got to experience so many different teaching styles first hand so that I could figure out what I wanted to do when I got my own classroom.”

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you and/or your community?

I come from family full of educators, and graduating from 91��ý means that I can do what my grandma, aunts and uncles did before me. I feel so proud to be able to make a positive impact on the future generations of this world, just like they did.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

This can be a new beginning, try new experiences and put your heart into that which you love! The more you put in to your classes, clubs and adventures, the more impactful they will be on your future self. Cherish each memory and show kindness through it all.”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

I became a teacher because I was inspired by the creativity, ingenuity and kindness that all children have within them. My passion for teaching is to help students unlock their strengths and spread the kindness that I know they all have. I am inspired by them and want to work hard so that they can continue to inspire others like they do me.”

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Centering representation and social justice in her home community, meet Maymuna Jeylani

Anonymous — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 22:07:29 +0000

Centering representation and social justice in her home community, meet Maymuna Jeylani Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/27/2023 - 16:07

As a first-generation college student and Somali-American Muslim woman, Maymuna Jeylani set out to find a major and career path where she could focus on anti-racist, intersectional, impactful work.

Now the 2023 outstanding graduate of the Secondary Humanities Teacher Licensure Program, Jeylani plans to use her experiences as a Black woman to help understand and dismantle sexism, racism, classism, and homophobia in her classroom. With a position lined up for fall as a middle school English language arts teacher in Aurora, Colorado – returning to the community where she grew up – she looks forward to supporting students of any ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, and ability so that they feel represented in their coursework

Jeylani was in 10^th grade when she encountered her first Black teacher, but she knows that’s too late. She hopes to help provide experiences and representation that her students need.

As a student and educator, Jeylani exemplifies the Secondary Humanities Teacher Licensure program commitments to teaching for equity and justice, her nominators and program faculty said.

“In the university classroom, her diligence, attention to detail, and high standards led to work that was thoughtful, thorough, and crafted with care,” they said. “The unit plan she generated in her Methods One course was simply outstanding. Growing from her interest in learning more about African American Vernacular English and her desire to question and address linguistic inequities in classroom spaces, she designed a series of lessons guided by thoughtful essential questions and defined by learning experiences that inform, challenge, and inspire students.”

In her student-teaching placement, Jeylani demonstrates an impressive capacity for designing and implementing high interest, culturally affirming lessons that encourage high school students to think critically and carefully.

Highly reflective, introspective, and self-aware, Jeylani creates classroom spaces where students see themselves in their learning – whether they are sharing personal narratives or engaging in discussions about identity and intersectionality. She holds critical insights around systems of schooling, how those systems impact her students, and how to ensure that her students feel seen and heard in their day-to-day schooling experiences.

In her own words:

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I am a first-generation college student and Somali-American Muslim woman from Aurora, CO. I struggled to find a major and potential career path at this predominantly white institution of 91��ý. My family had made it clear to me they wanted me to pursue STEM or a career path that makes money so I do not struggle financially like I did growing up. But, I found myself immersed in the teachings of Black Feminist scholars and their pedagogy. I was not interested in participating in capitalism. I knew my life’s work had to be social justice-oriented and to take part in dismantling white supremacy by doing alternative, anti-racist, intersectional, on-the-ground work. In my K-12 education, my most impactful teachers were my English teachers yet, I did not have my first Black teacher until 10th grade and the only other one in 12th. That is too late. I do not want students to see their first Black teacher in high school or college. Students' identities should be reflected in their teachers. My unique position as a Black woman allows me to understand sexism, racism, classism, and homophobia. I am very capable of relating to almost any student I come across and I realized that is what my previous teachers did. My commitment and interest in teaching stem from this deeply personal place. In this learning process right now, I’m dedicated to learning how to teach students of any ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, ability, etc, and have those students feel represented in the images I show, the history I teach, and the writings I quote. I joined the Secondary Humanities Education Licensure Program to be mentored by Black teachers and one day teach Black students in my class."

