We’re in the People Business; Students are Our Focus
When I was a first-grade teacher, I went back to school to get my principal endorsement. As part of the internship that was a requirement of the program, I had to have numerous sit-down interviews with my building principal. The topics of the interviews varied; in fact, I probably couldn’t even name them all. There is one that sticks out vividly still to this day: recruitment and selection.
My principal said she listened as each candidate answered her interview questions. And while the answer was important, there was one main thing that she was listening for. “At some point in the conversation, they need to say something about
ILASCD Leaders
Scott England, President esengland@umes.edu
Belinda Veillon, Past President bveillon@nsd2.com
Amy Warke, President-elect awarke2008@gmail.com
Doug Wood, Treasurer dawlaw1986@gmail.com
Andrew Lobdell, Secretary lobdella@le-win.net
Debbie Poffinbarger, Media Director debkpoff@gmail.com
Ryan Nevius, Executive Director rcneviu@me.com
Bill Dodds, Associate Director dwdodds1@me.com
Task Force Leaders:
Membership & Partnerships
Denise Makowski
Communications & Publications
Amy MacCrindle, Jacquie Duginske
Advocacy & Influence
Richard Lange, Brenda Mendoza
Program Development
Terry Mootz, Sarah Cacciatore, Dee
Ann Schnautz, Doug Wood, Amie Corso Reed
loving kids, or in it for the kids,” she told me. “I know I have a better shot at a quality teacher if I know their focus is on the students from the beginning.” That has stuck with me ever since.
Since that day, I have made sure to always come back to the reason I got into education: the student. When making a decision as a principal or superintendent, I would always ask myself, “Is this best for students?” If the answer wasn’t a resounding yes, then I would not proceed.
I have watched many navigate through various roles in the field without students as their primary focus. Sadly, I have worked with some over the years as well. Thankfully, the vast majority of educators know why we're here.
I listened to retired educator Jim Burgett speak once at a conference. Jim said that at the end of the day, when he got home, he left whatever went on at work on the steps of his garage so as not to take them inside the house where his family was waiting on Jim, the father and husband, not the superintendent.
I believe the same thing needs to happen in our personal lives as well when we get
to school. Our students deserve all of us, not just part of what we’re willing to give. I was having a conversation with energetic, former superintendent Joe Sanfelippo. Joe said that we’re in the people business. “Without the students, none of us have jobs,” exclaimed Joe.
This issue is exciting because it was the first time that we asked our contributors to collaborate with students. Students are really our best window into how we are doing. If they are anything like my children, they will tell it how it really is when asked.
Another exciting reason for incorporating student voice into our journal is to see just how different perspectives and approaches are to education from the students’ viewpoint. As a father of two, my children would come home with quite different outlooks on their day at school. It always fascinated me how two siblings could have such different learning styles.
I hope that you find this journal to be an exciting issue. Featuring student voices is something I hope we can do again down the road. Why? Well, just remember what Joe said.
Whole Child Tenet #4
Supported
Each student has access to personalized learning and is supported by qualified, caring adults.
1. Our school personalizes learning, including the flexible use of time and scheduling to meet academic and social goals for each student.
2. Our teachers use a range of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment tasks to monitor student progress, provide timely feedback, and adjust teaching-learning activities to maximize student progress.
3. Our school ensures that adult-student relationships support and encourage each student’s academic and personal growth.
4. Each student has access to school counselors and other structured academic, social, and emotional support systems.
5. Our school staff understands and makes curricular, instructional, and school improvement decisions based on child and adolescent development and student performance information.
6. Our school personnel welcome and include all families as partners in their children’s education and significant members of the school community.
7. Our school uses a variety of methods across languages and cultures to communicate with all families and community members about the school’s vision, mission, goals, activities and opportunities for students.
8. Our school helps families understand available services, advocate for their children’s needs, and support their children’s learning.
9. Every member of our school staff is well qualified and properly credentialed.
10. All adults who interact with students both within the school and through extracurricular, cocurricular, and community-based experiences teach and model prosocial behavior.
Whole Child
Anton T. Jones
Teachers’ Self-Perception of their Classroom Charisma may be Incomplete: Students Provide Examples of How Supportive Teachers on the Individual Level
Make a Dynamic Impact
Charisma—A Hidden Disposition of the Whole Child Approach
Many students have had the opportunity to be taught by a charismatic and supportive teacher, a teacher who has a certain way of making everything more engaging due to certain characteristics. Teachers reading this may not think that they typically exhibit traits associated with charisma, but the idea of charisma extends beyond presentation energy and humor—how teachers present themselves to the group. Charisma and students’ perceptions of their teachers’ likability also comes from how teachers support and form relationships with students on an individual level.
“Charisma” is hard to define and discuss academically. Definitions will change from scholar to scholar about what makes a teacher embody charismatic traits that create a transformative classroom experience. Each researched article needed to set specific parameters by what they meant by “charisma” in the classroom. Most of them contained extensive studies of terminology used to define teacher charisma over the past several decades. One article proposed that teacher charisma be defined
by the teacher’s character, knowledge of the material, implementation of humor, and dynamic teaching method (Lee et al, 2014). In a paper presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, one researcher created a formula for charisma that factored in demographic data such as the ethnicity, age, and sex of both the teacher and student as a factor on perceived charisma (Archer, 1994).
A paper presentation in Switzerland a decade earlier identified no less than twelve specific traits a teacher exhibited in the classroom that were under the umbrella of charisma (Milojkovic & Zimbardo, 1980).
However, most studies did seem to come to some consensus that a charismatic teacher could deliver content in a digestible, dynamic way to the class as well as have a meaningful relationship with each student. In terms of defining charisma in the classroom for this paper, we will mainly focus on the ways teachers interact with students through meaningful and supportive relationships.
While teacher observations and pedagogy tend to focus on the delivery of the material, the ways that teachers support their students through individual relationships go mostly unnoticed or can only be discussed at a case-by-case level. The emphasis on student success being
reliant on dynamic content delivery has overshadowed the relational support and mentoring vital to developing students due to its difficulty to measure.
Though charisma, as it applies to the classroom, is hard to define, most literature seems to agree that it is not just the teacher’s output to the group via the manner of energetic or dynamic presentation of course material, but that there is a vital element of responding to input from students, being receptive to their needs as individuals through a variety of supportive means. In a survey aimed at students defining and rating charismatic traits in their professors, the findings show that these professors “were described as empathetic and were the type of people who were responsive to others, asked others to share their ideas/opinions, and possessed the ability to listen well” (Bolkan & Goodboy, 2014, p. 137). It was not that they were just energetic in presenting course material, but they were very receptive to and supported their students.
Discovering Students’ Stories: Context and Perspectives
This project was meant to highlight ways teachers supported their students in a charismatic, unconventional, or memorable way, especially if the students carried and applied the lessons from these interactions after the course
ended. Primary data comes from asking students to write a personal narrative in which they felt a teacher, event, school, mentor, club, elective, or organization supported their learning and creative growth. Students were asked to focus on their experiences in school before college and to not write about any professors at
secondary education practicum credit. The other two he knows through having conversations with and attending events where they were performing or reading a creative piece.
Due to this support, the students experienced a variety of different long-term results such as the development of intrinsic motivation, the mastery of discipline through creation, the strengthening of authentic character traits, and the encouragement of continued passionate pursuit possibly resulting in future career choices.
Concordia University Chicago specifically. Students were asked to submit a second draft after receiving feedback from the first author. Feedback was meant to focus their narrative around one specific element from the prompt if there were multiple threads in the narrative.
The first listed author is a professor at Concordia University Chicago while the following six listed authors are students at Concordia University Chicago for the 2023-2024 school year. The first author has had three of these students in his classes. He has had one as an observer of his teaching for fulfillment of a
Following their submissions of their narrative, the first listed author then analyzed their six individual experiences and created an argument around the Tenet of Support in the Whole Child approach to teaching by the ILASCD. During the next phase of the project, the first author consulted appropriate literature revolving around ways students felt supported in schools by their teachers. The narratives were preserved true to the intent of the students as much as possible with only minor adjustments being made by the first author for grammatical correctness. The first listed author identified several core narrative threads that seemed prevalent among the six student narratives and
then used existing literature to examine and complement the conclusions the students came to in their narratives.
While teacher output targeted at the group is important to best convey course material, the six student narratives mostly focused on how teachers supported them as individuals and the favorable results of this individualized support. Due to this support, the students experienced a variety of different long-term results such as the development of intrinsic motivation, the mastery of discipline through creation, the strengthening of authentic character traits, and the encouragement of continued passionate pursuit possibly resulting in future career choices. However, though the data and argument are there for a much more in-depth and lengthy article, the scope of this specific project will be limited to primarily discussing how the narratives reflect the Tenet of Support in ways hard to measure outside of a case-by-case study.
The Tenet of Support for the Whole Child Approach
ASCD’s Whole Child approach aims at targeting the needs of children that often go overlooked in a traditional school setting focused on information intake and processing. Though that is still important, it is not optimized unless other factors of the students’ lives are
considered. According to Griffith and Slade, the Whole Child approach is an effort to transition schools and systems from a focus on narrowly defined academic achievement to one that promotes the long-term development and life success of all children. At its core, a Whole Child education is one in which students are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. This holistic approach, based on Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, refocuses attention on each child's comprehensive and successful development to graduation and adulthood. (2018)
From this approach, the Fourth Tenet of Support is what the student narratives focused on. The tenet states that “each student has access to personalized learning and is supported by qualified, caring adults” (ASCD, n.d.). To further elaborate on this concept, the tenet has ten further qualifiers. Many of these qualifiers address a systematic approach to education in the realm of support, which is something that the student narratives did not focus on. Instead, they focused on relational development with trusted mentors and peers which is addressed in qualifiers one, two, three, six, and ten. The next six sections contain the second drafts of the student personal narratives organized by thematic relevance. Following the student narratives, the first listed author
will conclude the article with a focus on how each students’ narratives connect to the tenet of support.
Why Are You Crying?
By Isabelle Campos
I hesitated at the door. The burning pinch of my nose and my wobbly chin made me realize I would burst into tears when I walked into the classroom. There was a gaping hole in my heart as I held the library’s dog-eared copy of Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix close to my chest. I wanted to hide away in the coat room and cry.
When my concerned friends asked what was wrong, I could only sob, “Sirius, died.”
“In the book!? That’s why you’re crying?”
The worried eyes around me turned into giggles and incredulous faces, a normal 8th grader’s response.
