13 minute read
On Campus
Creating a Collaborative Learning Environment
While my English Department colleagues and I joke that we could teach writing and literature anywhere – just give us a book, a pencil, and some paper – there is no doubt that the new building facilitates student learning in ways that are perhaps hard to quantify but easy to feel and experience on a daily basis.
One-on-one writing conferences are an essential part of students’ growth as writers. With the new building, we now have plenty of locations to meet in comfortable, quiet spaces: conference rooms, lobby spaces, and even an outdoor dining space that makes for a refreshing al fresco chat about an essay.
I don’t think any Ursuline English teacher underestimates the value of having this increase in the number and types of conference spaces; prior to the new building, we were sitting or standing in hallways and jockeying for an empty room, none of which was conducive to an effective conference. Walking into the natural light and the open spaces of East Campus immediately lifts my spirits, energizing me and inspiring me to be the best version of myself; the space is a gift that reminds me how much we value our students.
Students and teachers meeting in the collaboration areas for discussions. The extra gathering spaces scattered throughout the hallways also provide places for students to meet in collaborative groups during class. In our English classes, for example, we often have lit circles or book clubs, which are essentially student-driven discussions of texts they have chosen.
Kirsten Hudak – Forensics Class
Forensics Science class is a simulated work experience. As a vocational lab, the space is set up so that shelves give student access, the desks and chairs are all movable, and I can make the classroom what I want it to be. There are so many student-friendly spaces throughout the room and the natural light makes for a happy space. The whiteboard wall invites them to engage, which is what a TEAL classroom is. The “AL,” Active Learning, gets students up and moving!
English teacher Megan Griffin, Ph.D.
In the past, students have remained in the classroom to discuss the texts (which made for a noisy and somewhat chaotic experience) or scattered to the floors of the hallways outside the classrooms, which was neither ideal nor comfortable. Now, however, students can gather outside the classroom at any of the countless nooks, crannies, tables, or booths, and comfortably analyze and debate their favorite texts.
Students meet in the collaboration areas to use the open space and hallway marker boards for class projects and learning.
In the classroom, the giant whiteboard and adjustable student desks have been two of my favorite additions: the whiteboard because of the endless writing and collaboration opportunities (the vast space just screams: fill me with ideas!), the desks because now every student is comfortably accommodated, no matter her size.
In our junior English classes, students actually have an assignment during the The House on Mango Street unit in which we ask them to rhetorically analyze a space: how does space make an argument? I can only imagine that my students and I will start this unit by thinking about their East Campus space: what arguments about education, students, and Ursuline emerge? What does this space say about who and what we value as a community? I’ll be eager to hear their answers!
Students meet in the collaboration areas to use the open space and hallway marker boards for class projects and learning.
Megan Griffin, Ph.D., has been a member of the Ursuline English Faculty since 2010.
Bill Thompson – Photography
The classroom set-up is most ideal for a photography class. Everything about the room allows students to not only learn in an effective way, but also helps them evaluate their photos better. For example, the light above the middle desk area, when lit, looks like a skylight. It is diffused, color-corrected daylight so that when we are printing in here, we can assess the color more accurately. There are also two strips on either side of it, and we have microadjustment control of them. This environment is exactly what it needs to be!
FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE COURTYARD
Engineering Design Innovation students learned architectural logistics firsthand through a class project that involved creating a mock design for the new East Campus Courtyard.
Forty students began their assignment with a tour of the construction site to gain insight into how architecture works. What made the tour even more special? Getting the inside scoop from one of Ursuline’s own alumnae working on the project.
Student projects were designed and presented using Google SketchUp Pro. They followed the 6Ds of Solution Fluency as their guide.
Rachel Westmoreland Chapman ’10, Project Architect with Glenn|Partners, says her passion for architecture was born her senior year of high school when Ursuline held a two-week career shadowing program for different industries.
After exploring architecture and knowing it was the career path she wanted to pursue, she attended Texas A&M University for her undergraduate degree and Tulane for her masters. She attributes her work ethic and preparation for college to her Ursuline education.
