Accomplishments: Led a small-group, multi-age advisory in Personalized Learning. Contributed to a #TeacherPowered school through start-up, during a global pandemic. Took on numerous roles including curriculum development and teacher support, overseeing all standardized testing as well as internal Mastery Transcript assessment, and Social Studies Content-Area Expert. Supported students through independent inquiry studies, student-directed project-based learning, and youth-adult collaborative course design.
Lessons Learned: Empowerment is the key to academic engagement; without engagement, deep learning is impossible.
Artifacts: Planning Learning at Milestone; Procedure for Awarding Credit at Exhibitions
Recommendations: Mary Ann Kahl, Board President
Accomplishments: Developed a curriculum for the Participatory Design of a new independent secondary school, rooted in Restorative Practices, Design Thinking, and Formal Consensus. Recruited marginalized youth for after-school Design Team program, and retained engagement for two years' service. Arranged grant- and donor-funded travel for youth participants to conferences and school visits in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Facilitated the youth-led, participatory design of a new independent charter school for Madison, Wisconsin.
Lessons Learned: Educationally-disadvantaged young people make brilliant and insightful school designers. Dreaming together builds authentic community. Deep change is possible.
Artifacts: Curriculum for Participatory School Design; Milestone Democratic School Plan Iterations #1.0 - 1.2; Blog documenting the process of youth-led design
Recommendations: Michael McCabe, Director of School Design
Accomplishments: Re-designed the Tech Ed program into a rigorous 3-year progression of single-trimester courses. Developed and implemented a project-based sequential curriculum, and an electronic portfolio-based assessment protocol, both rooted in the International Society for Technology in Education Standards. Continued to grow my relationship-building skills with students, and pursued professional development in Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Developed and piloted an Exploratory Agriculture course for 7th and 8th graders as part of a district-wide "Farm to School" project. Partnered with teachers K-12 on a collaborative STEAM initiative to re-frame proficiencies for students. Organized a "Restorative Justice Reading Group" on the staff.
Lessons Learned: Relationships are unquestionably at the center of real learning. Committed educators working in authentic collaboration can make student-centered schooling happen anywhere.
Artifacts: Assessment Protocol
Recommendations: Susan Running, Guidance Counselor; Rachel Montry, Social Studies Teacher
Accomplishments: Initiated, implemented, and sustained a three-year STEM re-design of the exploratory Pre Tech program, resulting in an individualized, project-based curriculum with proficiency-based assessment.
Lessons Learned: Professional collaboration driven by "What is best for our students?" results in vital, authentic, and engaging classroom experiences for all students.
Artifacts: Aquaponics Project; Independent Project Plan
Recommendations: Scott Farr, Assistant Director; Erin Hunter, Carpentry Instructor; Dave Culver, Co-op Coordinator; Kelly Broker-Campbell, Assistant Director
Accomplishments: Developed strong relationships with special needs and at-risk students in a variety of settings, culminating in a two-week assignment as a substitute for a Music teacher, for which I developed and delivered a Unit of study.
Lessons Learned: Any student, from any background, is capable of deep and rigorous learning, given a meaningful and authentic challenge and classroom culture.
Artifacts: 9th Grade Chorus Unit
Recommendations: Lori Weiner, Supervising SpEd Teacher; Lori Nudo, Supervising SpEd Teacher
Accomplishments: Created and delivered curriculum and assessments that met International Baccalaureate standards in English-Spanish bilingual classrooms; supervised Poetry Slam co-curricular student group.
Lessons Learned: Rigorous content requires relevance for students to find and make meaning and learn deeply.
Artifacts: 12th Grade English Lesson
Recommendations: Sean Neilly, Site Supervisor; Patricia Younce, Faculty Advisory
Accomplishments: Arrived at each assignment, across a wide variety of Middle and High Schools in Southwest Philadelphia, with lesson plans and activities to ensure a productive class whether sub plans were available or not.
Lessons Learned: I have a talent for interacting positively with students and earning respect quickly; education is my calling.
Accomplishments: Supported homeless and runaway teens with academic and personal concerns.