I, however, was destroyed. I had never known grief or the way it consumes the body with rolling tears and heaving breaths. The fictional death of Sirius Black woke up an existential dread in my mind, a fear of losing loved ones that most people experience. Nonetheless,
my peers saw me as an overdramatic weirdo for caring so much about this fictional character. They continued to laugh and even called me crazy to my face. The familiar shame of being myself came over me like a net and I felt so small for feeling so much.
As I stepped into Ms. Merrill’s class, I tried to compose myself. I held my breath and concentrated on walking to my desk, but the moment I saw the empathy and understanding in my teacher’s eyes I could not resist my broken heart. I cried in her arms as I explained the situation. She just held me so tenderly. Later in homeroom, she passed me a note. It was a quarter sheet of paper that expressed her sincerest condolences for my loss. Ms. Merrill told me my emotions were a testament to my authentic love for the characters and that she was excited for me to continue with the series. As I read the note, I was stunned because my tears had never been so sincerely validated. She made me feel like a real person for experiencing these emotions like my empathy was a superpower. My classmates’ comments were silenced in my mind and I was never so excited to pick up the next book in a series.
In Ms. Merrill’s classroom, there was a board with quotes painted in colorful letters. My favorite was from Dumbledore in Harry Potter and
Isabelle Campos
the Deathly Hollows: “Of course, it’s happening inside your head, Harry, but why should that mean it’s not real?” I remember reading this quote from the colorful board every day. In her classroom, I believed it was true. Ms. Merril’s tender attitude toward my 14-year-old heart helped me learn to love my sensitive nature. Many times, students are told over and over by their peers, family, or even teachers that their experiences are unimportant, or that they need to act in certain ways to be accepted. What Ms. Merrill gave me was the freedom and support to be unabashedly myself. As a future teacher, I aspire to have that same passion and tenderness for my students. I want to validate their voices and experiences in a way that empowers them to lean into their individuality. I will never doubt the power of young people’s minds because Ms. Merrill never doubted mine and my life is better for it.
The High-Needs
Kid By Evalynn Berg
Photographer: Stacie Bell
Photo: Picture of Evalynn Berg reading
from her poetry at
Concordia University Chicago’s first annual student poetry reading.
As a child, I was highly curious, emotional, and imaginative. I looked through bright, eager eyes and a mind that yearned to know the world and to become its master. I was a hard-headed, often difficult child who asked, “Why? What for?” when told to do something. I was volatile with my emotions that usually bubbled up to the surface, stemming from a heart that felt very deeply about anything and everything. My ideas were so eccentric that they separated me from my peers, who were put off by my intensity. All that is to say that though I was an exhausting child to raise, one woman stepped up to the challenge, never gave up on me, and continues to support me into my young adulthood— my mother. While writing this, I asked my mom what she was thinking while trying to raise the difficult kid that I was, and with a misty-eyed look, she smiled and said to me, “That I didn’t want to squash you.”
My mom was, and still is, my best friend. On account of being home-schooled and socially unadjusted, I didn’t have many other kids my age to talk to. My mom spent every waking moment with me, trying to balance being my teacher, caretaker, and only friend. Even when at my most disrespectful, my mom has always somehow found a way to stomp Evalynn Berg
out my rebellious defiance without putting out the good intentions behind my defiance. Unlike so many other parents who would have taken the easy route and punished me until I did what
grinned, “Yes, you are— it’s okay to be a crybaby. It’s good to feel your feelings. But what you do with those feelings is what’s important… And what you did was hit your sister, so go say sorry. I’ll
My mom saw all the wonderful yet often disruptive parts of me and chose to curate my mind instead of beating it into submission.
I was told, my mom would sit me down and say to me, “As soon as you can understand and tell me why I make the decisions that I make for you, that’s when you can start making your own decisions.” Even from a very young age, my mom told me that knowledge is power and understanding takes time. My mom saw all the wonderful yet often disruptive parts of me and chose to curate my mind instead of beating it into submission.
There was never a moment in my childhood when my mom told me to “suck it up and stop crying.” And I cried a lot. I cried when my older sister poured water down an ant hill in the backyard. She egged me on, and we began to fight, with me blindly throwing punches with tears in my eyes. My mom broke us up, and in a fit of hiccups, I was yelling that it was my sister’s fault and that I hated her. My sister called me a crybaby, and my mom sent her inside. I pleaded with my mom, telling her I wasn’t a crybaby. She
make sure she says sorry, too.” As hurt as I was by what my sister did, I apologized, and my mom told me how proud she was of me. My emotions continue to play a significant role in my personality, developing into a strong capacity for empathy and passion that would not have been present had my mom not been there to give me the tools I needed to navigate and use my feelings for good.
My mom and all the “field trips” we went on while being homeschooled greatly influenced my imagination. She let me play the role of a “mad scientist” running wild in the Chicago Children’s Museum. At the aquarium, she didn’t have the heart to tell me that the fish couldn’t understand what I was saying. When I asked, she made me a “princessknight” costume for when we went to the Renaissance fair. There was never a dull moment when my creative juices started flowing, and my mom, being the patient person she is, sat through what
I remember to be hours upon hours of me talking about anything from alien abductions to King Arthur of Camelot. My mother made me feel like everything I could say was worth saying and that silence was both a betrayal to myself and to the people who loved my mind.
For better or worse, I’m still searching for the truth, wearing my heart on my sleeve, and expressing myself in ways that even a younger me would be too shy to do. Now, as a 20-year-old entering my junior year of college, these have been the years that I’ve spent the most time away from my mom, and yet it’s taken until now for me to realize the extent to which she’s gone to support me. Because of her, I have the passion for knowledge to go to school for my Ph.D. so I can do my own research. She was the one who constantly lifted me and gave me the confidence to do theater and put all of my feelings out on the stage. She’s the reason why I continue to write stories and poetry and why I’m able to write this now. People still get annoyed by my inability to shut up and sit still, and when they’re especially vocal about it, I can’t help but respond, “Sorry, but my mom loved me too much as a kid to be anyone different from who I am!”
Free Writing
Fridays By Abigail J. Porter
Photo: Picture of
Abigail Porter
while performing on the cheer team.
Since I was a child, I have always loved writing and reading. Stories such as Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan explore the idea of escaping the real world into stories and exploring the unknown. Books have a way of drawing in the reader and allowing them a chance to be someone else in a different world. That is what I have always loved about reading and what has inspired me to write. I want to touch the minds of those who read my stories and allow them an escape from their world. I want others to feel what I felt as a child reading books and find a love for them, especially in this digitally aged culture.
I started writing in elementary school coming up with comic books and songs. However, my writing journey did not start to blossom until high school. In my freshman year of high school, a new English teacher joined the school teaching honors freshman and sophomore English. The moment I
Abigail Porter
stepped into the classroom, I knew she cared about her students. She introduced herself as an aspiring writer and had books featuring characters like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter on her shelf. She expressed her love for reading and writing and even showed us a sample of a novel she was working on. She also told the class that every Friday, we would spend thirty minutes free writing whatever we wanted. This was the first time I recalled a teacher expressing that they wanted us to write something creative.
Usually, in school, teachers want you to write academically and focus on papers. I was finally able to write creatively in a school setting and ask a teacher for help with my stories. My first couple of stories consisted of a short story about a girl who lost her memory and her boyfriend trying to make her remember. It was not a very good story and really cheesy. Most of the time, I would just write whatever came to my head and practice writing stories.
Toward the middle of the year, I gained the courage to ask my teacher to look over my work on a book I had been working on since middle school. We would meet twice a week outside of class for thirty minutes to go over a chapter I wrote, and she would give me notes and exercises to do outside of class. She was the first teacher to take time out of her day to help me get better at writing.
Looking back on my work, some of my stories weren’t the greatest, and it makes me laugh to think that a teacher would want to help with some of my terrible writing. However, it was from these terrible writings that she was able to help me get better and give me exercises such as sitting at Starbucks and listening to people's conversations. While, at first, I started sending my work to her for fun, I slowly started to realize that writing was what I wanted to do with my life.
Arianna Scheltens
Asbestos and Glitter: A Theatre Kid’s Beginnings
By: Arianna Scheltens
Photographer:
Lisa Scheltens
Photo: Arianna Scheltens
performing as a hairdresser, Truvy, in the play Steel Magnolias.
My first real experience with the world of drama was in sixth grade. The Drama Club, as it was so aptly named, met once a week after school for about an hour. It consisted of at the very least fifty middle school kids piling into two classrooms, the divider being pushed back so that there was enough room for
all of us. It was easily one of the largest clubs at the junior high school and still is to this day. This is mainly because the teacher in charge. Mrs. Peoples, one of the English teachers, primarily in sixth grade, dedicated herself to weekly meetings and the spring play. Now that I have gone through university myself and am about to teach my first year, I do not know where she found the energy; running this club for these young minds was very much like taking on teaching a different class on top of her already busy school schedule.
Every week Mrs. Peoples would introduce the goofy activity of the night and expertly weave in the basic rules of
her hands, and we all knew exactly what she meant. This was just one of the many rules of Drama Club, but, unlike the strict academic nature of our everyday classes, these rules created a space that not only allowed but encouraged silliness.
The model that she set before us was that of a respected authority figure who was not afraid to let her goofy nature show, and if anything, she bore it proudly. She spoke of a time when she was young and in her school play, she had a minor part that had only one line: “Silencio, bambino.” However, she always said that she played that part to its fullest. She gave her whole heart into that line,
This was just one of the many rules of Drama Club, but, unlike the strict academic nature of our everyday classes, these rules created a space that not only allowed but encouraged silliness.
the stage. I distinctly remember the imagery of the comedic cliff, where the exaggerated movements can bring you to the peak of hilarity, but you have to be careful on the precipice because it is easy to fall into the awkward absurdity that drains the laughter. The jokes had to be intentional, and not always improvised or impulsive. It became one of those rules that got repeated enough that all she had to do was start the cliff motion with
soothing the invisible crying baby in her arms. Even though it was only a minor role, she had not let it get her down. In Mrs. Peoples's productions, there were no main characters; every member of the cast was important to the plot. Especially in the inevitably hostile environment that brews with a large group of eleven to fourteen-year-olds, this tone of “everyone is important” was integral to the Drama Club. By speaking on her own
small role in a play, and freely being her own goofy self, she gave us the room to explore and discover our own silly strengths that we may never have been able to otherwise.
As far as my personal experience with her, I was one of many little sixth graders who got pulled into those crowded downstairs meetings. It became the high point of every week, uncontested. This was truly the first time that I was invited to be a little weird and received not backlash but genuine praise for doing so.
Once the spring semester had rolled around, and thus auditions for the annual play, I was over the moon excited but also fixated on the anxiety that comes attached to any audition. On the day of auditions, it was announced over the speaker that the building would be shut down due to asbestos being found in multiple classrooms, and we would need to finish out the year in different buildings for our own safety while the remaining asbestos was cleared. I didn’t mind moving buildings. But what would happen to Drama Club?