“Ursuline gave me the tools and opportunities to explore art and architecture in studio art, geometry, math, and computer science,” Rachel said. “My teachers at Ursuline always encouraged creativity and helped me discover my ultimate career path.”
Showing students around the site, she explained various parts of the process, what different materials were being used, and how it all worked together. Rachel sees the new building shaping the future of learning at Ursuline through the spaces dedicated to creating new and exciting curriculum.
For their courtyard design projects, students were required to complement the new building in terms of materials and egress, include at least one enclosed structure, have a mix of “hardscape” and “softscape,” and meet the needs of all members of our community.
Taylor Komlosi ’21 gained a better understanding of the scale of the project, and she learned how architects envision what a space is going to look like as they are designing it.
“Having the chance to learn about different engineering fields and getting the chance to talk to an architect allowed us to see how they use the design process and problem solving (things we learn in engineering class) every day,” she said.
Cali Brewer ’21 enjoyed the tour and felt it was informative to get a firsthand view of the space on which their class project is based.
“I learned that the courtyard would not be completely flat,” she said. “I needed to think of designs for my courtyard that would cater to that leveling.”
She was also in awe during the tour saying, “I had never been inside a construction site before, so just being able to see it all was amazing to me.”
Taylor and Cali are excited for future Ursuline students to utilize the new spaces.
“Every part of the building is designed to help Ursuline girls succeed and that can be seen through the collaborative spaces, the open courtyard, and the theatre,” said Taylor.
Cali agreed. “I think having rooms dedicated to a certain subject will help the students excel in that subject because immersion is the best type of learning,” she said.
“This is such an exciting time for UA to expand and build on an incredible educational foundation that is already in place,” Rachel said.
“I feel honored and excited to show Ursuline faculty and students how much they have contributed to my career by helping to shape this new building. And it’s gratifying to know that future students will have the opportunity to learn in these dynamic new spaces!”
#WeStayGlobal
Ursuline commits to educating global leaders, even during a worldwide pandemic.
While students could no longer travel or host sister school friends during COVID-19, they still gained an appreciation for different perspectives, learning what it means to be a citizen of the world through some creative adjustments.
“We have all had to be creative during this time,” said Cecilia Nipp ’85, Director of Global Education and Cultural Exchange. “Our students have remained curious about other cultures and have been extremely motivated about attending UA Global Advisory Council (GAC) events and World Affairs Council (WAC) events.”
Virtual tours and online discussions provided students the opportunity to learn about pressing global issues. Food, movies, and cultural activities allowed students the opportunity to experience being abroad from home.
Ursuline GAC Board Chair Callie LaValle ’22 experienced this firsthand and learned a lot from her involvement in various activities.
“Pairing with Ursuline’s sister school in Taiwan, Stella Matutina, for the Junior WAC Pollution Leadership Talk was one of my favorite ways to connect virtually,” she said. “We met on Microsoft TEAMS beforehand, got to know each other, and then led an engaging discussion… all online!”
While she was sad that travel was not an option the past year and a half, she learned that “you can still grow culturally aware and maintain connections virtually.”
Another one of those ways was from the “Travel to Brazil” virtual events, when Ursuline’s sister school, Colegio Santa Ursula, shared how to make brigadeiros, a Brazilian chocolate bonbon, in a cook-along.
“COVID-19 has proven how interconnected we are with our friends and neighbors around the world,” said Cecilia. “Our relationships have endured because our students want to remain connected, learning from each other and collaborating on the pressing global issues of our time.”
The Ursuline Global Advisory Council (GAC)
The GAC began as a way for students who had traveled or hosted with Ursuline to bring awareness to other Ursuline students about the opportunities offered through Ursuline’s distinctive global program. They also help with hospitality of special guests and serve as representatives of the Global department during events such as Open House or Ursuline’s annual Global Week. During the pandemic, GAC expanded to include students who have extensive international or multicultural backgrounds and/or a deep curiosity about world affairs, global issues, and humanitarian causes.
