Wednesday, March 03, 2021

Learn more about the women who have influenced our team…

March is Women’s History Month, and our teams at Harmony SEL and Inspire Teaching & Learning are celebrating women who have shaped the field of education and championed social and emotional learning. Get to know the people behind our programs and the women who inspire us to #ChoosetoChallenge!

 

Charlotte Danielson 
Ask Elle Essenmacher which women have inspired her as an educator, and she’ll tell you Charlotte Danielson! Founder of the Danielson Framework for Teaching, Ms. Danielson has spent more than 50 years as a leader for teacher preparedness and development around the world. As a Strategic Accounts Advisor, Elle has seen the positive influence of Ms. Danielson and the Danielson Group’s hard work in the lives of students and teachers in the field.

 

Mary Catherine Swanson
Josh Pauly, an ambassador in Minnesota, looks up to Mary Catherine Swanson, the founder of AVID, an approach that has made college more attainable for millions of students. Josh reflects on the influence of Ms. Swanson on his work with Harmony, “I see Harmony as being a similar vessel to AVID, as both provide students with opportunities and teach them skills that will help them in school and in life.”

“Once our students find their voices, there’s nothing they can’t achieve.”
– Mary Catherine Swanson

 

Fanny Jackson Coppin
Jakotora Tjoutuku, an implementation specialist in New York City, celebrates Fanny Jackson Coppin, the first Black teacher at Oberlin Academy (now Oberlin College). Ms. Coppin was born into slavery and as an adult she blazed a trail for women and Black students to pursue education. Jako says, “What inspires me about Fanny Jackson Coppin is how much of a well-rounded and full life she led. She was not only an inspiring educator, but very involved in her church and community.”

 

Maria Montessori
Shannon Smith, a regional manager for Harmony, has seen the benefits of encouraging students’ autonomy in her education journey. Shannon’s approach to learning has been influenced by Maria Montessori and her advocacy for equipping teachers and students with the tools and instruction they need to succeed.

“The child is endowed with unknown powers, which can guide us to a radiant future.”
– Maria Montessori

 

Gabriela Mistral
Inspire’s Senior Manager of Partnerships, Veronica Calvo, looks up to Chilean educator and writer Gabriela Mistral, who said, “Many things we need can wait. The child cannot. To him we cannot say tomorrow, his name is today.” During the early 20th century, Ms. Mistral worked to expand access to education and develop social and economic equity for young students all over Chile and throughout the world. In 1945, she became the first Latin American writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

 

Helen Keller
Harmony National Director, Lauren Puzen’s respect for Helen Keller’s achievements has grown along with her own development as a public health educator. “As a child I remember learning of Helen Keller and her story felt heroic, something that I knew changed the world with an individual’s actions. Today I realize the complexity of structural inequity she faced, and how her lifting her voice for others takes true courage, focus, and perseverance.”

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”
– Helen Keller

 

Dr. Teri Marcos
Some of our role models have directly influenced our own education journeys. This is the case for Amanda Rothengast, Program Manager of Inspire. Amanda credits Dr. Teri Marcos, Professor and Interim Academic Program Director, Ed.D. in Organizational Innovation at National University, for encouraging her to pursue the next chapter in her education as a Ed.D. candidate. Dr. Marcos works extensively to understand and support the needs of high-performing, low socioeconomic communities.

 

Mary McLeod Bethune
Our acting Program Manager of Harmony John Pickens names Mary McLeod Bethune as one of his heroes. Ms. McLeod Bethune is known for founding schools for African American girls and boys in Florida. Weaving together education, philanthropy, and civil rights advocacy, she helped children succeed and set a strong example of Black achievement and the power of learning throughout the country.

“The progress of the world will call for the best that all of us have to give.”
– Mary McLeod Bethune

 

Ann Soldo
Harmony Ambassador Sasha Breeden comes from a family of influential women in education for three generations and counting! Sasha’s grandmother Ann Soldo started it all — throughout her career, she led as a teacher and a principal in Watsonville, California, where a school is named after her. Ms. Soldo also held office as the first woman Mayor of Watsonville, California!

 

Thank you to all the women leaders and educators who invest time and energy in shaping a bright future for our students. We celebrate all of you! If you want to help your students talk about gender and friendship, the Harmony Lesson “Talk It Out” is a great place to start!    

*These are the opinions and perspectives of the individuals and do not necessarily represent the opinions and perspectives of Harmony SEL, Inspire Teaching & Learning, or the National University System. 

Now She’s 102 Years Old, and I’m Still Learning from Her

by Claudine S. James

Malvern Middle School English Teacher, National Board-Certified Teacher, 2019 Arkansas Teacher Award Winner

Fifty years ago, when I entered her classroom in January of 1974, I had no idea my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Remley, would provide a model for social emotional learning.

Born in 1917, she started teaching in 1937 and her memory is unrelentless. Mrs. Remley recalled not having electricity in her home until after graduating high school in 1935. Their family earned the money to pay the $1 monthly electric bill by milking cows and separating cream. She had to wait until the summer of 1936 to begin college because her family, like others across the United States, was reeling from the economic hardships of the Depression. After attending college and earning 45 credit hours, she returned to her hometown and taught school for one year. She then taught in several rural districts throughout the state before securing a teaching job at North Malvern Elementary in Malvern, Arkansas.