What is one of the lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

I joined Dr. Awon Atuire’s ETHN 3102 Pan-African Leadership and Cultural Studies with a 10-day Global Intensive in Accra and Cape Coast, Ghana in May 2022. This was one of the most transforming and culturally relevant experiences I have had in terms of social justice, my time at 91��ý, and in my life as a whole. Firstly, due to the study abroad costs, misconceptions, and ignorance of Africa at CU and in Boulder, I was one of four students who had registered for the class. CU threatened to cancel the class due to low enrollment and my classmates and I took on the challenge of getting the class to ten students. We circulated flyers I designed, did social media outreach, did outreach within the university (advisors, departments, organizations/programs, professors, etc), and pushed the Ethnic Studies Department to give students scholarships and Study Abroad to cut down the expenses for a class full of students of color and first-generation students. During the semester, I read the Love for Liberation African Independence, Black Power, and a Diaspora Underground By Robin J. Hayes and watched documentaries like Eyes on the Prize - America's Civil Rights Movement, LUMUMBA, and more to learn more about social justice figures and the way issues have been tackled in Black communities in and out of the United States. This experience had personal diasporic meanings for me being Black and Somali. The class embarked on a literacy support praxis project where I communicated with the headmistress of Wesley Girls Junior Secondary School in Cape Coast, Ghana. Our focus was supporting young women’s literacy, the joy of reading, empowerment, health, and education through fundraising to buy books that portray Black, African, and Ghanaian main characters and stories that Black, African and Ghanaian authors wrote. I asked what the students wanted and did not push any agenda onto them. The girls already had an expansive literacy that we wanted to support. We raised over 2,000 USD through a GoFundMe as well as got donations from the Denver Public Library, and bought games, soccer balls, jump ropes, board games, etc. Additionally, we donated to build bookcases. We read with them, played games, played netball, went into their classrooms, sang songs, etc, and learned from the girls and community. Alongside achieving this goal on this Global Intensive, I was impacted by how much I learned at the Cape Coast and Elmina Slave Dungeons, markets, traditional food, African drumming and dancing lessons by a master drummer, cultural immersion, peer bonding, deep reflection, and more.”

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you and/or your community?

My decision to attend 91��ý after high school was a decision foreshadowed by high anxiety and stress of leaving my lived reality of Blackness and Somali culture to drop into the white rich Boulder bubble. At CU, I have experienced micro and macro aggressions, tokenism, inappropriate assignments, and astounding white privilege. CU is not home or a place of refuge. Graduating from 91��ý represents the way I stayed alive at CU by taking coursework and being in a community that represents myself and my lived experiences. My goal was to survive but instead I thrived. I received the college education my refugee parents who fled war-torn Somali, pushed for. My being at CU was an act of resistance. I hope my experiences and presence made room for the next students who look like me.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

It's okay to not know what you want to study or what career you want right away. I felt lost because I did not have an idea what I was going to do but it all works out! Do not be afraid to follow your passions or interests, even if people say you won't make money or look down on it. ”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

Building meaningful relationships and being in community with Black people! striving for an equitable and radical future!”

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With trust and compassion, Kassidy Whittemore connects with students

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 20:32:13 +0000

With trust and compassion, Kassidy Whittemore connects with students Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/14/2023 - 14:32

Even though COVID-19 drastically changed schooling the semester Kassidy Whittemore decided to change her major from political science to history and pursue teacher licensure, she found that teaching and working with students was her true passion.

“I remember thinking to myself, ‘what if I wake up one day and realize I don't want to do science?’” she said. “Funny enough, that is exactly what happened.”

She changed her major to history with a minor in political science and enrolled in teacher licensure classes, and the rest is, well, history. Now a middle school teacher, she brings joy, compassion, and criticality to her work, and she has been selected as the Secondary Humanities MA+ licensure program’s 2023 Outstanding Graduate.

“I feel very lucky to be a part of this program and am grateful I was able to complete both my BA and my MA at CU,” said the Colorado Springs-born graduate.

Curious and passionate, Whittemore poses questions that challenge her classmates while maintaining humility and dedication to her own learning. When planning lessons, she considers different viewpoints, perspectives, and the diversity of her students.

Whittemore makes the content of U.S. history meaningful to her students’ lives and intentionally designs lessons that allow students to examine, question, and complicate common historical narratives. During a unit on the Revolutionary War, for example, she showcased untold stories of the Revolution, and she always creates lessons with consideration of the multiple preferences, strengths, and needs of learners.

Whittemore uses trust and compassion to build relationships with students outside of the classroom, and she immerses herself in the school community through participation in co-curricular activities and special projects and chaperoning a school dance.

“It is not uncommon to see students spending their lunch period in Kassidy and her mentor teacher’s classroom, reading, chatting, and playing games on their Chromebooks,” her faculty nominators said.

