Education

CU's Precollegiate Development Program Celebrates its 40th Anniversary

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

CU's Precollegiate Development Program Celebrates its 40th Anniversary Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

This July, ��񱦵�’s Precollegiate Development Program (PCDP) celebrates its 40-year anniversary. The program gives social and academic resources to Colorado middle and high school students — particularly first-generation students who live in geographically diverse communities — to help them prepare and succeed at the post-secondary institution of their choice.

Over the past 40 years, PCDP has helped approximately 1,800 student and family participants from 60 middle and high schools. Ninety-eight percent of them attended college (73 percent at ��񱦵�). In 2003, the program’s success led to a partnership with the Roaring Fork Valley School District to create the state’s first rural precollegiate partnership program. In 2009, ��񱦵� helped create a similar program in Colorado’s Summit County School District.

Here, five PCDP alumni speak out about their experiences.

Tyler Ting (BioChem; MechEngr’15)
Director of Regulatory Affairs at Avio Medtech Consulting
Carbondale, Colorado

“The precollegiate program gave me a lot of confidence that, despite the fact I was a first-generation student, I would have the tools and resources to succeed. Also, I was introduced to two of my lifelong mentors, Herb and Kate Feinzig, through the program.”

Hon. Joseph A. Salazar (Soc’93)
Chief Legal Counsel for Adams 14 School District
Thornton Colorado

“The first day of the summer program, my dad expressed his astonishment that his son was going to attend college classes at ��񱦵�. He hadn’t finished high school. He was a printer. He grew up in the San Luis Valley, Denver and Brighton. What did he know about this world? His first visit was my third, and I saw myself in his expressions. I was so damn happy that my dad was excited about this journey. My mama was excited, too. She is a fiercely strong woman, and she was my guiding light to seize this moment and do something with it.”

Estefania Vigil (Acct’13)
Financial Reporting and Technical Accounting Wenior Manager at EY
Basalt, Colorado

“The program provided me with the resources necessary to make attending a higher education institution an attainable goal, as well as provided a lifelong mentor whom I can still call upon for advice. I also currently hold a position on the precollegiate advisory board as it instilled in me the desire to pay it forward in the form of mentorship.”

Wenming Ye (CompSci’99; MS’00)
Senior Product Manager Lead for Google Cloud
Boulder, Colorado

“My family immigrated to the United States in 1992. We lived off Folsom Street, and I was curious about college life and research work that was done at ��񱦵�. The PCDP program provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the university system, enabling me to navigate the campus more effectively two years later. Most notably, it led to a system administration job with the director of the Center for Integrated Plasma Studies, where I developed a keen interest in high-performance computing systems. This interest played a crucial role in securing positions with the Microsoft HPC team and later at Microsoft Research, where I developed strong interest in machine learning and deep learning.”

Nicole Lucero-Holub (OrgMgmt’93)
Vice President of Human Resources for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Englewood, Colorado

“PCDP gave me the opportunity to experience the challenges of college-level coursework, prepare for the ACT and gain exposure to campus living. I had comfort knowing that I wasn't alone on campus as there were other PCDP graduates and friends, program staff and mentors, and not to mention Hispanic alumni that I’d get to meet at alumni events. … My mom always taught me that through my success I have a responsibility to pay it forward to our Hispanic community. After my freshman year in college, I became a counselor at the CU Denver Precollegiate program in 1989.”

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Illustrations by Ryan Olbyrsh

This July, ��񱦵�’s Precollegiate Development Program (PCDP) gives social and academic resources to Colorado middle and high school students — particularly first-generation students who live in geographically diverse communities — to help them prepare and succeed at the post-secondary institution of their choice.

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CU Wizards Bring Magic to the Science Classroom

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

CU Wizards Bring Magic to the Science Classroom Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Jessica Winter

One Saturday per month throughout the academic year, children and their families gather at ��񱦵� to witness the magic of science — hosted by the university’s very own “wizards.”

The CU Wizards program, a free science-education experience for children, unofficially began in the late 1970s and early 1980s when CU physics professor John Taylor, the original “Mr. Wizard,” started presenting two to three children’s science shows each year on campus. Eventually, he began traveling to Colorado schools and presenting his science shows up to 20 times per year.