Despite Mrs. Peoples taking apart her classroom and putting it partially back up in a much smaller building in about three days and rescheduling over half of her spring semester, she did not forget about her dear Drama Club kids. She worked it
out so that we could still meet, not quite every week, at a park or at another junior high building in town. To accommodate for the limitations, she made our spring play a compilation of smaller skits rather than one big production. Small groups of students could choose from the provided skits, and then we all would perform, one after another. Even though we had no building of our own, we still had our Drama Club.
Mrs. Peoples always showed her dedication to the club, but this outpouring of love for the art of it strengthened my own ties to it, and through her example, I wanted nothing more than to do all I could to support it. The next year we were back in our own building, had a new year filled with more goofy skits and activities, and I was accepted as her Assistant Director for the spring play. I was her right-hand man for weeks, bouncing around to all the different crews and the cast members, making sure that I could make her life just that much easier. I did not advertise what I did, but she noticed and did not let me go underappreciated. When most think of theater they think of the actors on stage, and while they are the face of it all, there is so much behind-the-scenes work that has to be done in order to get them up there.
Even though I still felt, and feel, the drive to be up there myself, the intricacies of the backstage work keep
pulling me to them now and I can fully dedicate that planted seed to my time with Mrs. Peoples. In my eighth-grade year, I was able to be up on that stage. I believe it must be stated that I was the Magic Mirror in this fairytale play, and I became so by using hairspray to stick glitter all over my face. It was truly a sight to behold, and I am sure there are still pieces of glitter all around that backstage that specifically fell from my face. That dedication was from a love of the club, borne from the example of Mrs. Peoples’s devotion to it. Theater is truly one of my dearest passions, and even in my last university stage performances, I could hear her voice gently reminding me not to turn my back to the audience, or to project to the back of the room. By being unafraid of her genuine self, my teacher helped me discover mine. And for that, I will forever be thankful.
You Didn’t Make It This Time By
Margaret A. Shasko
Photographer: Stacie Bell
Photo: Margaret Shasko reading from her poetry at Concordia
University Chicago’s first annual student poetry reading.
During my time in high school, I joined as many student groups and sports teams as I could to try and find what my gift was. I joined basketball, track, band, choir, and theater, just to name a few. I wanted to find something that I was good at, a talent that I could show to the world. While I had fun with all of these activities, the one that resonated with me the most was theater. There was something so compelling about performing on a stage, existing in the present moment with the cast and the audience, sharing a story, a message, and art. I loved theater and was invested from the very start, auditioning for a play within a week of beginning freshman year. Through that first year of high school, I was just overjoyed to be a part of any production that I could. I wasn’t worried about being “good” at theater. I just tried to give the best possible performance that I could.
However, as my time in high school went on, I began to worry that my best wasn’t good enough. I wanted everything to be perfect, and to excel at everything, especially theater. During the fall of my junior year, I auditioned for a play and was not cast. I was heartbroken and shed quite a few tears. I had always thought that theater was my thing, and now for
Margaret Shasko
the first time in high school, I was not going to be in a show.
The cast list had been posted before school one morning. For the entire day, I tried to keep it together and pretend like I wasn’t upset. I didn’t tell my friends what was wrong; I was quiet and kept to myself. I was miserable the entire day
her that theater was my passion and that it hurt to find out that I maybe wasn’t that good after all. My teacher was extremely sympathetic, telling me, “Even though you didn’t make it this time, you are still good at theater. I can see how hard you work and that you really care about theater.” I told her how much I worried about being perfect, and feeling
She reminded me to focus on the joy of acting, and being creative, and to use that joy to overcome the fear of not being good enough.
because I felt like I had failed. The director of the play was also my English teacher, and during class that day, she noticed that I was feeling down. Normally an active participant in class, I had instead focused all my energy on concealing my emotions and making sure that no one saw me cry. After class was over, she asked me if I wanted to come talk to her after school about what was bothering me. I agreed and came back at the end of the day.
She asked me what was wrong, and I told her that I was disappointed that I didn’t get cast. I wasn’t upset with her, but I was upset with myself, thinking that I wasn’t good enough. I asked her if I should give up on theater and try to find something else that I was better at instead. I told
like a failure if I didn’t get everything exactly right. She told me not to give up because there were going to be more opportunities in the future to keep acting. She reminded me to focus on the joy of acting, and being creative, and to use that joy to overcome the fear of not being good enough.
After this conversation with my teacher, I thought about it and realized that I didn’t want to abandon theater completely. The next day, I came to the beginning of rehearsal to ask how I could still be involved with the production, even if I didn’t act onstage.
My teacher told me, “I’m so happy that you still want to help with theater. We’d love to have you as part of this group.”
She asked if I wanted to be a background actor in some scenes, or if I would be interested in helping with set design or technical work. I decided to be a background actor, but I also wanted to try something new, so I asked to help with set design and costumes as well.
I attended all of the weekly rehearsals, at the invitation of the director, grateful for the experience of being a part of this show. In each rehearsal that I watched, I learned more about acting—how to articulate clearly, be expressive with emotion and body language, and build characterization. As a result, I gained more confidence and felt well-equipped to handle the next audition even better.
The opportunity to audition again would come sooner than expected. A few weeks into the rehearsal process, one of the original cast members had to step down from their role, and so a replacement was needed. My director asked who was interested in reading for the part. After rehearsal, she told me that my dedication to learning and improving my craft as an actress was impressive, and that she hoped I would audition again.
I signed up right away to audition. I knew that whatever happened, that I still had an entire theater community behind me. I had all the support that I needed, from my teacher and everyone in the cast.
I auditioned and was cast in the role. I was thrilled about this opportunity, but even more than that, I was appreciative of the guidance of my teacher, who helped me overcome my perfectionism with theater. Theater became a lot more fun when I wasn’t worried about being a “perfect” actor. My director taught me to see the value in persevering through and learning from disappointments. I thankfully never gave up theater and continued my involvement through high school and college.
Lydia Smith
When I Could Not Push Myself
By Lydia Smith
of Lydia Smith while speaking at Concordia University Chicago’s 2024 undergraduate graduation ceremony.
If you could see me perform and hear my sound exude confidence with every breath, you would never guess I used to nervously throw up all my dignity before every performance. Anxiety used to incapacitate my every move, but today, not even flute or vocal solos for hundreds of people can stop me from doing what
Photo: Picture
I love. I would not be so passionate about music and my love of performing if it weren’t for the unconventional performance opportunities I received in high school. These exceptional circumstances and their surrounding communities fed my desire to share my talents, helped relieve my anxiety, and allowed me to call myself a two-time performer at Carnegie Hall.
In high school, nearly every day would begin with a churning in my stomach and the inevitable retch in the car before I entered the building; I would worry myself sick with the fear of embarrassment,
found peace in my ability to hide in plain sight. The less I played, the more my sound was enveloped by the strings, and I became invisible just enough to make it through our concerts. But by the end of my freshman year, my director had heard my potential and was tired of my timidity. She knew how well I could play on my own and wanted to challenge me with more flute features next year. Although fearful, I had never heard someone say they truly needed to hear me, and I wanted nothing more than to make her proud.
After the summer, my anxiety returned with aggression as a sophomore, and the
...she helped me realize what needed to happen to make this dream become a reality and not a burden.
failure, and the unknown. Even when I walked into the orchestra for the final period of the day, I was still nervous about making music with strangers and students more talented than me, even though I loved to play the flute. The only flute player in a sea of stringed instruments, I was too intimidated to play any music in the octave or dynamic it was written in for fear of being off-pitch or sticking out. I had never participated in an ensemble so large, and while it was frightening, I
arrival of 5 new freshman flute players coerced me further into the shadows of the orchestra. Things shifted when our director announced the orchestra trip for the school year. Our ensemble was invited to play in a youth showcase for bands and orchestras at Carnegie Hall, and only six high school ensembles were selected nationwide. Mixed emotions sprinted through my head; this was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I knew it, but the anxiety of performing on such
a significant stage was overwhelming. When meeting with my director about my decision to go, she helped me realize what needed to happen to make this dream become a reality and not a burden. To really rise to the occasion, I had to know my value as a player and as a person, I had to believe her when she told me I had value, I had to be a leader and mentor to the new freshmen, and it was out of the question to remain invisible during performances. This was unlike any fear I had faced before, but my director knew the right way to push me when I could not push myself. Suddenly, everything in my life revolved around this event. Nothing was instantaneous, and it took a long year of late nights practicing, stressfully intense rehearsals, and wonderfully profound and challenging music selections to begin to feel confident in my abilities. The five girls in my flute section became my biggest cheerleaders, and to have my peers support me was invigorating. Most importantly, my director knew how to gradually challenge me in preparation for this performance, providing me with increasingly exposing solos, opportunities to lead my section to improve our playing, and reminders to always play my best.
The day approached, and when the director told us we were ready, I had to believe her. I did my best to channel my nerves into excitement when that
familiar anxious churning returned. But as I took the first step onto the stage, heard the clapping, basked in the lights, and saw the smile of our director, I remembered how much I wanted to make her proud. I wanted to make my section proud, my parents proud, and myself proud. So I played my best, like she told me. Our orchestra performed the Finale of Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major on March 20, 2017, at Carnegie Hall. It was not a perfect performance, and the audience was tiny on that rainy Monday morning, but nothing could ruin the joy of being on stage at that moment, the blessing of making music together and feeling proud of what we had prepared. Taking a fulfilling bow, I suddenly realized I had not even thought of my upset stomach, and I walked off stage proud of the performance and the fact that I did not let my anxiety keep me from enjoying it.
After that year, I sought out more opportunities to challenge my nerves and joined more music communities where encouragement and empathy were at the center, auditioning for musicals, aiding my directors, and joining the choir for fun. I found myself on stage at Carnegie Hall two years later as a senior when our choir was invited to a mass choral performance under the direction of Eric Whitacre. Still a memorable performance, the endless support from my choir
director and peers made the journey there possible.
Sometimes, I still get anxious to perform. The crowds can still be intimidating, the music can still be difficult, and the fear of failure can still return. But I know not to let it overcome the joy I find in performing. My severe anxiety would have prevented me from discovering my love for the arts and passion for performing, had it not been for the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall and the emboldening attitudes of my musical communities. I am so grateful for the continued opportunities to take my music outside the practice room and share my hard work and creativity with others, in high school, college, and my professional life. Still, after every performance, I humbly remind myself of all the directors, friends, and audiences who told me I was ready, I was significant, I made them proud. And I believe them.
