University of Wisconsin-La Crosse School of Education Eagle Edge newsletter Fall 2019

NIIVVEERRSSIITTYY O OFF W WIISSCCO ON NSSIIN N--LLAA CCRRO OSSSSEE || SSCCH HO OO OLL O OFF EED DUUCCAT ATIIO ON N UUN

LEAD. EDUCATE.

COLLABORATE. INNOVATE.

VOLUME 6 | ISSUE 2 | FALL | 2019

UWL

>> Story Story on on Page Page 44 >>

Volume 6 | Issue 2 Fall 2019 | Eagle Edge is published biannually for UW-La Crosse School of Education alumni and friends.

What’s Inside: Carribean Classroom

Page 8

Summer of Service

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Direct comments to: Dean Marcie Wycoff-Horn UWL School of Education, Professional and Continuing Education 1725 State St. La Crosse, WI 54601 USA 608.785.8134 mwycoff-horn@uwlax.edu Editor: Lindsey Butts

Get Involved. Collaborate with Others. Find Solutions.

Make a Difference.

Writers: Kjerstin Lang Mai Chao Duddeck, ’07

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Art Director: Florence Aliesch

Education Leaders

Photography: Michael Lieurance, ’02

Page 13 The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and is in compliance with Title IX and Section 504.

U N I V E R S I T Y O F W I S C O N S I N - L A C R O S S E | S C H O O L O F E D U C AT I O N

LEAD. EDUCATE.

COLLABORATE. INNOVATE.

EQUIT Y DIVERSIT Y JUSTICE VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 2 | FALL | 2018

U N I V E R S I T Y O F W I S C O N S I N - L A C R O S S E | S C H O O L O F E D U C AT I O N

LEAD. EDUCATE.

COLLABORATE. INNOVATE.

TraumaInformed Schools Story on page 4

VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 1 | SPRING | 2018

Visit past issues of the School of Education newsletter

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www.uwlax.edu/soe

UWL SUMMER 2020

from THE DEAN The UWL School of Education mission is to develop within graduates a commitment to the teaching profession, a profound respect for the dignity of all learners and the professional competencies that enable them to be effective teachers and responsible citizens in a diverse and dynamic world. Today, educators need extensive knowledge of the world and the skills and dispositions to engage with people from many cultures and countries. At UWL, the SOE strives to become a leader in preparing graduates to become globally responsive teachers through a University-wide commitment to teacher education.

ART & EDUCATION IN JAPAN Marcie Wycoff-Horn, Ph.D.

The globally responsive teacher believes that all learners can learn at high levels and persists in helping all learners achieve success. The teacher appreciates and values human diversity, shows respect for learners’ varied talents and perspectives, and commits to the pursuit of excellence for all learners. Globally responsive teaching includes infusion of a strong academic curriculum linked to world events, geography, world cultures, and diverse perspectives. Globally responsive teachers act to make the world a healthy and more sustainable and just environment.

A globally responsive professional education program includes the following: >> Teacher candidates gain understanding of contemporary content issues from a variety of perspectives. >> Teacher candidates learn how to employ discipline-specific skills in their analyses of global issues. >> Teacher candidates design integrated curricular units so their students will have a greater understanding of the world.

This faculty-led program in Japan will focus on the mission of the School of Education (SOE) “to become a leader in the preparation of globally responsive teachers.”

This program will offer firsthand cultural and diverse experiences in modern Japan.

Examples include preschool, elementary, middle school visits, interacting with and/or teaching to Japanese students, and learning how they learn subjects including the English language (i.e., English as a foreign language) in schools. These experiences will support teacher candidates to develop their knowledge and skills and to apply them in a global context.

For more information go to:

www.uwlax.edu/international-education

>> Teacher candidates are encouraged and supported to engage in international study abroad programs. >> Teacher candidates develop model lessons that infuse global awareness into their curriculum. >> Teacher candidates develop enrichment or enhancement activities which are designed to expand students’ understanding of cultural, environmental, and/or civic issues. >> Teacher candidates consider content issues, both local and global, using technology, and utilizing community resources to enhance learning and expand their resource networks.

