Second Chances

Occassionally, I am asked by Rocketship Public Schools Milwaukee to write a brief reflection. I wrote this one about a family with whom I have worked for 3 years. Enjoy!
--
Two weeks before the start of the 2017-2018 school year, I picked up my phone and made calls to all 19 families on my student roster. Most parents were shocked and dismayed when I informed them that their child’s previous ISE Specialist had transitioned to a new position and that I would be their child’s teacher. My predecessor was a popular and well-respected educator, so I knew I had my work cut-out for me. I had to convince the families that I would provide the same type of excellent instruction to which they had grown accustomed. 

For Mariella Gonzalez, however, there was no convincing. After two phone calls, I finally got a hold of her and introduced myself. Our conversations was very short: "My kids are no longer attending Rocketship. Sorry." And that was it. We said our good-byes and hung up. 

In July of 2017, Mariella unenrolled her children from Rocketship and had transferred them to another school down the street. Citing changes in her work schedule, she had unexpectedly informed Rocketship administrators that her children Emily and Kenny would no longer be attending. But there was more to her decision. “Kenny’s K4 year was tough,” recalled Mariella. “He needed a lot of support from me and the teachers and I felt the stress at work, so I moved him.”  But in a very short amount of time, she realized she had made a mistake. “After two weeks at the new school, I was informed by the special education staff that they could not accommodate Kenny.”

Within one month of the school year starting, she was left without options for her children. Mariella scrambled and began to look for other placements.  “I travelled all over the city, going to different schools and administrative offices,” she remembers, “but nothing was working. I decided to go back and ask Rocketship if I could return. I was not sure if the school would accept us back.” Rocketship welcomed her back without hesitation.

I remember the day Kenny showed up in the lunchroom. It was in late September and I was having a difficult day. There were multiple behavior calls, an emotionally-exhausting parent meeting, and, on top of all that, I was barely keeping up with teaching load. I sat dumbfounded when I saw Kenny arrive, and heard he would now be added to my caseload. As a first-year teacher, I was overwhelmed. But I made an about-face, shook Mariella’s hand and introduced myself to Kenny. His eyes were darting all over the room and his whole body shook with pulses of energy. He bolted across the cafeteria, screamed, and then jumped up the steps and began swinging on the handrail. “What am I going to do?” I thought.

Slowly but surely, Kenny and I built a strong teacher-student relationship. It did not come easily. Just as his mom had said, he required a lot of attention and care. But inch-by-inch, we worked on his self-control, we channeled his creative talents to incorporate art and play into his daily schedule, and we stayed positive. With time, I began to see that Kenny as one of the most caring and empathetic children in our school. He was becoming a true asset to our community. Working with Kenny meant that I was in regular, daily contact with Mariella. We developed an effective parent-teacher partnership based on openness, honesty, and joy. And I saw it pay dividends. Now, when Mariella speaks about her son, two years later, she says this: “I see him having a bright future. I see him being somebody.”

Kenny is now in second grade and is succeeding in his class. He is making growth in his academics and with his behavior. It will not be easy, of course, but with the loving support of teachers and parents, his future is bright. During a recent visit to the school, I asked Mariella what her favorite memories of the past two years have been. “When Rocketship accepted us back,” she stated without hesitation. “The staff is so caring towards all children. You do not treat kids with disabilities any differently. You have the same love for them all.”

Teacher Lesson: Parent Power

August 2018

Tracing my finger along Windlake Road, I made note of the turns, tabulated the mileage, and committed the map’s image to my memory. I had done this many times before. After eight years of biking around Milwaukee, I was confident in my sense of direction. So when I jumped on my bike, with less than 15 minutes before my scheduled arrival for Antonio’s home visit, I was confident I’d be there on time.  But a funny thing happened when I crossed Mitchell Avenue and turned left to head north past St. Michael's Basilica on Milwaukee’s Southside: I lost my bearings. I quickly made a left-hand turn and pedaled another mile. I passed several bodegas and corner bars with names like “Super Mercado” and “Food and Soda.”  I anticipated an upcoming intersection, and when it didn’t materialize, I realized I was lost. I called Ivelise.

 “Hey Ivelise. I apologize, but where is your house again?” I asked.  “Union Street. Near Greenfield,” she said.  “OK! See you soon.”