In 1987, after years of sharing his passion for science with others, Taylor handed the torch to CU professor David Nesbitt, a Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) fellow and current director of CU Wizards. Since that time, the program has expanded in funding, frequency and faculty. The monthly show typically boasts over 400 attendees and has been attended by more than 100,000 children and family members over the past 37 years.

“The shows have a different sort of energy than a kids-only class because parents also participate,” said the program’s coordinator Candice Brown in an article she penned for NIST on CU Wizards. “It’s the perfect combination — an enthusiastic young audience plus the [adults] who get the chance to be kids again — all eager, curious and interested in learning.”

While the program has grown and flourished under the leadership of Nesbitt, the “Chief Wizard,” it is still centered on Taylor’s philosophy of science education: we cannot have science without joy.

“Joy and curiosity are the fundamental reasons each of us studies science,” said Nesbitt. “Kids are naturally curious and excited about learning new things. CU Wizards is a perfect venue for professors and their graduate students to expose young scientific minds to their own joy and delight in science.”

And the program does more than entertain — it’s also helping children to view themselves as scientists. In a 2022 survey of 120 adults and children who have attended presentations, 84 percent responded that CU Wizards allowed children to better identify with scientists.

Nesbitt describes the program as “running on a special kind of magic: the goodwill of a fantastic community.” From the professors who volunteer time to prepare the presentations, to the staff, postdocs and students, CU Wizards involves a whole community dedicated to sharing the magic of science.

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Photos courtesy CU Wizards

For over three decades, CU Wizards has engaged and informed children about the wonders of science.

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InsideU Helps Kids & Caregivers Build Emotional Literacy

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

InsideU Helps Kids & Caregivers Build Emotional Literacy Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Kelsey Yandura

“Have you ever thought about what’s going on inside your head?”

It’s no small question — and the first one school-aged users are asked to contemplate in episode one of InsideU, a web-based app that uses Pixar’s Inside Out as a platform for social-emotional learning.

Over the course of four animated episodes, a character dubbed “the Mind Worker” guides kids through real-world scenarios. Characters like Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust offer common language and frameworks to build emotional awareness in children and their caregivers.

“It's a platform for understanding some of our most difficult moments,” said Sam Hubley, an assistant research professor with ��񱦵�’s Renée Crown Wellness Institute, whose vision for InsideU began nearly a decade ago with the release of the movie.

Hubley and his team at the Crown Institute have spent years in partnership with Pixar Animation Studios and the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver to create an accessible and free experience that is also fun.

“We wanted something that could be used in schools, as well as in less formal settings like after-school programs,” said Hubley. “I give this to six-year-olds who've never seen it and, within 10 seconds, they know exactly how to start playing.”

According to Marie Olivett, director of mental health programming at the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver, the app has become a vital part of their after-school programming.

“Technology is the language of kids,” said Olivett. “InsideU is very experiential and helps them gain control of how they want to make decisions in a way that's really empowering.”

Julia Zigarelli, deputy director of the Crown Institute, has seen tremendous results upon implementation.

“I could see a hundred clients in my office, but we'd never be able to reach this many kids at such a deep level,” said Zigarelli. “That accessibility and reach is really exciting to me. Our hope is that it reaches as many kids as possible.”

��񱦵�’s Renée Crown Wellness Institute has partnered with Pixar to launch a web-based application that can help kids better understand their emotions.

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Five Questions with Maggie Grout

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Five Questions with Maggie Grout Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/10/2023 - 00:00

Alexx McMillan

3D-Printed Schools

Maggie Grout (Mgmt’21) is the founder and CEO of Thinking Huts, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing global access to education by constructing 3D-printed schools where they are needed most. In close partnership with the local community, Thinking Huts constructed its first school in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, in 2022. Inspired by a conversation with her dad, Maggie first conceptualized Thinking Huts when she was just 15 years old.

Can you tell me about your “why” behind Thinking Huts?

I was born in a poor rural village in China, and can relate to many of the people we are serving. I often think of how unfair it is that thousands of miles away there is a girl just like me — with the same capabilities, drive and passion — but because she did not have access to education, she now faces a drastically different life without a choice over her home life or career.

Why 3D printing?

3D printing allows us to build schools in a fraction of the time. The three main benefits are speed, scalability and strength. Through thoughtful applications of technology, we can create holistic solutions that lift economies and break the cycle of poverty.