“Kassidy is a continual learner and reflective educator. She critically reflects upon her practice as she considers the role of power, privilege, and positioning in education and how teachers and students can act as agents of change.”

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

CU was originally not my first choice for undergrad, but it was for graduate school. I am from Colorado Springs, and I originally thought I wanted to be an engineer and attend Colorado School of Mines. When I received my acceptance to CU for undergrad, though, I knew that I needed to go there instead. I remember thinking to myself, "what if I wake up one day and realize I don't want to do science?" Funny enough, that is exactly what happened. I ended up switching to a history major, and had political science as a minor. My sophomore year, I decided to try out education classes because of an RA coworker of mine (Sophie Friedman, who won this award for the STEM side of our program) told me all about her work with students. Although COVID shut things down that same semester, I knew I wanted to go into teaching and working with students. I did research and found that the MA+ program was the best fit for me, and with the support of various CU professors, I was accepted into the program. I feel very lucky to be a part of this program and am grateful I was able to complete both my BA and my MA at CU."

What is one of the lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

A lesson that I will take with me into the next chapter of my life is to enjoy things while you have them. I have seen CU in many stages, meaning I went here before, during, and after COVID shutdowns. I have also been able to accomplish many big things while attending CU, like growing in my residence life position, making lifelong friends, and being accepted into the MA+ program! Through all of these big life moments and the ups and downs of the world in general, I have realized how important it is to savor the time I have had here even though it is coming to a close. While this part of my life cannot last forever, I've learned to be thankful it all even happened in the first place.”

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you and/or your community?

Graduating from CU this year means a lot to my family and I. All of my schooling and my performance has been supported by my Mom, my brother, Max, my sister, Becca, and my boyfriend, Jacob. I have also been greatly supported by my close friends and my MA+ classmates throughout my time at CU. Graduating this year is the culmination of the support I have received from all of the people close to me in my life. I have been very lucky to have these people surrounding me and am proud to represent them and their support upon graduating.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

It is ok to lean on others and ask for help when you need it. Whether you are looking to your friends, your classmates, or your professors, they are always going to be there to assist you in whatever you need. Sometimes life gets stressful, and you may not know what to do or how to approach things- this is when you can look to the people who truly want to see you succeed for help on what to do next. I was always someone who tried to avoid asking for help or for guidance, but the community amongst staff and students in the School of Education is one that encourages getting support. .”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

Being able to see my students every day and see them grow over the school year is what drives my passion for my work now, and I know it will continue to drive me in the future. The best part of working with students is seeing them light up while participating in discussions and when they make connections between the things we learn. This year I feel that I have been able to help students get more comfortable and confident in doing both of those things. The students' growth in social studies has been apparent over this year, and I look forward to seeing that in my students in the upcoming years.”

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Meet Alexis Harris, a lifelong learner with an infectious sense of curiosity

Anonymous — Mon, 02 May 2022 20:01:53 +0000

Meet Alexis Harris, a lifelong learner with an infectious sense of curiosity Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/02/2022 - 14:01

Alexis Harris embodies the School of Education and Humanities Teacher Licensure Program’s commitment to teaching for equity and justice.

Harris has been named the 2022 Outstanding Graduate in the Secondary Humanities Teacher Licensure Program for the ways she shows up, head and heart, each week and is always open to unlearning and engaging in critical self-reflection.

My mom likes to call me a "professional student," because I absolutely love learning and could be in the classroom forever if I had the opportunity (in a way, I do!). My passion will continue on because I have a drive for learning, but also because I have felt so fulfilled in my experience so far. Student teaching and the relationships that I formed with students keep me so so excited for the future."

Her faculty nominators contend she has consistently been a stellar student who shows up, and as a classroom educator, Harris is an impeccable planner, remaining mindful of her deeply felt equity aims in each and every learning experience she designs.

“Her lessons are creative, thoughtful, and grounded in student experiences, interests, and needs,” her nominators state. “Her impressive ability to foster opportunities to build relationships with students in the enactment of these lessons results in the creation of a classroom community in which students are both challenged and nurtured.

“Alexis has grown into a powerful educator, one who invites students to consider and critique dominant narratives designed to do harm and supports them in building alternatives designed to imagine a new, different, and more just world.”