Project Discussion: Narrative in Light of the Fourth Tenet of Support
Supportive Teachers Make Themselves Available
In the light of the six narratives, there are several qualifiers from the fourth Tenet of Support from the Whole Child approach on display. The first being qualifier 1, that the “school personalizes learning, including the flexible use of
time and scheduling to meet academic and social goals for each student” (ASCD, n.d.). While this aspect of the support tenet may not necessarily require teachers to work unconventional or long hours, many of them do regardless. The purpose is not to encourage drastic, burdensome sacrifices that may lead to teacher burnout, but to recognize the ways that teachers may defy what students think of their job description.
The teachers described by Porter and Shasko were both willing to meet after school in order to discuss growth opportunities outside of normal class. Scheltens’s example showed how a teacher not only met outside of class hours to run the Drama Club but was forced to meet outside of school grounds when the rooms needed to be cleared of asbestos. Berg’s example emphasizes this point since her mother was also her teacher and available to her “every waking moment.” Though most teachers do not share the same responsibilities and roles that a home school parent would, students generally tend to remember when a teacher goes out of their way to schedule an appointment or to make themselves available in a visible way. Research indicates that self-sacrifice on the part of teachers significantly increased the perception of their students that their teachers were charismatic and supportive
(Qardaku, 2021). Many of these narratives demonstrate teachers who are willing to sacrifice in unconventional ways so that their students can succeed. When students see how much their teachers are willing to sacrifice for the growth of the students, it increases the students’ sense of self-worth (Bolkan and Goodboy, 2014). It also encourages them to work and sacrifice in similar ways to their teachers.
Supportive Teachers Provide Multiple Opportunities Aimed at Multiple Ways a Student can Grow
Many of the narratives, in addition to talking about their teachers’ willingness to sacrifice and be available, also discuss how the students grew from the relationships they had with their teachers. This is in line with qualifier two which states that “teachers use a range of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment tasks to monitor student progress, provide timely feedback, and adjust teaching-learning activities to maximize student progress” as well as qualifier three which states that the “school ensures that adult-student relationships support and encourage each student’s academic and personal growth” (ASCD, n.d.). Discussing both at the same time, teachers construct opportunities— whether through assignments, challenges, setbacks, or extracurricular activities—that address multiple aspects of the student as a whole person.
The example provided by Campos shows how a teacher could incorporate lessons from literature such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and encourage how learning those lessons through the continued reading of the series despite the very real pain felt by Campos was important to personal growth by developing and honing empathetic capacities. The example provided by Porter showed how a teacher encouraged outside of class writing and provided outside of class feedback so that Porter could continue to be challenged as a creative writer in ways that she may not have been in a traditional class structure. In both examples, the feedback was personalized, one targeting personal growth and the other targeting academic or craftsmanship growth.
The rigors of the challenge tailored to each student are also an important factor to consider. A teacher may be “fun,” but if they are not challenging and supporting growth, students may not connect with the material as much as they should. Charismatic teaching should not just be limited to a lively classroom but must also include an intellectual challenge where there are rigorous expectations that do not always result in pure joy but growing pains (Qardaku, 2021; Redford, 2016). Challenges to students’ worldview, selfassessment, or intellectual capacity are
Her mother provided instruction challenging personal growth but also provided unconventional tools to meet these challenges...
frequently discussed in the narratives. Berg’s example featured an anecdote where her mother encouraged her empathetic tendencies and desire for justice while also challenging her to temper her impulsive strike on her sister out of this sense of justice for the ants. Her mother provided instruction challenging personal growth but also provided unconventional tools to meet these challenges by encouraging Berg’s empathy, self-expression, and imagination through field trips and art.
The examples by Scheltens, Shasko, and Smith depict their teachers providing performance opportunities to demonstrate their growth. Both Scheltens and Shasko were challenged to learn other aspects of theater before they could take on larger acting roles. Shasko’s sense of perfectionism and her perception of her acting capabilities were confronted when her teacher said that she was not yet ready for the desired acting part. Shasko sought out other opportunities to rise to these expectations with intrinsic motivation to be better at something she cared about when met with the challenge. Smith’s director was explicit about Smith needing
to confront and manage anxiety to rise to the occasion and accept opportunities like performing at Carnegie Hall. These challenges to the students are another means for demonstrating supportive and caring teaching despite the obstacles necessary to create change as Osterman says,
"Teachers who emphasize high expectations; foster a mastery orientation in the classroom; utilize relevant and engaging methods of instruction; respect students’ autonomy; and carefully monitor student learning, providing encouragement, feedback, and opportunities to relearn and support students’ sense of belonging in the classroom. In essence, instructional strategies that enable students to develop as capable and independent learners also convey messages of care." (2010, p. 242)
Demanding students take the opportunity, giving them the tools to do so in a dynamic way, being honest with them when they do not meet expectations, and then reassessing with the student on how to try again is also
essential for charismatic and supportive teaching. In addition, this increases agency and independence on behalf of the student, encouraging them to be better judges of their own merit in order to measure their lifelong growth in their studies, personal life, or career.
Supportive Teachers Build Communities that can Further Support the Students when the Teacher is no Longer Around
Supportive teachers understand that it “takes a village to raise a child,” and that there are aspects of community that they cannot always provide but can encourage. These aspects of the support tenet are elaborated by qualifier six which states that “school personnel welcome and include all families as partners in their children’s education and significant members of the school community” and qualifier ten which states that “adults who interact with students both within the school and through extracurricular, cocurricular, and community-based experiences teach and model prosocial behavior” (ASCD, n.d.). Though teachers act as foundational points for relational learning, their charisma and support can create a learning community capable of doing things that classroom instruction or even one-on-one relationships cannot (Whiting & Nash, 2023).
As Osterman (2010) addresses, a student’s sense of belongingness goes a long way towards them feeling supported, and this belongingness can be felt through the teacher interactions but also from the atmosphere and peer relationships that the teacher encourages, consciously or not.
"Although peer relationships have a strong effect on children’s attitudes toward school—and themselves— the research is quite consistent that teachers have the strongest and most direct effect on students’ psychological experience in the classroom…teachers directly influence students’ sense of belonging through interpersonal support, autonomy support, and methods of instruction that support positive interaction with peers. Additionally…teachers affect students’ sense of belonging indirectly through their influence on the nature of peer relationships within the classroom."
(Osterman, 2010, p. 257)
In Campos’ narrative, though she was being socially critiqued by her peers, her teacher acted like a student peer herself rather than ostracizing the children who could not understand Campos’ empathy towards fictional characters. She hugged Campos and passed her notes, typically a behavior more like a student peer. To be a supportive teacher and encourage
a sense of student belonging, it is vital to not reject, verbally or nonverbally, students misbehaving or struggling in the classroom. When students are rejected by their teachers, they are rejected by their peers since teachers are meant to be partial role models for the students (Osterman, 2010). Instead, Campos’ teacher modeled the kind of community she wanted her students to create themselves. It might be more important to praise and model good behavior than it is to call out and criticize students exhibiting bad behavior. As Osterman continues to say,
"To the extent that teachers like students and interact with them in caring, supportive, and respectful ways, peers are more likely to accept those students. If teachers themselves evidence their dislike, through body language, tone, or sarcasm, these expressions of rejection will be mirrored in peer interaction and affect the development of relationships within the classroom and school." (Osterman, 2010, p. 244)
Berg mentions that her mom was considered her primary facilitator of socialization while also modeling prosocial behavior and effective conflict resolution. Scheltens’s teacher was explicitly and intentionally “goofy” as it gave permission for the other students
of the Drama Club to be themselves and create a livelier and accepting environment necessary for such a club. Shasko and Smith also mention the importance of their own encouraging theater and music communities fostered by their mentors and the communities’ roles in assisting them to overcome their individual struggles. Osterman comments on when this role is not met by saying, "… it is important to understand this contrast between a widely espoused educational philosophy of caring and a practice that falls short of this goal….While some part of the problem might be attributed to individual teacher characteristics or instructional competence, there are other reasons to suggest that teachers’ failure to address student needs reflects a more systemic problem, grounded in teachers’ understanding of individual motivation, their comfort in dealing with emotional issues, and accountability pressures that intensify the emphasis on knowledge transmission and decrease the personalization of learning." (2010, p. 252)
If the sole focus is knowledge transmission, it can decrease student motivation who do not feel like they belong in that community and do not understand why anyone would want to invest in the material. The teachers who
were memorable to these six students were the ones who could model and foster effective relationships not only for the teacher-student aspect but also for relationships among the students’ peers. They fostered motivated and driven communities with a sense of belonging that desired to create and perform in their respective fields and then supported each other in those endeavors.
The teachers who were memorable to these six students were the ones who could model and foster effective relationships not only for the teacherstudent aspect but also for relationships among the students’ peers.
Conclusion
This project, in combination with the student narratives, aims to target and celebrate the ways charismatic and effective teaching relies on the tenet of support at the individual level to complement dynamic material delivery. The models the students wrote about demonstrate different memorable and unconventional methods that supported their students in a way that left a lasting impression. If more pedagogy and professional development can focus on these ways of support, providing availability, visible sacrifice, meaningful relationships, challenging mentorship,
and communal belongingness with peers, teachers can become more effective at caring for the whole student in all of their multi-faceted aspects. Focusing on these often neglected or difficult to measure parts of teaching can create more charismatic teachers able to develop better learners and better people. As Anderson states in her dissertation, when teachers become more aware of how their charismatic and supportive methods matter to their student’s growth “instructors can modify their classroom behavior to motivate their students better. In addition, administrators can utilize the results…for professional development opportunities regarding teacher leadership” (2021, p.155).
Recognizing that teachers, whether they know it or not, can positively develop their students wholistically, may encourage a change of mindset that includes the support tenet qualifiers as well as quality instruction.
In terms of rhetoric, logos and ethos are prioritized as the ideal appeals
for intellectual argument; however, without pathos, without the emotional connection, many students will not remember what the teacher says. Many students will not take away an important life lesson extending beyond the classroom. Charismatic teaching—in terms of dynamically delivering content to a group as well as establishing a lasting emotional connection with the individual through means of effective support—is what influences students’ perception of their own learning in the course and is vital, as the student narratives suggest, to changing lives. As a practitioner and thought leader, consider the ways in which you and your teams are already charismatic and supportive and in what ways you can improve.