How are you partnering with the local community in Fianarantsoa?

We worked with EMIT, a university in Fianarantsoa, to build on their existing campus and form a long-term partnership to eventually employ their STEM students. Wherever we operate, it is important that we are both needed and welcomed by the community. It is also important that we work respectfully alongside our local workers and the community feels like part of our Thinking Huts family because we are truly invested in their success.

Do you have a favorite moment from Fianarantsoa?

My favorite was the day we opened our school in celebration with the community on April 14, 2022, and planted a bougainvillea vine, which symbolizes our promise to increase access to education as long as we are able and our commitment to growing stronger as each year passes by.

What is next for you and for Thinking Huts?

Our beehive-inspired Honeycomb Campus, consisting of multiple connecting hexagonal huts, is next on the horizon. Also located in Madagascar, it will be the world’s first 3D-printed school campus and will serve three villages on the west coast with students aged 4 to 16. Beyond the school building, we are incorporating solar power, water, WiFi and toilets to ensure that the community thrives beyond our involvement.

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Photos courtesy Maggie Grout

Maggie Grout is the founder and CEO of Thinking Huts, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing global access to education by constructing 3D-printed schools.

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History Updated

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

History Updated Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Steve Neumann

When it comes to expanding how social studies is taught in the classroom, teacher educator Noreen Nasseem Rodriguez counsels a defined educational vision, clear and honest communication and a strong dose of hope.

Noreen Naseem Rodriguez, assistant professor in ��񱦵�'s School of Education

In the introduction to Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, the American theologian Richard Shaull wrote that there is “no such thing as a neutral educational process.” He wrote that “education either functions as an instrument that is used to facilitate the integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system,” or it becomes “the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality.”

Noreen Naseem Rodriguez, an assistant professor in the School of Education at ��񱦵�, is preparing the next generation of teachers to shepherd their students through a rapidly changing educational landscape — one mired in controversies about teaching critical race theory, addressing gender identity in the classroom and what to include in or exclude from U.S. history classes — while making sure both students and teachers are able to deal “critically and creatively with reality.”

“Oftentimes, it’s the adults that are uncomfortable with these topics, not the kids,” Rodriguez said. “Kids just want to know, they want to understand the people around them, and they want to understand the world.”

Anti-Oppressive Social Studies

Last year, Rodriguez — who spent nine years as a primary school teacher in Texas — teamed up with Katy Swalwell, a fellow teacher educator, to publish a textbook, Social Studies for a Better World, after years of being dissatisfied with other textbooks. The overarching goal of the book is to offer advice for teaching controversial issues in the classroom and how to avoid potential repercussions.

“The last chapter is about how to do this work without getting fired,” Rodriguez said. “There’s this constant fear of upsetting people.”

Rodriguez acknowledges there is no guarantee a school or district will support what she calls an “anti-oppressive” social studies curriculum, an approach that takes into account the power differentials in society that perpetuate inequality and oppression.

Rodriguez’s interest in an anti-oppressive social studies approach developed after she participated in the Tejano History Curriculum Project, a program focused on expanding curricula to include people of Mexican descent living in Texas for many generations.

The existing state curriculum relies on settlers like Davy Crockett, glossing over significant histories from when Texas was a part of Mexico.

“Every single student, regardless of their race or their ethnicity, was all about learning this history that no one else knew — and I was learning right alongside with them,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez notes that some school administrators, community members and even colleagues might see such efforts as a dangerous threat to their authority or the status quo.

So it makes sense that the last chapter begins with advice that is foundational and motivational: Teachers should never stop believing that a better world is possible, nor stop imagining how circumstances, policies and practices can improve.

While Rodriguez is clear that teachers shouldn’t see themselves as saviors, she said, they need to be aware of the current challenges and harms that kids face. And she acknowledges it’s much easier if teachers know there are others on their side. Teachers are encouraged to think of students’ families as “their people,” especially those families that have long been demanding something better for their children.

For those families that might not understand or support anti-oppressive education, Rodriguez emphasizes the need for educators to be clear about their vision for social studies and to regularly communicate with colleagues, families and administrators about what they and their students are up to — and why.

Lastly, Rodriguez emphasizes that educators need to make time for their own continual growth, so they’re prepared for future challenges.