Harris’ humility, passion, and unwavering commitment to young people make her an extraordinary educator and graduate with promising future.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself I'm from Colorado Springs, Colorado. I've wanted to be a teacher since I was in kindergarten! My kindergarten teacher was a huge role model for me and always went beyond the traditional responsibilities of a teacher. As I went through middle and high school, I started exploring what I wanted to do and drifted away from the idea of teaching. I explored anatomy in hopes of becoming a doctor and physics in hopes of becoming an engineer. In those classes, I never really found true passion or joy. But across all of the classes I explored, the one common thread that I found was that I loved getting to tutor other students. Seeing that lightbulb go off when I explain something will always be an awesome experience for me.”

What is one of the lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

I have learned so much over the course of my four years at CU, but the biggest thing that I have learned is that learning never ends! My educational experience will not stop when I leave campus, and I want to keep the same sense of curiosity for the world that I have always had. There are always new ideas, perspectives, and lessons to learn, and I will always be searching those out. As my favorite quote form Bill Nye goes, "Everyone you will ever meet knows something that you don't". I want to maintain this in my classroom, and really just my life in general.”

What does graduating from 91��ý represent for you and/or your community?

I am a first generation college student, so it really represents a really cool moment for us. For me, it both signals an end but also a new beginning. It is bittersweet, but I am excited for what's to come.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Form relationships—with new friends, faculty members, professors, experts in the field. Those relationships are what keep you going when you hit hard times in this college experience. You will always have people in your corner, and it is important to rememeber we're not alone in this!”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

My mom likes to call me a "professional student," because I absolutely love learning and could be in the classroom forever if I had the opportunity (in a way, I do!). My passion will continue on because I have a drive for learning, but also because I have felt so fulfilled in my experience so far. Student teaching and the relationships that I formed with students keep me so so excited for the future.”

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Meet Corey Ferraro, extraordinary educator in extraordinary circumstances and beyond

Anonymous — Wed, 05 May 2021 23:36:04 +0000

Meet Corey Ferraro, extraordinary educator in extraordinary circumstances and beyond Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/05/2021 - 17:36

Corey Ferraro had his sights set on two things: becoming a teacher and attending the University of Colorado Boulder. The Master’s Plus Teacher Licensure program in the School of Education allowed him to check both of those boxes in just one year.

Becoming a teacher is a life change I have wanted for many years. Finally putting myself in the position to do this is a dream come true."

“It has been a desire of mine to get into teaching for several years,” said Ferraro, who grew up in Trinidad, Colorado. “Finally, last year I decided to make the attempt for my Masters + Certification. I have wanted to attend the University of Colorado from a very early age and finally being able to do so was an amazing experience. Graduating from CU represents a massive accomplishment for me.”

Not only is Ferraro graduating, but he has also been named the Outstanding Graduate for the MA+ program in Humanities Education, one-year immersive graduate program that leads to both a master’s degree and teacher licensure in English language arts or social studies teaching.

Ferraro’s professors commend his embodiment of the program’s commitment to teaching for equity and justice.

“Inquisitive and reflective, Corey is an exemplary student who embraces every learning opportunity and considers always how what he is learning applies to his work as an educator,” said Wendy Glenn, professor of Literacy Studies and chair for the Secondary Humanities program. “He pushes himself and his classmates to think more critically about course content and brings a positive, yet realistic, outlook to his work.”

The immersive program features a summer start and student teaching along with coursework during both fall and summer semesters. As a student teacher, Ferraro holds a deep sense of care for his students, and he draws upon his commitments to social justice to create a transformative and affirming classroom space.

“Corey is the type of teacher that students approach easily,” Glenn said. “He works with students to uncover the many unspoken complicated truths that exist inside them and the history books. It is inspiring to see Corey's students making their own apps to conceptualize the Industrial Revolution or analyzing historical art.”

Throughout what has been such a difficult year for many educators, Ferraro has demonstrated grace and positivity in his education courses and student-teaching classrooms. He will also draw on the connections he made in his program as he leads his own classroom next year.

“The greatest experience was being involved with such an amazing cohort of peers and an outstanding group of teachers,” he said. “Our program feels like a family, and I appreciate the relationships I have made and look forward to collaborating with this outstanding group for years to come.”

All combined, Ferraro is an extraordinary educator under extraordinary circumstances and beyond.

“Becoming a teacher is a life change I have wanted for many years,” he said. “Finally putting myself in the position to do this is a dream come true.”

