Teacher Talks #2: Jen & Mira
This week, we are featuring the stories of Jen and Mira (she/her), the two powerful voices behind Teaching Is Intellectual.
Allusio Introduction
We connected with Jen Newton, PhD and Mira Cole Williams, PhD through Instagram. Through their writing and content, they have cultivated an impressive platform that touches on all issues related to inclusion, social justice, and equity. Their message aligned with our own: education is a powerful tool for social change, and educators must transform our work to support all members of society.
More uniquely, their name caught our attention. Teaching Is Intellectual. When I first tell people that I am a preschool teacher, the first response is, “Aww, that’s so cute!”. The second is often, “Wow, you must have so much fun singing and playing games all day.” While the intentions are pure, this thinking can be so detrimental and dismissive of the work of educators.
Yes, our students can be cute. Yes, the books we read have fun or inviting illustrations. And of course, our day is filled with songs and finger play. But not because it is “cute”—but rather, because of decades of research and experience that have guided our practice and improved the ways in which we teach young children.
In most states, head teachers must have a Master’s degree in education. Our expensive training in higher education is not cute.
We affirm that we are experts in our field. Just as we value the expertise and intellectual knowledge of nurses, engineers, and computer scientists, so we must recognize the expertise of teachers. At Allusio Academy, we challenge education policy and prescribed curriculum that minimizes our agency in the classroom. We believe in fair compensation for the work that we do, as degreed and certified professionals.
With that, we are excited to introduce Mira and Jen, two expert educators. We invite you to read their story and appreciate how teaching really is intellectual.
Introductions
Siriana: So tell us a bit about yourself.
Jen: Hi, I’m Jen! I grew up in Kansas, went to the University of Kansas for undergrad in Speech-Language-Hearing, and then a Master’s in Early Childhood Special Education.
I was an early interventionist first, working with infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families in North Carolina. Then, I moved to an inclusive, school-based Pre-K position. We moved back to Kansas, and I began a PhD program in Special Education with an emphasis on Teacher Education at KU.
I worked at James Madison University (Virginia) for four years when I finished my PhD, which is where Mira and I met. Then I spent three years at Saint Louis University, and now I’m in my third year at Ohio University. Apparently I like to move!
Mira: I’m Mira. I was born in California and lived basically at a preschool that my parents ran. Our house was on the same property, so the playground was my backyard. We moved to Charlottesville, Virginia when I was 8 years old. Growing up, I always told myself that I would never ever be a teacher and I would not go to University of Virginia (UVA), because that would make me a townie!
I didn’t listen to myself and ended up going to UVA for my undergraduate degree in Psychology and then my Master’s of Teaching in Early Childhood Developmental Risk with a dual licensure in Birth-5 special education and PK-3rd grade general education. After graduation. I taught in an inclusive preschool classroom my first year. I then moved on to elementary classrooms, teaching 1st grade, 2nd grade, and three years of Kindergarten.
After 5 years in the classroom, I decided to go back and work on my PhD at the University of Virginia (again!). In 2014, I finished my PhD in Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education, with an emphasis on early childhood and early literacy. I have 4 kids and knew that I wanted to stay close to family, so I looked for work in Virginia as well, that’s how I met Jen! I took a position at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, VA and worked alongside her in the Inclusive Early Childhood program. Sadly, she left, but I still teach at JMU, starting up my 6th year!
Siriana: What grades, subjects, or students do you teach? How did you get into this work?
Jen: I teach undergraduate teacher candidates in special education and Master’s level initial license coursework, as well as doctoral students in my current position.
When I was a classroom teacher, I partnered with a local university for an early literacy grant project. That opportunity gave me space to begin talking with other teachers about what I was learning and model the practices we were researching. That led to opportunities to serve as an adjunct instructor which led to an opportunity for a doctoral fellowship to study Special Education and Teacher Education at KU.
Mira: I teach in two different programs at JMU: The Inclusive Early Childhood Education program and the Early Childhood Special Education Graduate program.
So each semester, I typically teach both undergraduate teacher candidates who are working towards their initial licensure coursework and graduate students (who are sometime in-service teachers coming back to get a early childhood special education endorsement or students who finished a Bachelor’s degree in another related field and have decided they want to be an early childhood educator).