As you explore the stories in this newsletter, you will learn more about how future educators and education faculty members in the School of Education are making an impact around the world. The stories in this edition are heartwarming and offer a sense of optimism related to the ever-changing needs of educators. Enjoy learning more about their global journeys!

UWL Proud,

Marcie Wycoff-Horn, Dean

School of Education Newsletter | Fall 2019 |

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COVER STORY

UWL

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Jacob Schreiner, ’14, may have missed a few college graduation parties and Green Bay Packers games, but living and teaching internationally post-graduation has been well worth it, he says.

These two School of Education alumni share what brought them abroad, what they are learning about themselves, and why they have no regrets about taking their teaching talents international.

Life abroad has brought him amazing moments, opened his eyes to diverse cultures and made him a more confident teacher with countless new tools for his classrooms.

Abby Gebhart, ’15

“I feel the School of Education at UWL did a great job preparing me as an international teacher,” notes Schreiner.

“I still use ESL [English as a Second Language] tools and reading strategies I learned during my time there.”

Schreiner has taught on three continents since graduation, and is currently teaching humanities at an academy in the United Kingdom.

Similarly, 2015 graduate Abby Gebhart gained experience teaching internationally when she completed her student teaching in Costa Rica. She is now using her international experience a bit closer to home — at a Spanish immersion school in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Gebhart connects her students — the vast majority who are native English speakers — to their studies by sharing stories of her life in Costa Rica and how her Spanish knowledge helped her navigate in a new country.

“I think it helps the kids recognize that their Spanish education is more than learning just another language,” she says.

“It’s opening doors to a whole new part of the world that, hopefully, one day they can experience as well.”

Major: Early Childhood-Early Adolescent Education and Spanish Title: Sixth-grade teacher of English at a Spanish immersion school in Eden Prairie, Minnesota Abby Gebhart initially ventured abroad to student teach because of the love she discovered for Costa Rica while studying abroad in the country earlier in her college career.

“The people, the culture, the climate — you name it — I loved it,” she says. “After coming home, I knew that my experience in Costa Rica was not complete, so I found the next way to go back.”

That way was student teaching abroad.

Gebhart admits that taking the “leap of faith” to teach in another country was at first terrifying. But it became one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

For two years, she taught a diverse group of students from about eight countries in one class, worked with diverse coworkers and learned to navigate in a completely new place.

Abby Gebhart, Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence & Spanish Education, ‘15, uses her student teaching experience abroad in Costa Rica to provide stories and examples as she teaches sixth grade at a Spanish immersion school in Eden Prairie, Minn.

“Every day in Costa Rica was a new adventure, and every day I was learning something new from my staff, students or CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Opposite page photo: Jacob Schreiner, Broad Field Social Studies, ‘14, at the Great Wall of China. International teaching has given him the opportunity to see sights around the world, he says.

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

community. Living and working abroad gave me a new perspective, allowed me to learn from other people and life in another country, and opened my eyes to so many things,” she says. “I think I grew so much as a person and a teacher there, and it’s an experience I will be forever grateful for.”

Gebhart’s family ties to the Midwest brought her back to Minnesota. She continues to take yearly trips back to Costa Rica to stay with her host family, visit the kids from the school where she taught and spend quality time in her home away from home. “It was an extremely difficult decision to move back, but being near my family was a priority for me,” she says.

Since August 2017, Gebhart has been using her international experience to teach at a Spanish immersion school in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She loves using Spanish daily when communicating with coworkers while also using her English skills to teach her students. She provides the only English instruction students receive all day at the school.

Jacob Schreiner Major: Broadfield Social Studies Education Jacob Schreiner pictured at the Red Square in Moscow. International teaching has given him the opportunity to teach on three continents and explore many countries in between.

Title: Humanities teacher, Marlborough Science Academy, St. Albans, U.K. Jacob Schreiner became interested in teaching internationally after hearing multiple professors in UWL’s School of Education talk about the experience.

“I felt it was something I had to at least explore before settling down somewhere,” he says.

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And explore he has. Schreiner has so far taught on three continents — Taichung, Taiwan; Douala, Cameroon; and now St. Albans, U.K. As much as he is teaching others, he is learning too, he says.