I backtracked, but I didn’t feel confident. I stopped to ask a few pedestrians for assistance, but because I didn't speak Spanish, they were unable to help me. I was disoriented in a bewildering maze of bungalow houses, concrete streets, and alleys. I called two more times. I was now late by 30 minutes. Stressed, I made an ill-advised turn, hit a crack in the road, and fell over. I was ready to cancel the visit. “Hey Ivelise, I am completely lost. Can you wait just a little while longer? I am so sorry.” Half expecting an angry response, I was shocked when Ivelise quickly said, “Yes! Of course. We will be here.” I continued on. I spotted her 15 minutes later sitting on the porch watching Antonio ride his bike on the sidewalk. I was now a full 45 minutes late. Embarrassed, I slunk up her steps and apologized. She smiled, gave me a hug, and then handed me a Puerto Rican empanada and water. I was so grateful for the food. In that moment, her house became my refuge. She saw me in a vulnerable state and offered sustenance and comfort. I wondered how I would have reacted.

October 2018

Right away, I knew something wasn’t right with Ivelise. She sat there dejected in her chair. Shoulders slumped forward, hands on her forehead, softly mouthing the phrase, “No. No. No.”  Everyone was silent. “Would you like some time?” I asked. “No. Let’s keep going,” she said. I proceeded with the IEP meeting. Taking a cue from Ivelise’s demeanor, I faced her and reassured her that her son Antonio was gregarious, loveable, and hard-working. “Not only does he work hard, but he has a sense of humor,” I continued, “he is empathetic and caring; you’re raising a wonderful young man.” My words felt like shallow platitudes. But I meant them. Ivelise looked up at me said “thank you” and silently waited for the academic report.

IEP meetings can be bewildering experiences for parents, teachers, and students alike. They are full of educational jargon and acronyms. There are specialists--Speech and Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Physical Therapists and others--each speaking a language composed of acronyms and code words unique to their field. As the educational specialist, I too have my own “teacher talk.” Here are just a few of the common acronyms I use regularly during a meeting: PLOP, MAP, STEP, BIP/FBA, SDD, OHI, ED, ILD and IEP.

Just as it is difficult to estimate the worth of a grown adult by merely looking at their profession or salary, the same is true for a child. Occasionally, educators (myself included) are guilty of deconstructing students into what I like to think of as “educational atoms.” Instead of reflecting on a child’s character growth or their passion for Cenozoic-era reptiles, we talk about their percentage growth in ELA (oops, another acronym). Instead of focusing on a child’s interest in surrealist art, we count the number of behavior referrals sent to the office during chemistry class. Unfortunately, IEP meetings are venues where this type of deconstruction into “academic atoms” can easily take place.

I could see that this was happening to Antonio. Ivelise knew her son struggled with comprehension and reading, but she also saw him holistically, as an individual. And her more nuanced, complex understanding of her son’s character was coming into direct conflict with the numbers and acronyms of the “atomized student” being portrayed during the IEP meeting.  We were all guilty. Especially me.  The tone of the meeting changed drastically when Ivelise talked about Antonio. She spoke about her dreams for Antonio and where she sees his growth both academically and emotionally. The love for her son was infectious and the dignity with which she handled herself during what had to be an emotionally challenging IEP meeting made me reflect on my role as an educator, and has made me a more empathetic teacher.

Perhaps this is a contrived comparison, but after the meeting I thought back to that summer day when I was bewildered and lost searching for Ivelise’s home. And much like that afternoon in August, I was again lost in October. This time, however, there were no roads or wrong turns to be made. Instead, I lost the complete image of her son when his IEP meeting began to focus too much on numbers and not enough on Antonio, the child. But unlike that time in August, Ivelise offered me more than an empanada and a lesson on grace and patience. Like a master of a pointillist painting, she made me step back to see the full canvas. Each minute dot (or atom) was merely one small part of a larger portrait. And she showed me that my relationship with her son is more than just a one-way street of progress reports and IEP meetings. It’s instead a dynamic relationship where I am often the student, being guided and supported by the most impactful teacher of all: the parent.

Fulbright Application / Rejection

I received a rejection letter from the Fulbright Commission today. When I went back to graduate school in 2017, I promised myself that I would apply for a Fulbright Scholarship. It had always been a dream/goal of mine. I kept my promise, and from April 2018 to October 2018, I worked non-stop on writing a competitive application. I received a lot of support from professors at Marquette and Cardinal Stritch Universities. I'm proud of what I accomplished, even if it was not meant to be. I'm going to leave some of the application on this blog for posterity. Many of you probably don't know about my ambition to be a Fulbright Scholar, so for you, this will be entirely new! Enjoy. 