Archer, A.C. (1994, April 4th). The measurement of charismatic teaching in the college classroom [Paper Presentation]. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA, United States. https://files.eric.ed.gov/ fulltext/ED374758.pdf
Bolkan, S., & Goodboy, A. K. (2014). Communicating charisma in instructional settings: indicators and effects of charismatic teaching. College Teaching, 62(4), 136–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2 014.956039
Griffith, D. & Slade, S. (2018, October 1). A whole child umbrella. ASCD, 76(2): https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/awhole-child-umbrella
References
Anderson, A. M. (2021). Examining if charismatic teaching predicts community college students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Order No. 28321860) [Doctoral dissertation, Grand Canyon University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/ docview/2508561091
Lee, D., Lu, J. Lu, Mao, K., Ling, S, Yeh, M., Hsieh, C. (2014). Does teachers [sic] charisma can [sic] really induce students learning interest?, Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116: 1143-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. sbspro.2014.01.359
Milojkovic, J.D. (1982). Teaching with charisma. To Improve the Academy: A
Journal of Educational Development 1:217-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/ tia.17063888.0001.021
Milojkovic, J.D. and Zimbardo, P.C (July, 1980). Charismatic teaching: Its nature and development [Paper Presentation]. Sixth International Conference on Improving University Teaching, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Osterman, K.F. (2010). Teacher practice and students’ sense of belonging. In Lovat, T., Toomey, R., Clement, N. (eds), International Research Handbook on Values Education and Student Wellbeing, (pp. 239-60). Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi. org/10.1007/978-90-481-8675-4_15
Qardaku, N. (2021). The impact of charismatic teachers on the intrinsic motivation to learn— empirical research. European Academic Research, 9(2): 976-84. https://www.euacademic.org/ UploadArticle/4891.pdf
Redford, K. (2016, July 30). Is “fun” an ideal teaching goal? (opinion). Education Week. https://www. edweek.org/education/opinionis-fun-an-ideal-teachinggoal/2016/07
Whiting, E. & Nash, S. (2023). ‘Be yourself, but don’t be weird’: Conformity,
performance, and contradictions in early adolescent students’ advice for belonging at school. Journal of Youth Studies, 27: 1-24. http://doi.org/10.1 080/13676261.2022.2161354
Photographer: Stacie Bell
Photo: Professor Anton Jones co-hosting Concordia University Chicago’s first annual student poetry reading.
Anton T. Jones is an associate professor of English at Concordia University Chicago with an MFA from Portland State University. Department of English, College of Theology, Arts, and Humanities, Concordia University Chicago. Anton is the lead author and writing mentor to each co-author on this project. Contact: Anton. Jones@cuchicago.edu
Evalynn Berg is an undergraduate student at Concordia University Chicago, currently majoring in Psychology with a minor in Math and English.
Isabelle Campos is an undergraduate student at Concordia University Chicago. She is currently majoring in Secondary English Education with minors in Art and Creative Writing.
Abigail Porter is an undergraduate student at Concordia University Chicago. She is currently majoring in English with minors in Creative Writing, Theatre, and Communications.
Margaret A. Shasko is a 2024 graduate of Concordia Chicago, having earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in English and a minor in Theatre.
Arianna Scheltens is a 2024 graduate of Concordia Chicago, having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English and minors in Theatre and Education.
Andrea Dinaro Ed.D. is a professor, and the chair of the Division of Curriculum, Technology, and Inclusive Education at Concordia University Chicago. Andrea is an editor on this project.
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Book Review
years’ experience in education and her work with the Institute for Habits of Mind along with Allison Zmuda’s 17 years
leaving the educator with the sometimes daunting task of developing the means to implement the strategies.
This book provides guidance on where and how to start the shift and a framework to follow to support optimal results. Each chapter provides resources for the key elements, roles of the student and teacher, and related habits and behaviors for achievement. Concrete examples are provided as to goal setting, assigning tasks, providing feedback, and evaluating the lesson or project. Within these examples are provided websites to access further guidance and useful ideas and examples. There are examples of student-driven projects from kindergarten through high school.
The book touches on the struggles teachers may face in shifting their roles from instructors to listeners and guides, as well as the fear and resistance that students may present as the teaching model is revised. There is information, guidance, and examples of how to ensure state and local standards and curriculum expectations are being met while still utilizing the student-centered approach. I feel this book offers a great foundation to start building a student-driven learning environment. It is a valuable resource for administrators and teachers looking to make this shift in their schools.
The student-centered model focuses on personalized learning and habits of mind as the foundation of the paradigm. There are four attributes within personalized
learning and sixteen habits of mind that are essential for the student-centered program’s success.
Personalized Learning Attributes:
• Voice (students as active participants in the curricula)
• Co-Creation (students and teachers work as a team in goal setting and assessment design)
• Social Construction (students collaborate with peers to build ideas)
• Self-Discovery (students reflect on their performance and manage themselves)
Habits of Mind:
• Persisting
• Listening with Understanding and Empathy
• Thinking about your Thinking
• Questioning and Problem Posing
• Thinking and Communicating with Clarity
• Creating, Imagining, and Innovating
• Taking Responsible Risks
• Thinking Interdependently
• Managing Impulsivity
• Thinking Flexibly
• Striving for Accuracy and Precision
• Applying Past Knowledge
• Gathering Data Through All Senses
• Responding with Wonderment and Awe
• Finding Humor
• Remaining Open to Continuous Learning
In each chapter that focuses on a step in developing the student-centered program, the personalized learning attributes are defined and the habits of mind that should be utilized in that development are mapped out in a chart.
There are seven key elements that are the foundation of building a learning environment that supports personalized learning attributes. Whereas the first three chapters explain the methodology and research behind why this is essential
includes a chart of the key element, the role of student and teacher, and the related habits of mind. Charts are provided with examples as well as specific implementation examples from various school districts. Each chapter provides recommendations for implementation and a summary of the key points.
Throughout the chapters, several websites that were utilized by the school districts in the examples are provided.
Another valuable resource for the teacher is provided in chapter 5. This chapter provides a chart of a teacher’s transition from the current teaching methodologies to personalized learning. The teacher discusses the shifts in practice as the classroom adjusted to
It provides teachers with a chart of the past state of the learning environment, the current state, and where the teacher is moving to for optimal success.
and how it can be successful; the following four chapters focus on the key elements of a successful studentcentered program. Those elements are goals, inquiry, task and audience, evaluation, demonstration of learning, instructional plan, and feedback.
Each of the four chapters that provide guidance on the seven key elements
the new pedagogy. It provides teachers with a chart of the past state of the learning environment, the current state, and where the teacher is moving to for optimal success. Planning templates for both teachers and students are included.
Each chapter in the book holds value to the overall idea of student-centered learning, in my opinion, chapter 3 is of
immense value because it lays a solid foundation for starting to develop a program. Up to this point, teachers may be getting concerned as to how this shift can happen when they have state and district standards to meet and specific curriculum skills to teach. Teachers may be starting to feel overwhelmed by the idea. Chapter 3 begins to set a picture for the reader as to where to start and how small increments of change occur before a total shift in practice.
This chapter encourages teachers to think about the end goal of a lesson or concept they are teaching and work back, with input and ideas from students, as to how this goal can be met. A chart is provided that lists example long-term goals and the related competencies that coincide with the goal. This provides the broader vision of the goal which is then broken down into smaller parts that now seem manageable and not overwhelming. This chapter provides a guide to writing a SMART goal as well as ways to generate ideas collaboratively between teachers and students. It provides the teacher with examples of questioning to get students thinking and participating in the development as well as a chart of teacher and student expectations. I feel this chapter is of utmost importance because knowing what you want to achieve and setting goals to meet the end is imperative to
being able to move forward with the student-centered learning environment. This also provides guidance on how to get the students involved and feel secure in offering ideas and suggestions.
A full guide to teaching personalized learning can be found at www. teachthought.com/pedagogy/4phases-inquiry-based-learning-guideteachers.
Denise Waggener holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and is currently the assistant principal at North Mac Elementary School. Denise taught in the special education classroom for seventeen years and then moved into a special education administrator position for seven years. Prior to working with North Mac Elementary, she was principal for a special education program working with students with severe behavior and emotional needs and those with life skills needs.
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Resource Corner
USING CHATGPT TO SUPPORT STUDENT-LED INQUIRY
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AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR SUCCESSFUL GROUP WORK
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6 STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
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THE I DO WE DO YOU DO MODEL EXPLAINED
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Coaching Considerations for Fostering Student Ownership in Instructional Practice
At NIET, student ownership is defined as th e stage when students can articulate what they are learning, why they are learning, strategies that support their learning, and how they will use these strategies in the future This tool shares ideas and examples to help teachers foster student ownership through the lens of the NIET Teaching and Learning Standards, but all educators can benefit from it. It can be used by teachers to consider what actions they can take to strengthen student ownership as well as by coaches to help guide instructional practices.
Below are descriptions of how students demonstrate ownership, how teachers can support student ownership, key markers in the classroom environment that signal increased ownership, and guiding questions to help teacher s continue thinking about fostering student ownership. Consider using this as you plan for accelerated learning or before your next classroom walkthrough.
NIET Rubric Indicator Teacher Actions Student Actions Potential Evidence of Impact Next Steps Standards & Objectives
Teachers support student ownership by:
● Clearly communicating the objective of the lesson by having students interact with the objective.
● Engaging students in the analysis of exemplars and co-creating success criteria for the lesson.
● Developing opportunities for students to individually make connections to previous learning and make powerful connections to their lives through prompts, questions, and activities.
● Modeling and planning for opportune times in a lesson for students to participate in
Students demonstrate ownership by:
● Articulating what they are learning and why they are learning the objective.
● Knowing how they will demonstrate mastery of the objective.
● Articulating how the current learning relates to previous, subsequent learning and making individual connections to their life experiences.
● Making powerful connections to the lesson’s objective throughout the lesson by engaging in rich conversations aligned to the objective.
Classroom environment shifts:
● Students understand the value of learning and the expectations for their learning.
● The environment is a s afe space for students to take risks and understand how struggling is a part of the learning process.
● Structures are in place for students to experience success.
● The environment is a s afe space for students to seek help and interact with their peers.
● Students have opportunities to lead their learning.
Guiding questions:
● How do you plan to clearly communicate the expectations for the students?
● What kinds of evidence/artifacts will you require students to produce to show mastery or progress toward mastery of the standard/objective?
● How will students know if they have mastered the objective for the lesson?
● How will students deepen their understanding of the objective through discussions? Where will this occur in this lesson?
AMPLIFY STUDENT VOICES: EQUITABLE PRACTICES TO BUILD CONFIDENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
Learn how to cultivate student voices and facilitate equitable participation so that young people are prepared to speak up and lead when the moment calls for it. READ MORE...
Hear from community organizers, parent leaders, school principals and more on how the Parent Mentor Program unites their school communities for longterm change inside the classroom and beyond. WATCH THE VIDEO...