“Ultimately, this is about our democracy,” Rodriguez added. “You can’t prepare students to function in a democracy if they don’t understand people who are different from them and don’t know how to engage with them in productive ways.”

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Photo by Matt Tyrie

From tackling controversial subjects in the classroom, teacher educator Noreen Nasseem Rodriguez counsels a defined educational vision, clear and honest communication and a strong dose of hope.

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CU Engage Inspires Local Legacies

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 06:00:00 +0000

CU Engage Inspires Local Legacies Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/11/2022 - 00:00

Patricia Kaowthumrong

Enihs Medrano (Soc’23) never envisioned herself serving in local government until a program for young people opened her eyes to the power of civic engagement. As a sophomore at Centaurus High School in Lafayette, Colorado, Medrano connected with JD Mangat (Mgmt’17; MEdu’22). The fellow Lafayette native and Centaurus alum became Medrano’s coach and mentor in Public Achievement (PA) — a program that empowered them both to strengthen and become leaders in their communities.

PA is a nationwide program that has a branch within CU Engage — the university’s Center for Community Based Learning and Research — which encourages middle and high school students to address social issues in their communities. In the program, groups of seventh through 12th graders are paired with college student coaches who are enrolled in School of Education courses at ��񱦵�.

“I could literally say that it changed my life,” said Medrano, who is now 20 and began her term as the youngest member of Lafayette City Council this past December. “When I was introduced to the program, it really gave me that social justice lens that I never learned anywhere. And it put a name to the experiences that I had been living through my childhood and up to high school. It made me realize I’m not the only one that experiences this discrimination and feeling of not belonging. It’s a larger issue.”

“I could literally say that it changed my life... it really gave me that social justice lens that I never learned anywhere.”

Medrano became a CU student in 2019, a decision that was influenced by her desire to stay near family and continue making an impact on her Lafayette community (she originally wanted to go to Baylor in Texas) — thanks in small part to the bonds she built in PA. Her positive experience also led her to enroll in one of the university’s two PA courses (“Renewing Democracies and Communities” and “Teaching Social Justice”) and serve as a coach herself. Mangat, who encouraged Medrano to run for Lafayette City Council, followed a similar path.

Before Medrano was elected to the local municipal body, Mangat was the youngest member serving on the council. Then he was elected as the city’s youngest mayor in 2021 at the age of 26. Now the pair serve side by side. Both attribute PA — which Mangat has participated in as a student, coach and teaching assistant — for giving them valuable mentorship and exposure to experiences they wouldn’t have had access to otherwise.

Over the course of a school year, students and coaches in PA collaborate to design, implement and undertake community-centric projects that tackle social issues such as police brutality, immigration rights, human trafficking, gun violence and climate change. Past participants developed podcasts, designed a safe space for LGBTQ community members, created a gun buyback program and wrote an ethnic studies curriculum for 11th graders.

In high school, Medrano contributed to a project that aimed to increase diversity in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes at Centaurus High School. With the help of Mangat, who was a PA coach at the time, Medrano’s group hosted informational workshops and presentations and met with parents to introduce them to AP and IB classes and encourage them to enroll their students. While it was a project Medrano worked on from 2016–2019, Centaurus students still support the initiative.

“The projects we did ... were showing how you can create real, sustainable, visible change in your community.”

“We wanted to have more students of color join those classes because the demographics of our school didn’t necessarily match the demographics in those classes,” she said. “We would call parents and host presentations for them to introduce them to these classes for their kids. … Most of the kids [we wanted to attend the classes] were students of color whose parents had a language barrier and we were able to give presentations in Spanish for them.”

“The projects we did were so fun, different and unique. They were showing how you can create real, sustainable, visible change in your community,” Mangat said, reflecting on his time as a mentee in PA. “I got a full-ride scholarship to ��񱦵� because of my community involvement. I wasn’t the best academically. I wasn’t the best socially. But I was so invested in my community through programs like Public Achievement that in my interview for that scholarship, that’s all I talked about.”

Every year, ��񱦵� works with 250 middle and high school students within the Boulder Valley School District through PA. Those youth are mentored by about 60 undergraduate coaches, who apply to be a part of the courses via a closed enrollment program. That means that instead of sending in a formal application, interested undergrads can set up a short one-on-one meeting with PA assistant director Soraya Latiff (IntlAf’17; MPubAd’21) and another program member to share why they want to be a coach. This process allows the PA team to connect with prospective coaches on a more personal level, Latiff said.