Mrs. Remley said under the leadership of Principal Eudora Fields, teachers were encouraged to develop and improve relationships with ALL students. However, it wasn’t until 1964 that the school was integrated and received its first African American students. She explained, “The memories of integration over fifty years later, have not escaped me.”

Mrs. Remley recalled that the first African American student was transferred to her room because the principal thought Mrs. Remley could provide a nurturing relationship to ensure the academic development of the student was not hindered.

That same empathetic spirit is what greeted me when I entered her classroom in January of 1974. As a shy seven-year-old, I began attending this neighborhood school.

Entering a classroom with new faces staring at me was horrifically frightening. One of my new classmates recognized me and came to greet me as Mrs. Remley introduced me to the class. “I know, Claudine,” the student said, “her grandfather cleans my dad’s business.” I was already burning inside with fright and nervousness, but those words, from a harmless six-year-old, crept down my spine sending shivers throughout my body and made me want to disappear and forget this momentous day ever began. But Mrs. Remley’s quick and kind response and her caring actions afterward instantly instilled confidence in me.

Years later, on graduation day, as my classmates and I walked across the field to receive our honor diplomas, the memories of my first day in Mrs. Remley’s class resurfaced. I wondered if Mrs. Remley was aware of how her actions had positively influenced my emotional and academic growth. I met with Mrs. Remley a couple of months ago. I was able to talk with her and I thanked her for being a significant part of my initial growth. Mrs. Remley was elated to learn this and shared her personal motto and approach to working with students: “First, I cared about students; secondly, I let them know I cared and then thirdly, I meant what I said!”

Mrs. Remley cared enough to be intentional in embracing the needs of ALL of her students. I am living proof that teachers’ actions change students’ lives.

By Tom Whisinnand, 2019 Grand Prize Award Winner

In my classroom, I have these posters prominently displayed. Each one features an individual who is responsible for changing our world in some way: Albert Einstein, Jim Henson, and Amelia Earhart as well as other leaders. They all have had an incredible impact on our society, and you might also call them “inspirational.” Not all of their journeys were easy and, in some cases, the magnitude of their impact on the world went unnoticed for a long, long time.

In the 1990s, Apple Computers created an ad campaign entitled, “Think Different.” That campaign celebrated many individuals who did exactly that — they thought differently. One of the commercials in this campaign features some of the same people on the posters in my classroom, celebrating their persistence to change the world.

Is There a Link Between Inspiration and Idealism?

So, just what is it that caused these people to continue to “Think Different”? What caused them to persevere through tough times and hardships? How did they maintain their drive when obstacle after obstacle seemed to appear in their way? I have started to think, perhaps each of these individuals was an idealist. They never lost sight of the vision they initially had. They allowed their ideals to guide them instead of being weighed down by the practical limitations of their situations.

As I considered the link between idealism and inspiration, I wondered if the people who I consider inspirational in my community are also idealists. I decided to check in with a few people who I feel are successful to see if they would describe themselves as idealists.

Three People in My Life Who Think Different

The first person I checked in with, Tim McGee, is a successful real estate agent in Omaha, Nebraska. Tim was quick to identify himself as an idealist. From an early age, Tim has not wavered from reaching his goals. He was constantly striving to reach whatever benchmark of success he determined to be next in his life. Even today, he doesn’t let one setback determine his outlook on the next goal.

Next, I spoke with a long-time mentor and friend, Dr. Dennis Lichty, from Wayne State College. Dr. Lichty was a huge inspiration to me when I was completing my undergraduate degree, constantly modeling what it looked like to be a caring teacher.

Dr. Lichty wasted no time identifying himself as an idealist. In the many years he spent in the classroom and doing work for the Nebraska Education Association, he would always wake up believing that “today is going to be better than yesterday.” And each day Dr. Lichty’s students demonstrated that his idealism was not unfounded.

Finally, I asked the amazing counselor at Reagan Elementary about the connection between inspiration and idealism. Her name is Kaleigh Paben, and have I mentioned that she is AMAZING? Kaleigh is always positive and, even when she is dealing with some really tough student issues, she remains calm.

Like the two individuals before her, Kaleigh wasted no time in identifying as an idealist. She expressed the idea that humans are innately good and that being an educator allows us a front row seat to see just how people develop into better versions of themselves.

Become an Inspiration

Here is my takeaway from the conversations I’ve had about idealism and inspiration: As educators, we are familiar with some sort of idealism. At the beginning of the year we seem to be comfortable with clearly communicating the ideals of expected classroom behavior to our students. We also often come into a new school year filled with idealistic views of how wonderful that year will be. We look at each of our students through idealistic lenses and believe that they are capable of anything. We feel like a real inspiration to our students.

Somehow, about halfway through the year, we seem to lose that idealistic view, and the many practicalities of running a classroom or school push away the idealism that once thrived within us. We forget how awesome it is to be a teacher. We forget that we, as Kaleigh said, get a front row seat to see just how people develop into their best selves.

As educators, we must not let setbacks deter us from following our ideals. We must, as Tim does, keep looking for the next opportunity to demonstrate just how strongly we believe in ourselves. Imagine if the people on my classroom posters hadn’t let their ideals drive them. Our world would not be the same.

So, please “Think Different.” Let your ideals come through in your classroom and school. Follow those ideals with all you are. There will be disappointments and let downs along the way, but keep pursuing the ideals that brought you into education. I believe that by chasing your ideals and seeing the potential in others, YOU become an inspiration.