HOW LEARNER AGENCY IMPACTS A LEARNING ECOSYSTEM
One of the reasons that we were now receiving facility requests from the students was that they were encouraged to engage in projects aligned with their interests. READ MORE...
Amplifying Student Voice: Listen and You Will Hear
Have you ever implemented a policy and questioned how students would react? Do you want to improve your school culture but you’re not sure where to start? Are you having trouble finding a solution to a problem in your school or district? All of these questions can be answered by engaging with your students and bringing them to the proverbial table, a practice known as incorporating student voice.
Schools and districts that have incorporated student voice have seen an improvement in school culture, reduced absenteeism, and more students engaged in their learning. According to a nationwide study (Quaglia Institute, 2016), “When students have a voice they are 7 times more likely to be motivated to learn, 8 times more likely to experience engagement in school, and 9 times more likely to experience purpose in school.” In 2020, a low-performing high school that started listening to students reported: “As of last year, attendance has risen nearly 10 percent and the graduation rate has more than doubled (from 33 percent to 70 percent). This spring, we anticipate that East will reach its highest graduation rate in 20 years.” (ASCD, Vol. 77, No. 6).
Understanding the Need for Student Voice
Students are the primary stakeholders in education. They are our customers experiencing the impacts of
Niko Knanishu
Jessica Lombard
policies, practices, programs and curricula implemented within our schools. However, traditional educational models have often overlooked their perspectives, leading to a disconnect between the good intentions of educators and the realities experienced by students.
Recognizing this gap, Huntley Community School District 158 began a journey this year to amplify student voice, ensuring that it is not only heard but actively influences the future of their district.
of students and asking them for some improvement opportunities and action items that administration can act on is a great way to start school improvement.
HHS Student Scoop
By Christina Smith & Niko Knanishu
Getting the Scoop from Students
Every district and school leader has a genuine desire to ensure effective teaching and learning and a positive culture and climate, but it can be daunting to know where to start. This is precisely where student voice comes in. Getting together with a small group
As Huntley 158’s superintendent Jessica Lombard transitioned to her new role this year, she noted that, despite valuable contributions by teachers, parents, and community members, the voice of students—the primary beneficiaries of the education system— was notably lacking within many aspects of the district. To address this gap, she introduced a new agenda item at board meetings called the "Student Scoop" to provide a structured platform for students to regularly share their experiences, concerns, and innovative ideas directly with the board of education.
Throughout the year, Lombard worked with principals to identify two students from each school to share their insights, opinions and experiences about their school through a slide presentation created and presented by the students to the board. Board members then engaged with the students afterward,
Click to view the presentation.
asking questions and commenting on their presentation.
“The Student Scoop at our board meetings has brought a fresh perspective of our schools through the eyes of the students attending,” said board vice president Laura Murray. “It also highlights
A Day in the Life… Mackeben
and puts a focus on academics and extracurricular opportunities. We want to encourage good character in all students, so when we have student involvement like this it begs the phrase, ‘What we celebrate, we get more of!’”
Lombard said institutionalizing the Student Scoop has underscored Huntley 158’s dedication to fostering a studentcentered culture and promoting meaningful engagement between students and school and district leadership. In less than a year, the district
has seen a positive impact of this districtlevel approach to seeking student voice and changes have occurred. During a Student Scoop presentation by Huntley High School students Niko Knanishu and Christina Smith, students expressed challenges and frustrations related to bus transportation and even offered up some possible solutions. Less than a week after the presentation, the district’s director of transportation attended a Principal Student Leadership Council meeting (see below) to talk directly with high school students about their busing experiences. Staff and students came together to discuss concerns and come up with solutions. Students felt heard as small immediate steps were made based on their concerns and ideas.
“The student scoop is an amazing opportunity to promote student voice and allow students to both highlight their school’s accomplishments and address possible areas for growth,” said Smith.
At an elementary Student Scoop presentation, a fifth-grade student
Wyatt Farina Semra Abdyrazak
Click to view the presentation.
shared personal experiences and perspectives on the district’s dual language program. His honest feedback and ideas sparked intentional conversation around the classroom experiences of the dual language program among students, staff, and administration.
If you are looking to build student engagement at your school or increase student attendance at one of your sporting events, Knanishu suggests you consider polling your students through
In 2018, Huntley High School principal Marcus Belin formed a Principal Student Leadership Council (PSLC) to create a platform for student voice and, ultimately, to establish a school community where students feel seen, valued and heard.
When asked why student voice is important, Mackeben Elementary School second grader and Student Scoop presenter Wyatt Farina noted, “It’s important for adults to know why we like school and to be truthful and honest about [us] learning different things. It helps us and them learn more about our school."
Incorporating Student Voice in School Improvement
Educators and administrators play a crucial role in fostering a school culture that values student voice. This requires a shift from traditional top-down approaches to more collaborative and participatory models of education.
small groups or a large-scale survey about what they would like to see at different events that would appeal to them. “You can also enlist the help of the students themselves,” he said. “Consider selecting a few diverse student leaders to help promote various school events and encourage them to bring other students to those events.”
Or maybe chronic absenteeism is an issue for your school, he said. “Try talking to student leaders and those who are chronically absent, and asking them what the school could do to help get them to class. You might discover many issues you weren't expecting, such as classroom engagement, underlying systemic issues, or something else.”
In 2018, Huntley High School principal Marcus Belin formed a Principal Student
Leadership Council (PSLC) to create a platform for student voice and, ultimately, to establish a school community where students feel seen, valued, and heard. Through the council, Belin noted that students have been able to help shape policies and initiatives that directly impact their educational experience. Students have provided input into areas of focus on school safety, student attendance and opportunities to enhance student life on campus. At the end of the school year, Belin asked the students to reflect on the year by using Post-it notes to write down their thoughts and ideas about what went well and what needs improvement, to help guide next year’s school improvement planning process.
“Through the leadership council, I’ve been able to gain valuable insights into the needs and concerns of the student body and what matters most to them about their high school experience,” said Belin. “As a principal or staff member, we recognize it’s not about us; it's about creating meaningful experiences for kids that are supported by kids’ voices.”
Belin added that involving students in leadership roles also teaches them valuable communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills; empowers them to become active participants and advocates in the school; and prepares them for future leadership roles. “At HHS
we have a ‘you matter’ culture,” he states. “Our students’ voices matter as well.”
Conley Elementary School principal Anna Hoyou emphasized that it’s important to offer even the youngest learners opportunities for student voice. “Students feel a deeper connection to their classroom and school when they have a voice in the daily operations of their school and classroom,” she said. “Conley students express themselves and take ownership of their school in a variety of ways, like DJ for a Day, broadcast club, and morning announcements.”
The Heart of the Matter
While the educational arena continues to transform, one constant remains: Students are at the heart of each and every decision. And yet, the voice of the students often goes unheard in the decision-making process. Adults are determining the educational experiences for students, often without their input.
The importance of student voice in education cannot be overstated. By listening to and valuing student perspectives, schools will not only enhance the educational experiences of their students but also prepare them to be active, engaged citizens.
“The Student Scoop joint initiative has demonstrated that when students
and district leaders work together, the possibilities for positive change are limitless,” said Lombard.
Looking ahead, Lombard said she intends to further integrate student voice into all levels of decision-making. The Student Scoop will be expanded to include a more diverse student representation and the district will explore additional, innovative ways to gather and act on student input.
As they embark on a revision of the district’s strategic plan next year, Lombard said students will be asked to serve as facilitators in the strategic planning process. In addition, she said they are currently researching and planning for the implementation of a student board member, along with a superintendent’s student advisory group.
“Huntley 158 is committed to identifying opportunities in all of our schools at all grade levels to foster student voice,” said Lombard. “By actively listening to students and incorporating their insights into decision-making, we can create a more dynamic, responsive, and equitable educational system. We invite other educators and administrators to join us in this endeavor, ensuring that the voices of those who matter most are always at the forefront of educational innovation.”
References
Quaglia Institute for School Voice and Aspirations. School Voice Report 2016. Quaglia Institute, 2016, https:// quagliainstitute.org/dmsView/ School_Voice_Report_2016.
Accessed 26 February 2024.
Nelms, Shaun, and Valerie L. Marsh. “How Student Voice Transformed East High.” ASCD, March 1, 2020; Vol. 77, No. 6 https://www.ascd.org/ el/articles/how-student-voicetransformed-east-high. Accessed 26 February 2024.
Niko Knanishu is a rising junior at Huntley High School, actively involved in his school and local community. He serves as vice president of the HHS student council and the by-laws chairperson for the North Central District of Student Councils. Additionally, Niko was state runner-up in a medical club event and is a dedicated track and field athlete. Passionate about school improvement, Niko is a Principal Student Leadership Council member and its core team, leading initiatives and facilitating meetings with various stakeholders. His commitment to leadership extends to Scouts BSA Troop 200, where he serves as a senior leader, and to the Wulapeju Lodge #140, where he is the OA vice chief of
activities. Niko is dedicated to advocating for others and promoting student voice and servant leadership. He aspires to create positive change in the future, aiming to make the world a better place.
Jessica Lombard, Ed.S., is Superintendent of Huntley Community School District 158 and has served the Huntley community as an educational leader since 2002. Prior to her current role, she served as the district’s associate superintendent for five years. Before that she held numerous leadership positions, including assistant superintendent of human resources, assistant superintendent of elementary learning and special education, director
of curriculum, principal at Mackeben Elementary School and principal and assistant principal at Leggee Elementary School. A native of Huntley and alumna of Huntley High School, Ms. Lombard holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership from Northern Illinois University, and an Education Specialist degree in educational leadership from National Louis University. Ms. Lombard is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Greater McHenry County and served on its alumni education committee for five years. Ms. Lombard is an adjunct faculty member at Northern Illinois University and sits on various committees within the College of Education.
Jacquie Duginske, Ed.D
Collaborative Pathways: Bridging School Districts to Cultivate Future Teachers
Introduction
According to a survey by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents, during the 2023 - 2024 school year, 90% of school districts reported having a serious or very serious teacher shortage problem (Harrington). In addition, 88% of Illinois School Districts have fewer than five applicants for teaching positions, with some receiving no applications (Harrington). This trend is not just in Illinois, but a national issue. As districts work to staff classrooms with highly qualified teachers, starting before the college experience is critical.