--
Personal Statement:

I was the first born in a set of triplets. From birth we were treated as a unit. Strangers and family alike would refer to us as “the boys” or the “Ault brothers.” It was common for people to identify us by one physical feature or a specific character trait (I was deemed “the quiet one”). The only place where I felt treated as an individual was in school. However, the individual attention I received was a consequence of my own failures as a student rather than any unique traits or abilities inherent to me. While my brothers excelled in the classroom, I struggled. When I was in kindergarten my parents were told that I needed to be held back. In first grade, they heard the same thing. It appeared I had a learning disability. I was eventually separated into a special education classroom. My parents and a few of my teachers recognized that holding me back would be difficult due to the fact that I was a triplet--they were concerned about my future confidence and academic success when I got to middle and high school. Instead, the school and my parents worked together to institute an intensive intervention program replete with small group instruction, one-on-one tutors, reading specialists, and academic counselors. This intervention lasted five years. Their hard work paid off. 

In 2013, I graduated from Marquette University with a Master’s Degree in Global History. At the end of the ceremony, my father asked to hold my diploma. I was the first person in my extended family to achieve this level of education. When I put the diploma in his hands, he said that he regretted that the teachers and specialists who worked with me decades ago were not able to share in the moment. In that instance, I realized the lasting impact of special education: the belief in a student’s potential no matter the odds; the power of a future not built upon false hope, but one that is attainable. 

For ten years, I held various positions in an array of nonprofits. I was a teacher, an after-school program director, a youth counselor, and a development director. Through the course of my career in nonprofits, I have had the opportunity to  study and work in the Czech Republic, Moldova, Ukraine, and Nigeria. From 2011-2016, I served as the director and founder of a small nonprofit organization called Diaconia Connections, where I worked to raise over $78,000 for aid and development causes in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and parts of Eastern Africa. My experiences working internationally challenged me to be a better cross-cultural communicator, to have empathy and seek understanding. By learning languages (I speak Czech and Slovak) and befriending people very different than myself, I became more aware of my privileges, prejudices, and the way in which I represented western power and hegemony (an unsettling realization for an individual working in global relief and development). 

In 2014, I received an invitation to teach at Pater Noster Elementary School in Owerri, Nigeria. The understanding was that I would volunteer for two months, learn about Igbo culture and language, and develop lessons and programs for the students. Pater Noster is a private school with a reputation for international exchange and creativity. Founded in 2010 as a Pre-K through 6th grade elementary school, Pater Noster has since grown to 80 students with a full-time staff of 13 teachers. The school has welcomed three volunteers teachers from the United States (including myself), and has hosted three sets of FLAS fellows through Michigan State University’s African Studies Center for Igbo Language. It was an offer that I could not refuse. At the time,, words like “empowerment” and “agency” were common in my vocabulary. I was concerned about “micro-loans” and “sustainability.” But when I witnessed first-hand the dedication and care of my teacher colleagues at Pater Noster and the seriousness with which Nigerian families take their child’s education, my understanding of “agency” and “empowerment” began to change: a good education and a quality school are the single most important tools for community empowerment. 

In 2017, I accepted a teaching position with Rocketship Southside Community Prep as a Teach-for-America Corps Member and enrolled in a Master’s of Urban Education program at Cardinal Stritch University, with a focus in Special Education. I currently teach in one of the most-impoverished cities in the country (Milwaukee, WI) and work with predominantly Spanish-speaking students from immigrant families. As a special education teacher, I firmly believe that every student can learn. That every student can teach. And that they all have talents, ambitions, and dreams. If we are serious as a country and global community about poverty reduction and equality, then we must offer a quality education to all students regardless of their culture, location, or physical and mental ability. It’s why I’ve proposed this project. I want to work alongside Nigerian teachers to develop with them a training program that will give them the skills and knowledge necessary to provide more inclusive, research-based teaching practices into the classroom—practices that have been proven to enhance the learning of all students, including those with physical, cognitive, intellectual, and emotional disabilities. Simply put, all students should have an opportunity to succeed and pursue their dreams. They should be afforded the resources and support needed to be educated, to attain their career and life ambitions, and to live as independent, civic-minded individuals.  Through the hard work of my own teachers, I’ve been able to live the privilege first-hand. And I know there are students in Owerri, Nigeria, that deserve that chance as well.

--

Statement of Grant Purpose

Graduate Application, Urban Special Education (Master’s Degree)

Research into whether professional development trainings around inclusion can influence teacher beliefs and practices would provide insight into how Nigeria can more effectively educate all learners, including those with special needs. As inclusion has become a focus of international educational policy, Nigeria has adopted inclusive tenents into its national educational policy statements. Policy makers around the world are beginning to understand inclusive education as central to human rights and development. Significant barriers, however, prohibit most Nigerian schools from implementing inclusive educational practices. The following are widely-cited problems: limited funding for special education training and resources; culturally-insensitive and ineffective assessment and placement evaluations; negative cultural perceptions; a dearth of assistive technologies; and a small number of properly-trained teachers.  This project proposes to use an Intervention Research method to investigate whether a low-tech, replicable professional development model can improve inclusive practices in Pater Noster Elementary School in Owerri, Nigeria, thus mitigating one of the barriers to Inclusion: teacher training. 

