The Seattle Times featured alumni who founded the Academy for Rising Educators (ARE) program Dr. Keisha Scarlett (Leadership for Learning Ph.D. graduate) and Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange (Ph.D. graduate and recipient of the 2013 College of Education Distinguished Alumni Award). ARE Program Manager at Seattle Public Schools, Kenderick “K.O.” Wilson (2014 M.E.P graduate and current Ph.D. student) and Sophath Keith (current SPED-TEP candidate) are also featured. The program is funded through the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy, with additional support from the College of Education and Seattle Education Association.
Seattle’s Academy for Rising Educators aims to fill a critical classroom need
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
WA House bill would expand outdoor education statewide
Monday, February 14, 2022
The Seattle Times published an article titled “WA House bill would expand outdoor education statewide” and featured Islandwood Graduate Program in Education and Community students Marina Hydeman, Keaton Aldrich and Grace Sunitsch. Islandwood, an outdoor camp on Bainbridge Island, has demonstrated how outdoor education should be a must-have, rather than a nice-to-have for school districts across the state. Congratulations to our students, as well as faculty and staff involved with the program: Professor of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Mark Windschitl and Associate Professor of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Jessica Thompson, and Islandwood Director of Graduate and Higher Education Programming Déana Scipio (Ph.D. in Learning Sciences, ’15).
The Athletics Money Monster: Presidents created the mess in college sports. Can they fix it?
Friday, February 11, 2022
Jennifer Lee Hoffman, associate professor in Educational Foundations, Leadership & Policy and faculty member at the Center for Leadership in Athletics was quoted in an article for The Chronicle of Higher Education titled “The Athletics Money Monster – Presidents created the mess in college sports. Can they fix it?” In the article, Jennifer points out that the scope of reform for college sports is just too big for institutions to handle on their own. “If we want real reform, we are going to have to do something different, the only example I can think of is at the federal level,” Hoffman says.
Washington students’ test scores drop significantly in first exams since pandemic began
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Assistant professor of Education Foundations, Leadership and Policy David Knight is quoted in an article by the Seattle Times, along with Professor of Education Finance Marguerite Roza, titled Washington students’ test scores drop significantly in first exams since pandemic began. Regarding the drop in state test scores, he stated “I would say that it’s not good news — but not entirely surprising. We know that poverty is the biggest impediment to success in the classroom,” said Knight. “Low-income households were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. I think the important thing now is that we not let up in our pursuit to close gaps.”
MLK said it best: ‘Love is the greatest force in the universe’
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and Professor of Education Foundations, Leadership and Policy Ed Taylor published a piece for the Seattle Times titled MLK said it best: ‘Love is the greatest force in the universe’. In the piece, Ed celebrates the fierce love of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and honors his uncle Benedict and his sister Mary, two people who, as King did, chose love.
3 key changes for progressive K-12 funding
Friday, January 14, 2022
Assistant professor of Education Foundations, Leadership and Policy David Knight co-penned a piece for the Seattle Times titled 3 key changes for progressive K-12 funding. David uses his expertise in education finance to discuss our state’s flawed school finance system and urges Washington legislators to make three key changes to the state’s finance system, including expanding the Learning Assistance Program (LAP), expanding the Local Effort Assistance program and addressing capital funding.
The 2022 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Education Week unveiled the 2022 RHSU (Rick Hess Straight Up) Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings, ranking the university-based scholars in the United States who did the most last year to shape educational practice and policy. Boeing Professor Emeritus of Teacher Education Ken Zeichner, James A. and Cherry A. Banks Professor of Multicultural Education and Director of the Banks Center for Educational Justice Django Paris and alumna Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings (M.Ed. '72) were included in this year’s rankings, which were chosen by a 33-member selection committee.
Drumming brought her ‘closer to purpose’ after years of struggling with mental health. But an approach tailored to Indigenous culture remains out of reach for others like her
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences & Human Development Emma Elliot-Groves was recently interviewed and cited for an article about Indigenous suicide by the Toronto Star. When suicidal behavior among members of the Cowichan Tribes in British Columbia increased more than 2.5 times between 2007 and 2012, Emma, who is originally from the community, was invited to find out why. By taking a narrative storytelling approach to working with community, rather than using the typical western concepts of individualism and autonomy, she was able to conduct mental health assessments “in a way that highlighted Indigenous concepts of self, and engaged Indigenous teaching and learning strategies.”
Officials should prioritize immediate issues before strategic planning, faculty say
Monday, November 8, 2021
Jennifer Lee Hoffman, associate professor in Educational Foundations, Leadership & Policy and faculty member at the Center for Leadership in Athletics contributed to an article for The GW Hatchet. She states that the pandemic may have amplified any enrollment and financial challenges that a university may have been facing before the pandemic and that the pandemic has led to uncertainty over the future of higher education institutions, and a strategic plan can help address those concerns. “The concern is that colleges, universities that are really enrollment dependent are going to have to be really careful about the decisions that they make so that they maintain their fiscal viability,” she said. “So that’s where your strategic plan is really, really important.”
Schools face calls to boost environmental teaching
Sunday, October 31, 2021
Deb Morrison, Research Scientist for the College of Education, is featured in an article by the Financial Times titled “Schools face calls to boost environmental teaching.” In the article, she makes the case for integrating climate change into existing subjects, rather than developing standalone courses, given that timetables are already crowded and the pace of change is fast. She also stresses the importance of training teachers and emphasizing different pedagogical styles, rather than simply distributing materials in the classroom. “Without more thoughtful approaches, we’ll just have more stuff shoved on to teachers’ desks with no support,” Morrison says. “We have a lot of accountability measures for teachers but not much money to support them teaching better.”