“It is really valuable for us to make sure that we are getting to establish a relationship with people who are coming in — to get a sense of who they are, what their identities are, what their values are and what issues of injustice they’re really mobilized by and why,” said Latiff, who also serves as the CU Engage communications manager.

Of the 40 to 45 individuals who were coaches in the spring 2022 semester, about 90 percent were people of color and many were first- and second-generation college students, Latiff said. Once they take the course for a full year, students are eligible to apply to be a PA teaching assistant, and most stay in PA for multiple years or for the duration of their time at CU.

“In our [spring 2022] cohort, one-third of the CU students had gone through the program in middle school or high school, became a coach and are now a teaching assistant,” she said. “It’s really kind of exciting to see how it’s grown to become so much more of a community oriented space.”

Latiff also mentored students as a PA coach at Centaurus High School and Angevine Middle School, served as a teaching assistant, and worked as the program’s coordinator during her year-long tenure as an AmeriCorps service member. Since 2021–22 was PA’s first full school year back to in-person classes after implementing a digital program for the COVID-19 pandemic, Latiff is looking forward to building on the momentum of having a physical presence in schools again and witnessing the impact multigenerational participants have within the Boulder Valley School District and their communities.

“JD and Enihs are great examples of that trajectory because they were participants in the program when they were in middle school and or high school, then went to CU and became coaches at the undergraduate level,” she said. “We have a lot of students in the program today who have also walked that path.”

While many PA alumni work in education, others go on to work in business, human resources, film or art — and make those spaces more equitable, just and representative of their diverse bodies, cultures and futures, said Latiff.

“Many students reflect to me at the end of a year how they have not yet seen themselves as a leader, politician or as an activist until PA — however they have always had that power and capacity within them,” she said. “They come to see and know these things in themselves by practicing this work in the community with other young people, organizers and leaders.”

Mangat, a social studies teacher at Angevine Middle School in Lafayette, and Medrano, who aspires to be a police officer in the city, are living examples of PA’s power. Medrano and Mangat’s families are rooted in Mexico and India, respectively, and they are part of Lafayette’s most diverse city council to date.

“To really make a long-term sustainable legacy, a long-term sustainable impact in your community, you need to be involved in programs like Public Achievement,” Mangat said. “You need to be invested in something much larger than yourself. And I do that every day with my students, but I also got exposed to this through CU Engage.”

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Photos by Glenn Asakawa

CU Engage’s Public Achievement program inspires middle and high school students to tackle social issues — and give back to their communities.

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How Writer Adrian Michael Green Creates Community

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 06:00:00 +0000

How Writer Adrian Michael Green Creates Community Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/02/2021 - 00:00

Grace Dearnley

After graduation, Adrian Michael Green (Bus’09) spent 10 years teaching students of all levels from Teach for America to the Leeds School of Business. Now, through his books and speaking engagements, he hopes to “help more people become better at having difficult conversations across difference,” which to him means finding “ways to listen to one another across race, class, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, ability, and all the other cultural identifiers.”

What was the most impactful thing you learned from your experience working with Teach for America?

The most impactful thing I learned during my time as a second grade teacher in Oklahoma was the importance of connecting to the community. It was important for my students and their parents and guardians to visibly see me not just in the school but in the neighborhood. The value of my students knowing that I truly cared about them, their story, their worth, and their education mattered to me. Teaching is the hardest thing anyone could ever do because you are responsible for so much. I learned early on to respect and honor that.

You have 178,000 followers on Instagram. What does this platform mean to you and how do you hope to use it?

Everyone has a voice, whether you have one person listening to you or thousands. It is what you do with that voice that matters. A lot is happening in the world and with any chance I have, I want to shed light on issues that are close to me and issues that I need to water more. We all have blindspots, and I want to use my platform to acknowledge that I am not perfect, nor do I have all of the answers. But I am willing to engage, listen, unlearn and put in the work to leave this place better than I found it. I hope to inspire people to be better not just for those who are currently here but for those who come after us.

What led you to pursue helping people “become better at having difficult conversations across difference.”