“The world is often smaller than you think, but has so much to show and teach,” he explains.

Schreiner determined in college that he wanted to give international teaching a try, but he needed to narrow down where.

He extensively researched his options and signed up for the international teaching fair at the University of Northern Iowa.

After narrowing his search to three schools in the Middle East and East Asia, he got a call from an Ivy Collegiate Academy (ICA) in Taichung, Taiwan, offering him an interview at the fair. He ended up accepting the position as a social studies teacher at ICA and moving to Taichung in July 2015.

“ICA was a boarding school that had a lot of young teachers on staff and provided me with a great opportunity to grow as a teacher and become accustomed to the international school setting — not to mention the endless travel opportunities throughout Asia,” he says.

Schreiner was at the school for two years when he met his wife, Olivia, an English/ language arts teacher from southern California. The two then moved to Douala, Cameroon where he continued to teach social studies — this time at the American School of Douala. “We were looking for a different part of the world that could offer unique travel experiences,” he says.

Abby Gebhart poses with students in her class in Costa Rica during a field trip where they learned about natural resources, animals and plants. To anyone considering teaching abroad, Gebhart encourages it.

“It’s scary. It’s putting yourself out there in a new, different situation. It’s removing yourself from the comfort of what you’ve known for so long, but it is the most powerful, life changing experience,” she says.

The two returned for a short stint in the U.S. and back to Taichung to fill in at another international school before Schreiner found a new position this September teaching humanities at Marlborough Science Academy in St. Albans, U.K. “I am excited for this new opportunity and am looking forward to being in a more traditional academic environment where I can use a lot of the teaching tools I gained at the international

schools I taught at over the past four years,” he says.

experience time he had at UWL were invaluable.

Schreiner says working at international schools has given him a lot of tools that he can apply in any classroom in his teaching future, including working with students who are not fluent in English and doing administrative duties such as curriculum mapping that would be done by administrators at larger schools.

“I reflect on my field experiences often as I plan future lessons and activities. In my opinion, the best way to become a better teacher is to teach!” he says. “Get in front of students as often as you can in those field experiences. Don’t take a moment for granted.”

Schreiner says the classroom and field

Any student with questions about teaching internationally is welcome to contact Jacob Schreiner at jacobwschreiner@gmail.com.

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Caribbean CLASSROOM Ostracod research connects K-12 to Caribbean research

Through a National Science Foundation grant, UWL faculty partnered with K-12 teachers and their students in Wisconsin to share UWL research on the cutting edge of marine biology.

UW-La Crosse faculty hope a virtual connection to the Caribbean Sea in January may have inspired some area students to pursue futures in science — not because of the hot weather but because of the cool research.

Through a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Teachers grant, Biology Department faculty Gretchen Gerrish and Megan Litster took five K-12 teachers to Belize Jan. 18 – 27 to study bioluminescent ostracods. The teachers shared their experiences and

data with students back in cold, wintery Wisconsin via Skype.

into situations that bring science to life, explains Litster.

“If we can expose students (grades 6-12) to authentic research earlier than in undergraduate or graduate school, we can capture their interest and perhaps have them continue on to scientific careers,” explains Litster, assistant professor of biology. “Exposing students to how scientists think gives students the opportunity to continue developing their own critical thinking skills.”

Gerrish has been traveling to Belize to study shrimp-like crustaceans — marine ostracods — that live in the shallow waters of the Caribbean since she was a doctoral student about 18 years ago.

The tiny creatures create amazing light displays in the dark water to attract mates.

Gerrish studies how bioluminescent ostracods use lights for both defense and courtship. Since 2014, her research has been funded by NSF.

The grant places teachers who may not have already done scientific research

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Want to see the Ostracods in action?

Gretchen Gerrish’s ostracod research is featured in the documentary “Light on Earth,” which began

Gretchen Gerrish

streaming on Curiosity Stream, a site custom built for streaming documentaries, in spring 2016. It was also featured in the BBC version “Life That Glows.”