I had a professor in my Master’s program that initially inspired me to want to one day go into higher ed. She was so REAL; she talked to us about her life, her career, her children, and her struggles. She told stories during class and could always make us laugh, and we just knew that she cared. I worked in her research lab for a bit during this time and while I didn’t get to interact with her a lot in the lab (and had to do the long tedious tasks of coding video after video), the overall experience and behind-the-scenes understanding of higher ed life—and her ability to balance research with solid and insightful teaching and her own life at home—was inspiring and intriguing to me.
Siriana: Describe your teaching style in 3 words.
Jen: Inspirational, life-long, and accessible.
Mira: Approachable, inclusive, reciprocal.
Siriana: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Jen: Tenured!
Mira: Jen will have tenure way before 5 years. I see myself doing many different things. I’ve always joked that if I could go back to school for law and be a child law advocate, I would. But [I am] doubtful that will happen in the next 5 years, if ever.
On Doctoral Programs, Teacher Education, and Inspiration
Siriana: What was the transition from classroom to university like for you?
Jen: It’s an interesting process. It was gradual for me, since I left the classroom a bit before beginning my PhD. I had my first baby and my dad died within two months of each other, and I never made it back to my classroom after that.
The four year doctoral education also changes a person. Everyone in my doctoral cohort had classroom teaching experience. We were asked to essentially set that aside to learn about the literature broadly and with depth to our specific areas, learn how to conduct meaningful educational research, and how to write for publication.
There is not a lot of emphasis (if any) on pedagogy, adult learning theories, program development, program accreditation, so much more. The work Mira and I have done since completing our doctoral programs has mostly been learned on the job. As faculty, teaching is only a percentage of our job responsibilities (I think it’s considered 50% for both of us.)
Mira: It was definitely challenging. I can remember spending the first semester of my doc program thinking, “What have I done to my life?” I definitely did not leave the classroom because I was burnt out or over being with students, so I had many moments of wondering if I had made the right choice. I pushed through it and tried to find ways to stay connected with students and schools during my program. Everyone in my doctoral cohort had different assignments based on their research and/or advisor assignments.
I was assigned to do some research with my advisor and supervise current student teachers in various school systems across central Virginia. Like Jen, my courses focused a lot on literature and how to find, synthesize, and consume dense journal articles. Eventually, we learned how to design our own studies using similar methods and techniques. I had a few opportunities to TA a course and one opportunity to co-teach a course for undergraduate education students. It’s wild looking back, because I had zero experience teaching adults, and we didn’t have a single course on teaching in higher education. It was really more of a “learn as you go”, bring with you the strategies you learned in your own teacher prep program, close your eyes and wish for the best.
Like Jen mentioned, much of the actual work we do currently has been learned on the job. The biggest learning curve for me was all of the administrative duties that come with running a program (accreditation, competencies, matrices design) AND being more than just a teacher for students. Jen and I often talk about how beneficial a counseling or psychology program would be in our careers. We both value relationship-building, and with that, comes trust. I think that our students see how hard we work to establish this trust and then confide in us or come to us with challenges. I have learned so much about how to care for and guide students through challenges that stem well beyond the classroom. From mental health to family troubles, from relationships to finding one’s true self, I’ve learned many lessons in how to listen, provide support, and direct students to resources.
Siriana: Any advice for new teachers or anyone interested in pursuing a doctorate in education?
Jen: Know why you want a doctorate in education and what you want to do with it. Resist the urge to just add letters to your name! Research programs and faculty, know what you want to research.
Mira: Reach out to faculty members in higher education, in the field you are interested in, have conversations, ask questions—don’t just apply. You typically do NOT have to pay for a doctoral degree, so many people are surprised to hear this. There are fellowships, grants, and research opportunities that will pay for your tuition and often provide a stipend as well!
Siriana: What’s one educational material you always have with you?
Jen: My phone! We connect so much with teachers on Instagram, so I’m never far from that community. I also use my Notes app a lot to jot down ideas, quotes, or a citation I want to look up. My students use Slack to connect with me, and I have to text Mira throughout the day, so my phone is my go-to educational material!
Mira: I always have my phone and use it for practically everything. I’ve tried to take work email, canvas, or social media accounts off, but I’ve found that I can be more productive if I have the ability to respond and connect with colleagues and students during various parts of the day.