Pursuing being better at having difficult conversations across difference is a must. It is crucial, especially with where we are as a nation. No one wants to hear one another, to take the time to truly get to the root of our humanity. This is why we are so divided. People feel like they have to walk on eggshells without offending someone, when it is so important to be able to be raggedy, to be messy and to ask questions. I'm trying to leave this place better than I found it. If I lean into these critical and courageous conversations, it may inspire others to do the same.

How do you hope that your books and speaking engagements empower people?

Everyone already has power within themselves. I hope my words just remind them of that. I hope my words find people where they are in their journey and inspire them to do something. Whether that means they speak up, listen, unlearn, or push back, I hope they do that. We are all dealing with something, and we are all healing from something. I hope my words remind them to give grace to themselves and to others.

What are some of your goals in your new endeavor to inspire others?

A goal of mine is to inspire 100,000 people to have a difficult conversation that will eventually ripple out to over 1 million people. Another goal is to simply make meaningful connections and create things that are useful and purposeful for the betterring of us, as humans.

What do you think is the biggest obstacle society has to overcome regarding communication?

Chimamanda Adichie has a beautiful quote that says, “the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue. It is that they are incomplete.” That if we have a single story about someone, some people or some idea, then that becomes the only story. That is the biggest obstacle our society has to overcome regarding communication: we have to let go of the single story. We must lift the veil cast on people different from ourselves, and sometimes the same as ourselves, and give permission for them to belong outside the confines of the narratives someone else created.

What is your favorite memory from your time at CU?

It is hard to identify just one favorite memory. There were hard times as a student and hard times as a professional on campus, yet there was a spirit of family and community that made me feel like I belonged in every space I entered. Once, I saw another one of my mentors, Lisa Nguyen (Fin‘06) deliver one of the most transformative speeches I’ve ever heard. I vividly remember being in the audience thinking that I wanted to do that — light fires in others like the one Lisa lit that evening. Three years later I was given the opportunity to share the stage as a keynote speaker at the awards banquet hosted by the Multicultural Business Students Association in partnership with the Office of Diversity Affairs in the business school.

You said that you found your purpose in training educators and teaching communicative skills. What advice would you give to CU students who are searching for their own purpose?

Wonder why. Do that always and often in the classes you take, the circles you create, the relationships you seek. Look for the reason you are making choices. Let college be a time to intentionally probe your values and redefine what success means to you. Don’t take on definitions that aren’t of your own choosing. Reflect on how you impact and view others. Find relevance in everything you do, and if ever there are moments you get tired, bored, uneasy, uncertain or anything in-between, look for the lesson. It’s okay if your purpose changes. It will always change and modify as you live your life.

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Photo courtesy Adrian Michael Green

After graduation, Adrian Michael Green spent 10 years teaching students of all levels, from Teach for America to the University of California Berkeley.

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Sweeping Changes

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:04:00 +0000

Sweeping Changes Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/01/2020 - 08:04

Greg Forbes Siegman

After moving up the ranks from custodian to principal, Michael Atkins has his sights set on an even broader goal– transforming the education system.

From time to time, while Michael Atkins (MEdu’15) cleaned the floors of a classroom or hallway at Smiley Middle School in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood, he overheard students stumbling over a word or two in a story. More often than not, he set down his dust mop and read with them.

Eighteen years later, as the head of Stedman Elementary School, he now shapes the education of an entire student body in the same district.

Atkins’ unlikely path from custodian to principal was not an easy one. In 2001, determined to work in Denver’s public school system but unable to land a role in the classroom, he accepted the custodial job at Smiley.

Adversity is guaranteed. Perseverance is a choice. Go be great!”

In the years that followed, Atkins gradually advanced through the system — eventually earning his shot to be a teacher and then moving into administrative roles such as assistant principal. Until finally, in fall 2019, Atkins became principal at Stedman. Atkins does not regret the long road he traveled to reach his current position. He believes each stop on the way helped prepare him for the next while also enhancing his ability to be effective as a principal who oversees nearly 60 employees and 350 students.

“Ultimately, all of the different hats I wore within the district were critical to my professional growth and current lens as a leader,” he said.

So much so, Atkins believes anyone who wishes to lead a school ought to spend time working in a non-academic role such as custodian or clerk instead of limiting themselves to administrative positions while they work their way up the professional ladder.