Megan Litster Maggie Gapinski, a high school teacher from Rufus King, prepares to photograph the super blood wolf moon lunar eclipse to test how light level influences bioluminescent behaviors in the Caribbean.

In addition to bringing her research to the K-12 community, Gerrish has found many ways to share her research on campus. She has taken 57 UWL undergraduates to Belize to see the light show and conduct research. She has also built numerous interdepartmental collaborations with faculty in the Biology, Chemistry and Geography and Earth Science departments.

Litster says partnering with K-12 educators was natural as she is a School of Education-affiliated faculty member who works with teachers regularly.

“Collaborating on the grant was a way

to give back to those teachers who have given to UWL’s program,” she explains.

The K-12 students who participated in the Caribbean research project had a hand in designing the research their teachers performed. The students developed a number of questions for the researchers such as “How do marine ostracods fare in freshwater?” and “How does artificial light, such as light pollution from cities, affect courtship behaviors?”

When the teachers where Skyping with their students, they had even more questions and data to analyze.

“Getting them excited about science and all the creativity and critical thinking that go into getting an answer to a previously unanswered question is really exciting for us,” says Litster.

Teachers and students participating were from Rufus King High School in Milwaukee, La Crosse Design Institute and 7 Rivers Community High School.

Some teachers had UWL connections.

Katy Weber and Maggie McHugh, both teachers from the La Crosse Design Institute, are graduates of UWL’s School of Education. Andy Hartman, 7Rivers High School, is also a UWL graduate.

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SUMMER SERVICE of

Ed. Studies faculty member, student serve school, community in developing nation UWL Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence major Morgan Alexander held up a flashcard with the letter S and a picture of a snake. The faces of the two and three-year old students in her Nepal classroom lit up as she made the “s” sound with her teeth and tongue. It was a sound the students had never heard before.

“Sssssnake,” she said.

“Sssssnake,” they repeated, grinning.

“I could really see myself helping educators create lessons for their classrooms,” says Alexander. “That’s a big part of what I’d like to do in my career.”

Collum’s team worked with the organization, Open World Cause.

Based at Tri Ka School Narayanpur, in western Nepal, they brought expertise in areas such as education, health and nutrition.

During a trip to Nepal this summer, Alexander helped create and demonstrate easy phonics lessons that teachers at the Nepal school could adopt. She also helped with classroom evaluations and teacher training.

Alexander’s volunteer opportunity was possible because of connections UWL Educational Studies instructor Melissa Collum has made during years of service work in developing nations — particularly as a former volunteer with the United Nations. She led educational teams that provided school evaluations, professional development and medical exams in collaboration with non-profit organizations. When funding for the U.N. program ended, Collum continued leading teams on her own and with non-profits that — through word of mouth — continued to seek out her services.

Collum told Alexander about the opportunity to join her team in Nepal during the 2019 spring semester. While Alexander’s volunteer efforts helped the Nepalese people, they also helped her prepare for her future.

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Morgan Alexander blows bubbles with students after school while the students wait to be taken home.

A Day for Girls The Nepal volunteer team also provided outreach specifically to girls in the community. In Nepal, the dropout rate of girls in school is high and the trend is reflective of their menstrual health and early marriage, explains Collum. Often girls do not have access to bathrooms or hygiene products in school. Instead, bathrooms are often on the edge of the community in a small hut.

During her trip to Nepal, UWL senior Morgan Alexander was invited to a Nepali wedding with other women from the community.

Collum and her team ran a program called, “A Day for Girls,” which outreached to 80 girls and women. They provided menstrual supplies and education related to hygiene, family planning and more.

Their work ranged from assessing teacher efficacy in English language learning to providing medical exams for students. The goal of the trip was to foster the development of the school and community long-term, explains Collum, so providing training for teachers and others was key.

Collum says her motivations to serve in developing nations stems from her overarching philosophy of life to help “repair the world,” or as she says in Hebrew, “Tikkun Olam.” And education is a natural focus because “education is the greatest equalizer there is,” she adds.

The service they provide in developing nations is not Western centric and volunteers are simultaneously learning from the communities they serve, she explains.

“We serve others to lift them up so they, in turn, may serve,” says Collum. “It is reflective of servant leadership.”