This project developed from discussions with school administrators and teachers in Owerri during the summer of 2014 when I served as a teacher at Pater Noster Elementary School. Fellow teachers and school leaders spoke openly about their need for training in educational strategies to enable them to more effectively educate students who were exhibiting academic and social delays. To meet this need, I was asked to organize and develop a series of three teacher trainings for an all-staff professional development. While the trainings were received positively, I was left wondering whether that form of professional development could be reimagined to make it more culturally-competent, teacher-led, and replicable. Since that time, I have received a Master’s Degree in Global History from Marquette University and pursued a career in nonprofit administration and education. At present, I am working as an elementary special education teacher in the city of Milwaukee, WI, where I teach low-income, Spanish-speaking students from migrant families. Further, I am currently enrolled in an Educational Master’s Degree Program at Cardinal Stritch University, where I am pursuing a degree in Urban Education with a focus in Special Education. 

My research project will be designed to measure the effectiveness of professional development in enhancing the practices and beliefs of teachers around inclusion. To do so, the research will consist of three components: 1) a Pre-Assessment of teacher beliefs and practices; 2) a systemic intervention that will consist of the development and facilitation of a professional development module; 3) a Post-Assessment that will evaluate the effectiveness of the professional development module through observations, teacher belief inventories, and a survey of student perceptions about school connectedness and learning. 

To initiate the first component of the research, I will work with Pater Noster school leaders and regional educational experts to develop a culturally-appropriate Beliefs Inventory tool to obtain baseline information on the knowledge, skills, attitudes and dispositions of Pater Noster teachers towards inclusive practices. The beliefs inventory will be modeled off of the Options Relative to the Integration of Students with Disabilities Mainstreaming (ORI), developed by Antonak and Larivee (1995), along with the Scale of Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inclusive Classrooms Instruments (STATIC). In addition to the development and use of a beliefs inventory, I will observe the teaching practices of educators in the classroom, evaluating the frequency and use of inclusive practices prior to intervention. Observational protocols will be modeled off of the Teaching Dimensions Observation Protocol (TDOP) and the University of Michigan’s Inventory of Inclusive Teaching Strategies.  Through interviews with teachers and through observations,  I will gather the necessary background information needed to construct an overall inclusive profile of the school, which will be published in a report to the head of school. The duration of this component will be 2 months. 

The second component involves the intervention. To do so, I will synthesize the information gathered from the belief inventories and observations to develop a professional development module that will train teachers in inclusive practices. I will work with Pater Noster school leaders and regional educational experts to formulate a culturally-appropriate professional development curriculum that will incorporate best-practices in adult education, including but not limited to, Universal Design for Learning frameworks that imbed multiple means of learning alongside low-tech elements that incorporate action, expression, and engagement. The professional development module will be designed to be low-tech and easily replicable so that teachers can be trained as facilitators and offer the professional development to both rural and urban schools. Once the professional development module is written, I will then model its facilitation through a series of 5 monthly installments at Pater Noster. Each session will last between 3-5 hours, with targeted practice, coaching, and follow-up, during the weeks between sessions. The duration of this component will be 5-6 months and will begin at the termination of the first.  

The final component of the research will consist of a post-intervention assessment of the effectiveness of the professional development in improving inclusive practices at Pater Noster, whether the training has enhanced the knowledge and skills of teachers around inclusion, and whether the intervention has positively influenced student perceptions and attitudes about school connectedness and learning. To gather the information, I will again model the beliefs inventory off of the Options Relative to the Integration of Students with Disabilities Mainstreaming (ORI), developed by Antonak and Larivee (1995), along with the Scale of Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inclusive Classrooms Instruments (STATIC); and develop my observational protocol off of the Teaching Dimensions Observation Protocol (TDOP) and the University of Michigan’s Inventory of Inclusive Teaching Strategies. The duration of this component will be 1 month. 

After concluding the research components, I will synthesize my data and findings into a report so that the research can be distributed and presented to educational leaders and government officials in Imo State, Nigeria. I will also work with Pater Noster staff, regional educational experts, and Nigerian Universities to publish the professional development module into a curriculum book so that it can be distributed to other schools in the region. Further, I will work with Pater Noster teachers and school leaders to train them as professional development facilitators and offer the training to other schools in Owerri and Imo State. In the United States, I will seek opportunities to adapt the professional development to offer it to rural and urban schools who are in need of training and guidance around inclusion. I will also seek opportunities to publish my research in academic journals. 

--