“I am a true believer of the phrase ‘walk a mile in someone else’s shoes,’” he said. “It helps you to develop sympathy and understanding for the daily grind and nuances of that particular position. It also allows you to navigate from experiences instead of assumptions.”

Atkins, who earned a master’s degree in educational equity and cultural diversity education in ��񱦵�'s School of Education between receiving a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and elementary education from Metropolitan State University of Denver and an additional master’s degree in K-12 administration from University of Denver, credits his own education as another significant factor that shaped his approach as a school administrator.

“My time as a student has deeply impacted the way I carry out my daily responsibilities,” he said. “My work is technical, and my course work [at universities] supported my adaptive growth and mindset.” While it might be natural to view Atkins’ promotion to the principal’s office as the culminating moment in his story, the 39-year-old father of three insists he is just getting started.

Beyond leading Stedman Elementary School, he wants to spark fundamental changes in how “diversity is done” throughout the educational system.

“I think it is essential to build intercultural capacity within my educators and celebrate our differences while understanding we all react to cultural differences,” he said. “Knowing those reactions will allow us to foster authentic relationships and meet all students and community members exactly where they are.”

Atkins’ interest in this issue stems from his own experiences as a student growing up in Northeast Denver, when he was bused to school outside of his community as part of an effort to desegregate the schools.

“I distinctly remember my middle school teachers referring to us as the ‘bus kids,’” he said. “There was nothing in place to support the adults in adaptive change — professional development designed to shift mindsets while providing opportunities for intercultural development.” The application of Atkins’ philosophy has already led to tangible changes in the day-to-day experience of Stedman’s students.

“Our classrooms, for example, are distinctly different from a traditional one. Our classroom libraries are made up of culturally responsive books. We think it is important students can see themselves within the curriculum,” he said. “We also want classroom configurations to meet cultural orientations. It is critical that students are comfortable in their classrooms, and it feels similar to home. For example, there are designated areas within the classroom for students to bring pictures of their families.”

Drawing from his past, Atkins has tried to foster a different kind of environment for the employees at Stedman as well. One of his first priorities as principal was to ensure his custodial staff — and all other school staff who work outside of the classroom — are treated as full-fledged contributors to the students’ learning experience. They participate in all schoolwide professional development activities and are recognized at assemblies for the relationships they foster in the building.

“Custodians are a vital part of the education of our children. They interact with them during times when children develop their social intelligence and emotional competencies,” Atkins said. “They must have the capacity to build authentic relationships while modeling the school’s values.”

Stedman’s facility manager, Brandon Mercadel, oversees the school’s custodial staff and building maintenance. He appreciates the new principal’s efforts.

“Mr. Mike understands from personal experience that someone in my position can contribute a lot to the students’ lives,” Mercadel said. “If I have a thought or idea, I know he will listen. And he treats everyone here that way. It is a community-based environment. Everybody has a voice.”

Of course, Atkins’ central focus remains the students. His concern for them extends far beyond the responsibilities associated with his job. Stedman Elementary School happens to be located in Park Hill — the same neighborhood where Atkins was raised as a child.

“I see myself in my students, and I can relate to their experience inside and outside of school,” he said. “In a sense, in an earlier generation, my friends and I were those kids. Several of the students are the children of people I grew up with. So, long before I was their principal, I cared about these kids and their future.”

He also takes great pride in knowing his journey has motivated many young people to believe in the same core values that have guided him.

Said Atkins: “My students see me as their principal with a story of perseverance. Many of my students recite a quote of mine — ‘Adversity is guaranteed. Perseverance is a choice. Go be great!’”

Photos by Glenn Asakawa

After moving up the ranks from custodian to principal, Michael Atkins has his sights set on an even broader goal– transforming the education system.

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What Happened to the Teachers?

Anonymous — Sat, 01 Sep 2018 19:05:00 +0000

What Happened to the Teachers? Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 09/01/2018 - 13:05

Christie Sounart

Colorado, like many other states, has a serious teacher shortage due to low salaries, demographic shifts, inadequate training, and the rising cost of college education and teaching licenses. Can CU help?

Stephanie Mares (EBio’17) was in demand.