Most of my students use text messaging to contact me with questions, concerns, and life updates. [They also text me] articles or websites they have found that they want my opinion of or are excited to share with me. It’s often a back-and-forth exchange of me doing the same or sending a GroupMe chat of a milestone that one of my own kids accomplished. This is building relationships, and that is a HUGE aspect of education for me.
On Inspiration
Siriana: Which philosophies or pedagogies inspire you the most?
Jen: I’m pretty big on Bronfrenbrenner and Montessori. I’m drawn to pedagogies that are rooted in equity, trust, and real-world application. I love Chris Emdin’s work on pedagogy built on community.
Mira: I second the Bronfrebrenner. I often refer to his ecological systems throughout all types of courses, focusing in on his ideas of how human development is a transactional process. Like Jen, I am also drawn toward pedagogies that are rooted in social justice, equity, trust, and responsive teaching.
[For instance, I value] Zaretta Hammond’s work on equity protocols and the differences between social harmony (multicultural education), critical consciousness (social justice education), and independent learning for agency (culturally responsive education).
Siriana: Who was your greatest mentor or inspiration as an educator?
Jen: Dr. Sandra Gautt taught me how to be faculty, how to tow the line when needed, and how to be disruptive when needed. She also taught me how to be an early childhood special educator as a Master’s student, but she wouldn’t say positive things about me as a learner from that time! She taught me so much about navigating a career in higher education, and she continues to be a mentor and a friend.
Mira: It may sound cliche, but I would say my dad. Some of my first memories in life involve my dad and his ability to coach, mentor, and teach—not only me, but pretty much everyone he met. He was an educator, and a man in early childhood education, which was often rare.
When I was young, he and my mother ran a preschool in California. Once we moved back to Virginia, he directed the childcare center at the University of Virginia (which is now named after him). I spent many school breaks and summers going to work with him. His love for every single child in the centers that he directed and his care for the teachers always inspired me. He worked nonstop, and there was many a dinner table conversation that revolved on how to support teachers or increase funding, or access for early childhood education.
He was also a leader and advocate in the state, working to push for quality and access to early care for all children. I often wonder how we might be co-conspiring for equity and justice for young children and teacher preparation, if he were still alive today.
On Teaching Through COVID
Siriana: How has your work changed in a virtual setting?
Jen: In every way. Initially, we, like educators everywhere, were just in survival mode. [When the initial shut down was announced during our spring break], I set up Slack right away and just sent everyone a message saying, “Hey, this is wild, and we’ll figure it out together.” Now, with a new group of students and infinite learning tools available, it’s stretching me to think about what is most essential: which tools serve us in connecting, communicating, creating. It’s a work in progress.
Mira: So much! For me, the balance of four kids (toddler through teenager) all home through me for a total loop. I couldn’t figure out when to work, where to work, or how to work with nonstop action and trying to help my 7- and 9-year-old boys engage in their virtual school. My works hours changed from daytime to early morning and late evening.
I’m usually a pretty flexible teacher, but this flexibility has reached a new level. In the spring, it was a “Just do the best you can. We are learning and in this together.” I modified some assignments, deleted others. I made all of my Zoom sessions optional, as students were feeling the same level of panic and upheaval that I was experiencing. My toddler often joined our calls, and they often brought a pet to our meetings—it was a challenging shift.
This new semester, we started in-person and then made a shift to online after our COVID cases rapidly rose. This brought many mixed emotions for everyone. We are learning and growing and building deeper relationships each week as everyone processes this world we are currently living in. Being in front of a screen so much is taxing for everyone—eyes, backs, necks, and just overall mental stamina seem to be much more challenging. Anyone that says students and teachers “have it made” (i.e., being able to work from home in sweats) has a lot to learn.
Siriana: What’s the most frustrating part of your career?
Jen: Higher education politics and the rigidity of systems. We continue to do things that aren’t best practices or aren’t aligned with what we know is best because it’s very hard to make change. I struggle to have patience for it.
Mira: Policies and people that refuse to believe that learning lasts forever.
Jen and Mira, it has been so wonderful getting to know you. You’ve shared such valuable input to anyone considering a doctoral program—as well as affirmation that teaching is intellectual. Thank you for your thoughtfulness!
Make sure to follow @teachingisintellectual and check out their website for wonderful resources and perspectives.