McHenry Community High School 156 launched Teaching as a Profession in the 2023-2024 school year. Through the second course in the sequence students are enrolled in a dual credit class, and are required to complete three full days of classroom observations, respectively at the elementary, middle and high school level. McHenry District 15 and McHenry District 156 have partnered to have high school students interested in the education field spend time in classrooms during their formative high school years. Although the outcomes of the course include learning instructional methods,
Megan Edwards, M.Ed
Kadin Borck
Kaya Jarosinski
roles of assessment and the challenges of teaching, a main focus is getting our future educators into classrooms early and providing the appropriate support to encourage them to return to McHenry (15 or 156) as future educators.
excitement to finally be back in the place where education first started for them and gain more of an appreciation for the world of teaching after getting to see their former teachers in a new light.
Overall, the 29 students who completed this course have all decided to continue on the path to becoming a teacher.
During the first year of Teaching as a Profession, twenty-nine students participated in the course. Almost all of the students who participated spent their elementary years in McHenry District 15 and their high school years in McHenry District 156. Starting our future educators off where their foundation began has laid the path for them to become future teachers where their own education started.
The Teacher Perspective
Education nowadays is about giving students real world experiences, and what could be a better real world experience than putting students in the classroom at an early age to observe the world of teaching. Having the chance to partner with McHenry District 15 to complete these observation experiences has done nothing but enlighten the opportunities for these students. This amped up their expectations and
We surveyed the students at the beginning of the semester and again at the end to see what things had changed or stayed the same. Overall, the 29 students who completed this course have all decided to continue on the path to becoming a teacher. What changed was what areas of teaching they wanted to pursue and that was due to being given the opportunity to see inside each type of classroom throughout their observations.
This experience is something I wish I had when I was exploring the teaching career. I never stepped foot into a classroom as a “future teacher” until my sophomore year of college. This course has been an honor to teach as I’ve gotten to see my students explore the profession and teach me new things along the way. Watching their eyes get brighter, their voices get louder, and their confidence just skyrocket, has inspired me and reaffirmed my own love and passion for teaching.
The Student Perspective
Question: List two positive experiences you've had from taking Teaching as a Profession (TAP).
Kadin: I have had multiple positive experiences from taking Teaching as a Profession (TAP). It has ultimately helped me decide what grade and subject I would like to pursue for my future in teaching. To add, another positive experience that I took away was the opportunity to present in front of the class. This has allowed me to get comfortable with my speaking skills and overall boost my confidence.
Kaya: During Teaching as a Profession (TAP) I had the opportunity to be inside multiple classrooms of all age ranges, which was inspiring and gave me insights in regards to what I do and do not admire about certain grade levels, as well as gaining pre-college experience within the classroom; which is a rare opportunity.
Question: What did this class do for your future?
Kadin: This class helped my future more than words can describe. I had the opportunity to observe multiple teachers at different schools and levels. In addition, TAP has allowed me to see plenty of techniques used by teachers and what they do to create a good
classroom environment. To sum up, this class was the best decision for my future.
Kaya: This class has given me more than I could ever ask for. I entered with an unsure and curious mindset and will now be leaving with a consolidated and exciting career path for myself. TAP has allowed me to find my purpose and calling in life. I will be eternally grateful for everything this class has taught and allowed me to experience.
Question: Was this class beneficial to take now versus waiting till college? Why or why not?
Kadin: In a profession like this, one must wait until college to see the reality of teaching. With that said, having the opportunity to take TAP now, instead of waiting for college, helped my future tremendously. Here are some reasons why I believe this class should be taken before college. Going into a field of education without knowing what you're getting into can be very scary. However, this class dedicates its criteria to preparing all students and getting them ready for their future. To add on, many students go into college thinking they know what teaching looks like. But in reality, it is nothing as they expected. This class eliminates those fears and helps me know what is coming.
Kaya: Yes, this class was beneficial to take now instead of waiting for college. This course gives you an insight into what the teaching profession is, what it looks like for all grade levels, and the importance of what the job entails. This is an opportunity for students to be able to explore this career path prior to making the decision in college; allowing students to feel out the teaching profession to see if it is the right path for them. Taking this class now has helped me become more confident and prepared for college; knowing that I have a path I want and am ready to take.
Question: Why was it beneficial to complete the mandatory observation hours in your own community vs somewhere else?
Kadin: I believe it was beneficial to complete the mandatory observation hours in my community vs. somewhere else because I have a personal connection with these teachers. To add, I think it’s essential to complete observations somewhere I would like to teach in the future. Finally, being able to complete these observations in my community allowed me to see how my teachers grew over time. As I become a new teacher, I think it is important for me to see how my teachers evolved and what they changed from when I was a student.
Kaya: I feel that completing the
mandatory observation hours within our own community was important because it allowed for students taking the course to get first-hand experience on what it would look like to work as a teacher in our community, where you might eventually be employed in the future rather than experiencing other communities and their school districts where it is less likely that you’ll work. This gives students a better insight into what working in their community’s districts would be like.
References
Harrington, Adam. Over 90% of Illinois school leaders report teacher shortage, survey says. CBS News, 27 March 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/ chicago/news/illinois-teachershortages/. Accessed 2 April 2024.
Dr. Jacquie Duginske is currently serving as the Executive Director of Learning Services for McHenry Elementary School District 15. Dr. Duginske is an expert in the areas of curriculum design and assessment with a focus on instructional best practices to positively impact student outcomes. Dr. Duginske advocates for the nurturing and development of current and future educators through a comprehensive approach, which
encompasses mentoring, instructional coaching, and administrative support.
Ms. Megan Edwards is currently serving as a Family Consumer Sciences teacher and District Learning Coach for McHenry Community High School District 156.
Ms. Edwards holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and is currently completing a second master’s degree in Educational Leadership.
Kaya Jarosinski is currently a student attending McHenry Community High School. Kaya has almost ten years worth of equestrian experience and teaches private
lessons and drill team during the work week. Kaya will attend McHenry County College in the fall to begin the process of acquiring a degree in Elementary Education.
Kadin Borck is currently a student attending McHenry Community High School. Kadin has played baseball for over twelve years and helped coach younger kids during the summer. Kadin will attend Concordia University Chicago in the fall to begin the process of gaining a degree in Secondary Education—emphasis Physical Education.
IL ASCD Area Representatives
In 2014 when IL ASCD reorganized our leadership team, the role of Area Representative was created. Our “Area Reps” as we call them are a link to and from the various regions of our state. IL ASCD follows the same areas established by the Regional Offices of Education.
Our Area Reps are led by a members of our IL ASCD Board of Directors, Denise Makowski.
Denise Makowski
Chicago
773.535.7252 dmkowski224@gmail.com
AREA 1: (Green)
Current Area Reps
AREA 2: (Dark Blue)
AREA 3: (Yellow)
AREA 4: (Pink)
AREA 5: (Light Blue)
AREA 6: (Gold)
April Jordan
Jennifer Winters
Stacy Stewart
Erik Briseno
Chad Dougherty
Heather Bowman
Vacant
Mica Ike
Vacant
Contact information for them can be found HERE.
The roles of the IL ASCD Area Representatives are:
• Encouraging IL ASCD membership to educators in their local areas;
• Assisting with professional development;
• Attend board meetings and the annual leadership retreat, when possible;
• Disseminating information from IL ASCD board meetings or other sanctioned IL ASCD activities to local school districts or other regional members
• Being a two-way communication vehicle between the local IL ASCD members regarding IL ASCD or any educational issues.
• Keeping IL ASCD Board of Directors apprised of pertinent information regarding personnel issues (e.g., job vacancies, job promotions) and district program awards/recognition within the local area.
• Communicating regularly with IL ASCD Executive Director and the Co-Leaders of the Membership and Partnerships Focus Area.
Maureen Cassidy, Ed.D.
Parent Mentor Program
In the heart of McHenry, Illinois, a remarkable initiative is fostering collaboration, empowerment, and skill-building within the community. McHenry School District 15’s Mentor Mom program stands as a beacon of success, where minority parents become valued partners in education, students benefit from diverse perspectives, and teachers receive invaluable support. This initiative aligns with the district’s newly developed strategic plan, specifically in the focus area of community and staff engagement.
The Parent Engagement Institute (PEI) builds transformative parent engagement programs in schools by growing the capacity of community organizations, parent leaders, and schools. Started in the Logan Square Neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, PEI supports the implementation of the program in 40 Illinois organizations and 224 schools nationwide. The Parent Engagement Institute helps community organizations and school districts replicate the Parent Mentor Program and build parent leadership. The goals of the program include; helping minority parents to grow personally and professionally, creating collaborative opportunities for parents and teachers, encouraging community-centered schools, and encouraging parentled involvement where every voice is heard.
When approached to partner in this initiative, the district EL department jumped at the opportunity to add much needed, native language personnel into the classrooms.
Parent Mentors volunteer in classrooms for 2 hours a day for at least 100 hours. They are supported by weekly training through the PEI as well as professional development led by either the community organization or the school district. After working 100 hours, the grant pays the Mentor Moms $1500 each. The result is a mutually beneficial program that meets the goals of students and parent volunteers alike.
In McHenry D15, the program is affectionately called the Mentor Mom program. The program was initiated and implemented in collaboration with a community organization that the district has partnered with for many years, the Youth and Family Center of McHenry County (YFC). YFC provides after-school and summer care for McHenry D15 students as well as navigation services for families. Primarily serving McHenry’s Hispanic community, YFC was already working closely with the school district. When approached to partner in this initiative, the district EL department jumped at the opportunity to add much
needed, native language personnel into the classrooms.
Funded by a grant through the Parent Engagement Institute, McHenry D15’s Mentor Mom program began during the 2022-2023 school year. D15 was the first school district in McHenry County to have the Parent Mentor program. After writing and submitting the grant application, YFC and D15’s EL department began to recruit parents to volunteer at one of the attendance centers. Since the Youth and Family Center of McHenry County had already worked closely with Hispanic parents in the community, the program was able to leverage that relationship to recruit the program’s Mentor Moms.
Once recruited, interested parents went through the process of creating a resume and interviewing. For most of the parents, this was the first time they had created a resume or been interviewed as they had always been stay-at-home mothers. When parent volunteers had been identified, the district matched them with classroom teachers. There was a “meet and greet” before the volunteers
began, and some training on classroom interventions that would be used with students. The district and building made sure the Mentor Moms felt welcomed by giving them badges, and district and building-level swag.
Six parent mentors volunteered for 200 hours each in four DL classrooms that school year. The grant also stipulates a
families and schools but also enriches the educational experience for everyone involved. The Mentor Moms are required to work directly with students per the grant. They work within the classrooms to provide one-on-one or small-group instruction to students. Having the native language support for students is invaluable and the Mentor Moms use the time within the buildings to improve their
This firsthand experience fosters a deeper appreciation for diversity and builds bridges between different communities.
Parent Mentor Coordinator that helps to facilitate the volunteers as well as help provide the mandated professional development. The program was an instant success at the first building and the district was able to grow the program during the 2023-2024 school year to include three schools, 18 Mentor Moms, and three Parent Mentor Coordinators.