By the time the 22-year-old left ��񱦵� in May with a biology degree and teaching certificate, she had seven job offers in a single Colorado school district, St. Vrain Valley, in her hometown of Longmont.

Had she kept looking, she’d likely have had more offers still, given her science training and English-Spanish bilingualism. Colorado is struggling with a serious teacher shortage.

“There’s a shortage in all of Colorado except for the Front Range,” said Katherine Schultz, dean of ��񱦵�’s School of Education.

There are shortages in many states, especially for special education, math and science teachers, attributable to a combination of low salaries, demographic shifts, inadequate training, and the rising cost of college education and teaching licenses and other factors, according to a 2017 Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) report.

The shortage became apparent in Colorado in 2010, and is most severe in rural areas — partly because of their typical distance from colleges that prepare teachers, the need for teachers to handle multiple subjects and a greater need for culturally and linguistically diverse personnel, said the CDHE.

“People have told me there are schools that haven’t had an 11th grade math teacher for a couple of years,” said Schultz.

The average starting teacher salary in Colorado is about $33,000.

Low pay is the biggest problem, though: The CDHE found that 95 percent of rural school districts’ teacher salaries are below the cost of living.

“In some districts teachers make about $30,000 a year,” said Schultz. “It’s difficult to take a job in an area that pays so little money, especially if you still have student loans.”

Statewide, the average starting teacher salary in Colorado was $32,980 in 2017, according to the National Education Association. Adjusted for cost of living, teacher pay in Colorado ranks 44th in the nation, National Public Radio reported.

��񱦵� is stepping in.

“There are two ways to address a teacher shortage,” Schultz said. “One way is through recruitment of new teachers. The other is through the retention of teachers who are already there.”

To cultivate future teachers, the university is promoting teaching careers to middle and high schoolers through classroom visits, internships and college-level credit for some high school courses. A new CU bachelor’s degree in elementary education equips graduates with skills for teaching diverse populations and emerging bilingual learners.

Current teachers play a role in inspiring the next generation. Mares’ high school history teacher, Chris Barnes (Hist’06; MEdu’10), persuaded her to consider ��񱦵� for a teaching degree.

“He really pushed me, and he took me on my first campus tour,” said Mares, who received, and could not have attended without, significant scholarships. “This one teacher changed my life. I thought, ‘I can do this for other kids.’”

Barnes, now in his 13th year of teaching, saw potential in Mares’ work ethic and interest in learning.

“The job of teacher is getting harder and harder,” he said. “Teaching used to be just the dissemination of knowledge. Now you’re a counselor, a liaison between family and community, a language specialist and a bureaucrat.”

In rural areas especially, where schools often face a distinct shortage of infrastructure, technology and financial resources, Barnes said, teachers often leave by their fifth year in the job.

Last spring’s national teacher walkouts and protests — including April’s march by thousands of teachers on Colorado's state capitol — have heightened awareness of teachers’ economic circumstances.

CU’s education school is meanwhile bolstering the skills of current teachers. It’s developing an online dual master’s program in bilingual education and special education, for instance.

This fall, Mares is prepared to start her own career as a physics teacher at Longmont’s Skyline High School. But she hasn’t ruled out a future position in a rural school.

“I would prefer a school that is struggling a little bit because I think it’s where I can make the most impact,” she said.

Comment? Email editor@colorado.edu.

Photo by @iStock/studiocasper; @Getty Images/Matt Hoover Photo

Colorado's teacher shortage persists. Can ��񱦵� help?

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Moms Move Mountains: Special Education Survival Skills for Parents

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 20:27:59 +0000

Moms Move Mountains: Special Education Survival Skills for Parents Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/17/2017 - 13:27

By Donna Spencer (A&S'66) and Susan Magers
(Bardolf & Company, 118 pages; 2016)

Buy the Book

When a child has special learning needs, making sure the school experience is successful can become a daily struggle. "Moms Move Mountains" was written to help prepare parents to act as their child's advocate and keep their sanity in the process. You will discover:

- How to be an active member of your child's individualized education plan (IEP) team,

- How to build relationships with school staff, - How to tackle problems while keeping your emotions in check,

- The importance of organizing and maintaining your child's education records,

- All the steps to take to plan for your child's successful future, and more.

When a child has special learning needs, making sure the school experience is successful can become a daily struggle.

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Education

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