Lessons Learned: Young people with difficult stories are quick to open up if they receive trust.
Accomplishments: Developed and completed my own Individual Study Plans for each semester's independent study, meeting College Degree Criteria and VT State Licensure criteria. Proposed and co-ordinated my own student teaching placement in and International Baccalaureate high school in Mexico. My thesis, "Framing a Praxis: Postmodernism-Postcolonialism in the American Classroom", was accepted with enthusiastic commentary from my Advisor and Second Reader.
Lessons Learned: The art and science of teaching is both individually-driven and socio-historically-bound.
Transcript: Download PDF
Accomplishments: Pursued an interdisciplinary major, with focus in Anthropology and Music, allowing extensive study in a broad range of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Lessons Learned: A generalist, liberal arts education should be afforded to all people, as the basis for global citizenship and excellence in any career.
Transcript: Download PDF
Accomplishments: Co-founded and created organizational documents for a non-profit worker co-op. Provided management services including DFI compliance, payroll, and human resources management for unique co-employment contracts with an independent charter school.
Lessons Learned: Inclusive, democratic work-places require strong organizational structures and documents to thrive.
Artifacts: Bylaws; Collaborative Self-Evaluation Protocol
Accomplishments: Oversaw restoration and new fabrication of historic musical instruments for clients in and around Chicago. Developed training program for new employees on woodshop safety, operation, and maintenance.
Lessons Learned: Outstanding results on projects of any scale require efficient and effective management.
Artifacts: Photos of pipe organ work
Recommendation: Aaron Bogue, Manager
Accomplishments: Completed projects ranging from commercial storefront reconstruction to residential rehabs, as a lead carpenter and as part of varying work teams.
Lessons Learned: Planning and effective communication are equally as important as hard work in the Construction Trades.
Artifacts: Photos of construction work
Endorsement: 1701 - Broad Field Social Studies (EA-A); 8013 - Technical & Vocational Education (PK-12)
License: Download PDF
Test Scores: Download Praxis II Scores Report (Social Studies and Technology Education)
Completed a 25-hour reflective training in this program, created by Dr. Shawn Ginwright, that develops competence in a "non-clinical, strengths-based approach that advances a holistic view of healing and re-centers culture and identity as a central feature in personal well-being." Certificate.
Completed a 9-month immersive cohort-based training in Trauma Informed Care, including extensive research, mentor-based reflective dialogue, and the development of resources for delivery of future training to colleagues and partners. Certificate.
Insight Personal Training in Compassionate Anti-Racism with Dr. Damita Brown (ongoing)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy - Skills Training for Emotional Problem-Solving with Adolescents training
Online Teaching 101 with Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative
Google Classroom training
Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements with Big Picture South Burlington
Practicum Observation: the Met, Providence, RI; Eagle Rock School, Estes Park, CO
Make it, Break it, Hack it: STEM & DIY with Union Institute
Presently pursuing Certified Associate in Project Management credential through Project Management Institute
Anderson, S.M.Z., and M.S. McCabe. (2018). Participatory School Design To Enact And Create Democracy. Re-Imagining a 21st Century Democracy, Volume 1 (1), 12-18. PDF available here.
"Democratic School Design: Youth Voice to Create Just Schools." Free Minds Free People, Twin Cities, MN, July 2019.
"Equity and Diversity at Milestone Democratic School." Beyond Desegregation: Promising Practices for Creating Diverse and Equitable Schools. Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA. April 2019.
"Participatory School Design for Participatory Democracy." Participatory Design Conference, Hasselt & Genk, Belgium, August 2018. PDF available here.
"Participatory School Design for Participatory Democracy." Free Minds Free People, Baltimore, MD, July 2017.
"Scholar Symposium: Postmodernism-Postcolonialism in the American Classroom." National Association of Multicultural Education, Chicago, IL, November 2011.
Participatory School Design for Participatory Democracy - a Curriculum by C|L|D. Community | Learning | Design, Edgerton, WI, 2017. PDF available here.
Milestone Democratic School - School Plan, Iteration 1.2. Community | Learning | Design, Edgerton, WI, 2020. PDF available here.