What graduation means to Corey

Graduating from CU represents a massive accomplishment for me. I wanted to attend the University of Colorado from a very early age and finally being able to do so was an amazing experience. Becoming a teacher is a life change I have wanted for many years. Finally putting myself in the position to do it is a dream come true.”

Corey’s special thanks

First, I would like to thank my family! My wife Lindsey inspires me to reach for more and fully supports me.Second, I would like to thank the amazing School of Education faculty and staff. Israel is the best Academic Advisor out there. Wendy, Bethy, Sara, Kent, Andrea, Ben, Chelsea, and Dan are the dream team of teacher education! You all made this experience amazing. Thank you."

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Daniela Harton, a future teacher with justice and equity at heart

Anonymous — Mon, 11 May 2020 16:45:56 +0000

Daniela Harton, a future teacher with justice and equity at heart Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/11/2020 - 10:45

With a heart for social justice, Daniela Harton kept coming back to a career in education.

The Fort Collins native moved to Washington, D.C. to attend George Washington University as an undergraduate majoring in Human Services and Social Justice, a major that introduced her to a number of education roles. She found herself supporting after school programs, working more directly with classes and designing social studies enrichment lessons, and completing a summer job with the Colorado Education Association, where she first began to see herself as a teacher.

"It was after this experience that I knew that I wanted to be a public school teacher, and I wanted to find a program that had justice and equity at its heart," said the Outstanding Graduate in Secondary Humanities.

Harton is earning her Master's degree in education plus teacher licensure in the social studies program. Throughout the immersive one-year program, she has demonstrates an impressive capacity for designing and implementing high interest, culturally responsive lessons that encourage students to think critically and carefully. She anticipates and addresses potential frustrations before they arise, listens carefully and responds thoughtfully to student comments and insights, and challenges students to question their own assumptions about themselves and their world—all while inspiring a passion for Social Studies. As a student teacher, Harton supported students in completing a problem-based learning project centered on the Industrial Revolution called “Killer Goods and Services,” and she facilitated the learning of teams of students as they generated, researched, and participated in café-style presentations to panelists from around the U.S.

Get to know Outstanding Secondary Humanities Graduate Daniela Harton:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at 91��ý that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

With my next chapter being that of a secondary teacher, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to bring the lessons that I have learned in graduate school into the classroom with students of my own. What comes to mind right now, is the question: “What counts as normal?” In my Queer(ing) Topics in Education class this last semester, my professor Bethy Leonardi always guided us to come back to that question. We often grappled with the idea of “normal” and how the systems that are in place today often paint a picture of normal-- but one that is far less complex, beautiful, or meaningful, than the reality of being human. I am excited to bring this question, and others, into my classroom as a way to allow my students to be agents of their own learning as capable young adults. I believe curiosity is essential to learning, and I am excited to center curiosity in my own classroom.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

The best piece of advice I have for incoming students is to invest in the relationships and people that make CU, CU. I have been blown away by the love that the faculty and my peers have for learning and feel inspired to continue this work because I know that the folks who are as committed to this fight as I am are incredible. Take the time to grab coffee before class, go to office hours just to chat, put together drop-in happy hours-- these are some of my favorite memories from CU, and have helped grow friendships that I hope will come with me far beyond this degree!

What does graduating from graduate school represent for you?

Graduating with my MA+ represents a really exciting new beginning for me! I have been looking forward to teaching and working in education for many years now, and finally graduating and being able to begin my career in the field feels really validating. I am really looking forward to continuing to grow as an educator (and as a human), and I feel really grateful for the foundation my Masters coursework and peers helped me to build over my time at CU.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

I believe really deeply that every student deserves an excellent education, and I am driven by the idea that I will be able to spend my career working to make this a reality for more students. I hope to apply what I have learned so far to the classroom as a teacher, while continuing to question and incrementally dismantle the systems that favor some children over others. I am a learner first, so I feel so grateful to be entering a profession where curiosity and exploration are at the core of my day-to-day, and my own growth as an educator is something I can work at everyday. This work is so important, and I am driven to contribute to the betterment of the education system for all students.

With a heart for social justice, Daniela Harton kept coming back to a career in education. As an undergraduate majoring in Human Services and Social Justice, she found herself working for after-school programs and then the Colorado Education Association. Soon, she began to see herself as a teacher.

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