At the core of this program lies a simple yet profound idea: engaging minority parents as active participants in their children's education. Parents, predominantly native Spanish speakers, are invited to volunteer in Dual Language classrooms, where students learn in both English and Spanish. This engagement not only strengthens the bond between
English as well. When asked why she was interested in the Parent Mentor program, one Mentor Mom said,
“I am interested in this program because of how happy and motivated my own child is every day because of everything he is learning. I would like to help other children be just as happy and motivated as my son.”
One of the program's key strengths is its mutually beneficial nature. For students, interacting with native Spanish-speaking volunteers provides authentic language exposure and cultural immersion, enhancing their language proficiency and cultural understanding. This firsthand experience fosters a deeper appreciation for diversity and builds bridges between
Beyond the classroom, the Mentor Mom program offers parents a meaningful opportunity to develop essential work skills and gain confidence in their abilities.
different communities. In fact, another Mentor Mom said,
“I am happy to support other mothers in activities that will support both other children and their own children. I would like to help students feel empowered and supported in activities that they need more time to complete.”
Teachers also reap significant rewards from this partnership. With additional support from parent volunteers, educators can address the individual needs of students more effectively, whether it's providing one-on-one assistance, facilitating group activities, or reinforcing concepts in Spanish. Regarding the benefits of having a Mentor Mom in his classroom, Jorge Garcia, a Kindergarten Dual Language teacher said,
“First, the kids adore her. She helps at our back table with early literacy skills for those who need extra guidance. She just fits into our little family and I don’t know what I would do without her.”
This collaborative approach not only lightens the workload for teachers
but also creates a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. Students light up when they know the Mentor Moms will be in the classroom.
Beyond the classroom, the Mentor Mom program offers parents a meaningful opportunity to develop essential work skills and gain confidence in their abilities. By actively participating in classroom activities, parents hone communication skills, organizational abilities, and leadership qualities. They also learn valuable workforce skills and can begin planning future career pathways. Moreover, they experience firsthand the impact of their involvement in their children's school district, reinforcing their sense of purpose and value within the community. Working outside of the home for the first time for most of these parents also has the added benefit of increasing self-esteem and self-worth. One Mentor Mom commented, “Being part of this program helps me get out of my routine and helps with my mental health.”
What sets this program apart is its focus on fostering genuine partnerships between schools and families that often
are nonexistent because of language barriers. The district is able to cultivate a culture of trust and mutual respect with parents. The parents feel empowered to contribute their unique insights, skills, and perspectives, while educators recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions of parent volunteers.
As the Mentor Mom program continues to thrive and grow, it serves as a shining example of what can be achieved through collaboration, dedication, and community involvement. By harnessing the collective strengths of parents, students, and educators, the district not only enhances academic outcomes but also nurtures a sense of belonging and pride within the community.
In McHenry School District 15, the journey towards educational excellence is truly a shared endeavor, where every
voice is heard, and every contribution is valued. Together, we are building a brighter future for all our children. One classroom, one volunteer, and one partnership at a time.
If you would like to learn more about the Parent Engagement Institute and the Parent Mentor Program, please visit https://www.parentengagement. institute/. To learn more about the Youth and Family Center of McHenry County, please visit https://yfc-mc.org/.
Maureen Cassidy, Ed.D., is the Executive Director of EL in McHenry D15 and has occupied this position for the last 15 years. Prior to that, Dr. Cassidy was an ESL teacher in Sycamore School District 427. Dr. Cassidy has also been an adjunct professor for Olivet Nazarene University since 2014, where she teaches the coursework needed for an ESL or bilingual endorsement.
Trevor Fritz
Teaching, Applying, and Reflecting on Social Skills for the Real World
Explicitly Teaching Social Skills
As a teacher, it is essential that we not only teach the content and skills that are applicable to our content area but also help students be the best versions of themselves. While teachers are under considerable pressure to increase test scores, the vast majority of conversations that I have been a part of and seen at school and on social media are related to student behaviors and social skills. I consistently see teachers’ feelings mirrored in the workplace and in articles like Business Insider’s “Bosses are having to teach employees to say ‘hi’ before discussing business” or Fortune’s piece titled “Managers’ latest complaints about Gen Z: They lack soft skills and have unrealistic workplace expectations.”
While this is something to be concerned about, I become frustrated when we solely put the blame on kids. As a society we need to consider our expectations of our young people while helping them to foster these social skills because ultimately, they did not create the environment and expectations that are placed on them, the adults have. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think we can all agree that our students need more work
Sam Higgins
on these skills and we can support their growth in the classroom.
This summer will be the 12th year in a row that I have reread the book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie to help myself become more engaging in conversations, show genuine interest in others and improve my leadership skills. I have gifted over 100 copies to former students on graduation day and have consistently received emails from these students about how the skills from this book, or having them taught in class, helped them interpersonally in the next stage of their lives. The stories and lessons from this book have had such a profound impact on my life that I felt it necessary to help students see the importance of these skills, provide them opportunities to practice, and also provide feedback from myself and their peers.
Fortunately, my school district’s cornerstone of learning is “cooperative
learning” wherein these same interpersonal skills are emphasized, and I have received great professional development on how to weave these skills into the curriculum. A few years ago, our school started to utilize the acronym Hawk PRIDE (Purposeful, Resilience, Inclusive, Dependable, and Engaged) as a way to teach specific life skills to help students prepare for the real world. As educators, we know that we cannot just tell students information or demonstrate a skill and expect students to immediately be able to remember the information or do the skill we demonstrated. We know that learning requires students to go through a continuous cycle.
Below is how I have used the learning process to explicitly “teach” social emotional and life skills as well as an account from a current student, Sam Higgins, on how he has utilized these skills to improve his life.
Engagement and Concrete Examples
Convincing students to be interested in working on skills like using someone’s name in a conversation or learning about how to develop better habits is no small task. With the help from a group of teachers we were able to find resources to help these skills resonate with the students in a meaningful way. We try to pique students' interest in these skills by showing a video, reading an article or short story, or sharing our own life experiences on how these skills will help them in life.
For example, we read part of Chapter 3 of How to Win Friends and Influence People, wherein a man who remembers thousands of names helped get Franklin Delano Roosevelt reelected as president. The next day we show a brief TedTalk on how dopamine is released when someone uses our name and how this can help build our relationships. While both of these are interesting examples for students, we need to engage students a step further
by using questions like: “Who do you know that is really good at using names?” or “What feelings arise when someone uses your name?”
Practice
Even though I may have convinced students that using names in conversations is important or that getting a morning “win” will set their day up for success, their beliefs are meaningless without them getting the opportunity to take action and change their behaviors. In class, I try to provide students with opportunities to work on their skills in both academic and social contexts.
For example, simply starting class off in partners and allowing one student to only ask questions for a minute straight on topics as simple as “What did you do this weekend?” or as outrageous as “Which weapon would you want in the event of a zombie apocalypse?” Recently, I had students practice with more of a content focus as one person only asked
follow-up questions on the structure and firing of a neuron.
Feedback and Reflection
In our psychology class, we discuss how our self-reflections are typically biased and our memories can be inaccurate, therefore we need to track specific data points and reflect on our findings in order to create meaningful change. Students are regularly asked to reflect on if they have noticed themselves use more names or increase their usage of followup questions and while this is helpful, it is necessary to give them quantitative feedback to reflect on. We regularly track specific skills.
For example, during small group discussions throughout the year, an “undercover” student will track these skills like how many times each person used a group member’s name or asked a follow-up question to show genuine interest in their group members’ opinion. An example of this is shown below.
Even though this feedback is not part of students’ grade, I have been impressed by their interest in the feedback that they get from their peers as well as their reflections on how they can improve on these skills in their daily lives inside and outside of school.
Student Reflection - Sam Higgins
On the first day of our AP Psychology class, Mr. Fritz discussed how we would be working on building our social skills and I did not think much of it at the time. As the year went on and I made genuine attempts at bringing the stories, practice, and feedback, I noticed that these skills were becoming habits in other classes and in my life outside of school.
One particular skill that we practiced was asking follow-up questions, which
Another technique that we have learned about and practiced is using names. I was skeptical of this topic when it was introduced but we learned about how using people’s names can release dopamine in their brain and this positive feeling can then be associated with me. After we practiced the skill in class during a discussion and I received feedback that I did not use any names but I did notice that when my peers did use my name I had a positive feeling. As I used people’s names when greeting them
These small social skills have helped me to build better friendships and I have noticed much more personal connections.
I have noticed has helped me to keep conversations going longer and better. In class, we practiced using follow-up questions at first in fun ways that helped us to get to know each other and by the end of the year, we used this strategy to review concepts in preparation for our AP exam. While this skill helped me academically, I noticed that asking follow-up questions has helped me build deeper relationships with friends and family by creating more engagement in conversations. Asking questions helps show people that I am genuinely interested in what they are saying and allows me to learn more about people’s opinions and beliefs.
and in conversations I noticed I made them feel more important and happy because I either remembered them or drew them closer. The idea of using names was also demonstrated through the class concept of the “cocktail party” effect. This was demonstrated in class by Mr. Fritz saying people’s names during loud classroom discussions and people would immediately notice their name. This lesson stuck with me because it demonstrated that our names are special and it can attract our attention even when said quietly in a loud space.
These small social skills have helped me to build better friendships and
I have noticed much more personal connections. My conversations feel much more in-depth and while I have to remind myself to use names, ask follow-up questions, or demonstrate active listening sometimes, I always see a payoff in both myself and my friends’ conversations.
Conclusion - Trevor
I have been fortunate to keep in touch with many students after high school and I regularly have received informal feedback on how much these life skills embedded into the class have helped students build their confidence, make friends, and thrive academically.
I hope that these few examples above as well as Sam’s reflection helped you to see that it is possible to embed social and SEL skills into the classroom and explicitly teach them so students can grow. Please reach out if you are interested in any other resources or in discussing this topic further!
Trevor Fritz is an AP Psychology teacher and instructional coach at Maine South High School. Trevor is particularly interested in using the classroom to not just build students’ academic abilities but to also help them build their social skills. Trevor also has the chance to work with students in a variety of clubs while coaching football and basketball.
Sam Higgins is a high school sophomore at Maine South High School and is interested in becoming a teacher so that he can make an impact on students the way his teacher has. He found his passion for teaching by supporting other students in the school’s peer tutoring program, and working with students in psychology, English, and math. Sam is also a member of the varsity baseball team and golf team.
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From Elena Aguilar's Bright Mornings ...The Art of Coaching, featuring Nita Creekmore
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