Other ways Ursuline students stayed Global at Home:
• Virtual calls with Ursuline students around the world, including Brazil,
France, Delaware, and South Africa • A worldwide Ursuline meet-up with online games sponsored by the Ursuline school in Jakarta • An International Career Week sponsored by the WAC • Posting “Cultural Connections” on social media, highlighting holidays and celebrations around the world • Making a video greeting for Colegio
Santa Ursula in Peru for the Feast of
St. Ursula • Attending the Yalla Shabab Conference at the Ahliyyah School in Amman, Jordan • Chalking the Ursuline Breezeway to celebrate and recognize Peace One Day (pictured)
And much more!
The Father Joes
In July 2021, Ursuline hosted its first international guest since the start of the pandemic. Father Joseph Luzindana from the Archdiocese of Kampala, Uganda, spent a week visiting with old and new UA friends. He returned the next month with Father Joe Ssebunnya to share with our students about life in Uganda.
• Learn from humanitarian, author, and keynote speaker, Princess Sarah
Culberson. • Learn from and have discussions with some of Ursuline’s own international faculty members about their rich cultures and traditions through
Microsoft TEAMS. • Learn about Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina who went on to become our Pope Francis.
New Athletic Director Stefanie Hill has big goals and ideas for the future of Ursuline Athletics.
Her approach to high school athletics is anchored in the belief that sports is an extension of the classroom where students learn valuable lessons to flourish in life. She is dedicated to providing students with the highest level of support for their growth as student-athletes and, most importantly, as people of character.
Stefanie’s coaching philosophy centers on the thought that to be a good leader, especially for girls, a coach must take the time to get to know their players as individuals.
“Forming connections and creating spaces where students and athletes feel comfortable and supported in meeting their full potential, with a big emphasis on how to best do that for females, is important,” she said. “Proper strength and conditioning are also essential in training for all sports, and facilities are required to meet this need.”
“I want to create and build in both the physical and abstract sense,” she said. “It is a great time to be at Ursuline as we look forward to the next phases of campus expansion, including the addition of a new weight room and practice gym.”
She emphasizes that the new facilities will allow the Athletic Department to not only better serve Ursuline teams, but also benefit all students who want to stay physically active but may not play a sport. She also hopes to help increase the number of resources available on coaching girls.
“At Ursuline, we have a partnership with the UNT Sports Psychology Department, and they have been aiding in finding research on this topic,” she said. “We plan to utilize this research to inform our decisions and eventually build a template for other Athletic Departments to follow when it comes to coaching females.”
Growing up in Roseau, Minnesota, Stefanie was a three-sport athlete who played volleyball, basketball, and ran track & field. She went on to play collegiate basketball at the University of Winnipeg in Canada, where she competed in two National tournaments.
Having earned a business degree in college, Stefanie did not originally envision herself working in Athletics. But, after a couple of years in various roles, she found herself drawn back to the field by coaching. Starting out as a side job, it quickly became her focus.
“Working as a coach and then soon after as an Associate Athletic Director was the first time that ‘work’ didn’t feel like work,” Stefanie said. “I was inspired by what I was doing!”
Over the next 12 years she poured all her energy into learning more, completing her Masters in Coaching and Athletic Administration, becoming an Athletic Director, and earning a role on the California Interscholastic Coordinating Council.
“As I look back at my career so far, I am proud of the relationships I have formed over the years with coaches and students that allowed us to work together in a capacity that brought success in many different forms,” she said.
Stefanie looks forward to seeing all of Ursuline’s athletic programs become successful at both the District and State levels.
“Ursuline has a strong history and tradition in some sports more than others, and I look forward to bringing all programs the support they need to achieve consistent success,” she said.
Becky Wade Firth ’07 is Ursuline’s new Head Cross Country Coach. After falling in love with the sport as a UA Running Bear, Becky attended Rice University where she won a junior national track title and was an NCAA Division I All-American in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track. In her nearly eight years of professional running, she’s participated in four U.S. Olympic Trials and qualified three times for Team USA. “It feels wonderfully full circle to be back at Ursuline in a coaching capacity,” said Becky. “It is my aim to make running enjoyable and fulfilling enough to be a lifelong habit for as many of these young women as possible.” Becky is also the author of Run the World: My 3,500-Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe and is a contributor to Runner’s World, Outside Magazine, and other publications.