Melissa Collum started at UWL in fall 2016. She spends her summers volunteering in developing nations. This summer she asked UWL School of Education student Morgan Alexander, right, to join her. “She stepped up to the challenges I gave her,” says Collum.

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Get Involved.

Collaborate with Others.

FIND SOLUTIONS.

Make a Difference.

Multicultural teacher education candidates in the School of Education, Professional and Continuing Education (EPC), are in the process of starting a new multicultural student organization.

Currently, there are four student leaders (Celina, Mariah, Michael, Stacey and Xia) working with Mai Chao to establish the by-laws that would govern how the organization operates. The idea behind the Multicultural Education Student Organization (MESO) is to provide valuable leadership experiences for underrepresented students to be empowered and have a voice in EPC. This organization will also create a safe space for conversations relating to inclusion, social justice, equity, and multicultural education.

The Fall 2019 semester will be dedicated to writing by-laws and establishing a vision that aligns with the mission of EPC. By Spring 2020, students will move forward with MESO’s constitution and work with other entities to become a formal multicultural student organization at UWL. If you are a multicultural education student and would like to be involved in the planning process, please email Mai Chao Duddeck (mduddeck@ uwlax.edu) for more information.

As a founding member you will be collaborating with others and creating solutions, that will make a significant difference in inclusion, social justice, equity, and multicultural education at UWL.

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UW-La Crosse has eight multicultural student organizations dedicated to providing leadership and involvement opportunities for diverse students.

The eight multicultural student organizations include ALANA, ASO, BSU, DISTEM, HOPE, IOPA, LASO, and NASA. More information at: www.uwlax.edu/multicultural-studentservices/get-involved/multiculturalstudent-organizations.

Let’s work together as a team because your voice matters and can make a difference. We look forward to seeing you at our planning meetings.

We would like to congratulate Xia Yang for being the recipient of the 2019 Hmong Women Summit Emergent Leader Award.

The award celebrates individuals who are in the early stages of leadership and has strong qualities in self-reflection and collaboration to inspire others. She will receive the award at UW-Eau Claire in November 2019. Congratulations, Xia!

Education leaders After Education Leadership program, May graduate to support quality instruction across 39 Wisconsin school districts After completing UWL’s Professional Studies in Education program, Rasmussen is now beginning that servant leadership. He earned his Educational Leadership Certificate (5051 licensure) and Director of Instruction (5010 licensure) in May. Soon after he landed a new position as an educational consultant in curriculum, instruction an assessment with Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) 11.

“This will be a great opportunity to have a broad reach across the region to support quality instructional practices,” he says. “I am looking forward to this new challenge working closely with school leaders and teachers who are supporting student learning most directly.”

When Rasmussen was considering graduate programs, UWL’s stood out because of Yehle and Gillespie’s focus on servant leadership. He is glad he chose UWL. “They [Yehle and Gillespie] have a strong base of research to make sure they are using best practices, facilitating

collaboration and giving constructive feedback to help us grow as learners and leaders,” he says. “I invested a lot of time and energy to get the most out of the program. Now I feel like I’m ready to be an administrator. To have that recognized by the program was a huge honor.”

Rasmussen says the program is useful even to those who aren’t pursuing an administrative path. It has helped him grow his teaching practice and gain a stronger leadership perspective.

“To have that leadership perspective in any role as an educator will benefit the students and school district you are working in,” he notes. “It is a really valuable, relevant and useful program.

I’d recommend it to anyone looking to advance their teaching practice.”

the issues. “I realized that not every school is the same and something that works for one school is not necessarily going to work in another,” he says.

The program also helped him develop important skills to take on more leadership and administrative duties, such as being able to understand and apply research-based best practices.

At a time when Wisconsin and the nation are experiencing a teacher shortage, Rasmussen encourages others to consider the benefits of the profession.

In addition to the growth one can pursue in educational leadership, Rasmussen reflects on the rewarding aspect of making a difference in the lives of students.

Because of the online format of classes, Rasmussen was able to collaborate with other graduate students throughout the state who came from urban and rural areas and brought different experiences to understand the materials and discuss

Trent Rasmussen was a seventh grade social studies teacher in the DeForest Area School District when he returned to earn his Educational Leadership Certificate (5051 licensure) and Director of Instruction (5010 licensure) from UWL’s Professional Studies in Education program. He was the speaker at his graduate hooding ceremony and received the Graduate Student Academic Achievement Award.

School of Education Newsletter | Fall 2019 |

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Make a gift that impacts generations Most retirement plans are highly taxed when transferred to heirs - by nearly 40%.

If you designate UWL School of Education as a beneficiary of some of your retirement plan you can: Leave other, less heavily taxed assets to your family ü Take action without the expense of an attorney by requesting ü a change of beneficiary form from your plan provider

Change your beneficiaries at any time, retaining ü maximum flexibility

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INTERESTED? Contact Jay Scott Senior Development Officer UWL Foundation 262.424.7940 jscott@uwlax.edu

Welcome new talent to the School of Education GERARDO APONTE-SAFE

DEANNA MAYNARD

Fall 2019

Fall 2019

Assistant Professor Global Education, Multicultural Education

Lecturer Special Education, Elementary/Middle Literacy

CHARLOTTE ROBERTS

Assistant Professor Elemenaty/Middle Curriculum & Pedagogy, Elementary/Middle Social Studies Education

Fall 2019

BROCK MCMULLEN

HANADI SHATARA

Assistant Professor Adapted Physical Education

Lecturer Secondary Social Studies Education

Fall 2018

Fall 2018

Fall 2019

CHRISTOPHER HATHAWAY

MATT MCPARKER

JENNA STARCK

Assistant Professor Elementary/Middle Social Studies Education, TESOL

Assistant Professor Physical Education Teacher Education

Fall 2019

Fall 2018

SAMANTHA MEISTER

RACHEL STEVENSON

Assistant Professor Middle Level Education, Elementary/Middle Literacy

Lecturer Physical Education Teacher Education

Fall 2018

Fall 2019

LISA PITOT

ASHLEY ZEHNER

Fall 2018

Fall 2018

MERIDETH GARCIA

Assistant Professor Secondary English Education

Assistant Professor Music Education

Fall 2018

VAL KRAGE

Lecturer Early Childhood Education

Fall 2019

LISA LENARZ

Assistant Professor Art Education

Fall 2018

Assistant Professor Elementary/Middle Level Science Education

Lecturer Special Education, Educational Foundations

School of Education Newsletter | Fall 2019 |

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LEARNING WITH STUDENTS English Education faculty member is UWL Eagle Teaching Excellence Award winner

Thomas Jesse, assistant professor of English Education, loves learning with his students — listening to their ideas, responding to their interpretations, and working alongside them to make sense of the texts and concepts they are studying.

At awards presentation, UWL Provost Besty Morgan shared a UWL student comment about Thomas Jesse.

“Not only does he provide strong and helpful readings, but he brings them to life in discussions. The content in his courses is not easy, but his students want to do well and work hard because of how much respect they have for him.”

Jesse is one of six UWL faculty members to receive the 2019 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award. The UWL’s Provost Office received more than 600 nominations from UWL students to recognize excellent teachers and a committee selected the winners.

“In my classes, I want students to understand that knowledge is always negotiated, in process, under revision; it’s never fixed or stable,” he says. “So my favorite moments in the classroom are those where we all roll up our sleeves and dig into a dense reading or a complex cultural issue together, committed to a process of inquiry that incorporates multiple voices and perspectives in the search for meaning.”

THOMAS JESSE

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Jesse just completed his fourth year at UWL after spending five years teaching English at a large public high school outside of Orlando, Florida and pursing a doctoral degree. Jesse earned his degree in American literature at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, where he also taught courses in introductory and advanced composition, American poetry, and contemporary American literature.

Jesse’s “home base” is the English Department, but he is also affiliated with the School of Education. He regularly teaches courses in two subject areas: American Literature and English Education. These courses range from introductory general education offerings to specialized courses designed for English majors.

Part of his teaching load is also dedicated to supervising English Education student teachers as they work with middle and high school students across the greater La Crosse area.