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School of Education Newsletter, Volume 7, issue 2

Update from the Dean

Dean Rachel Endo

Dear Friends of the UW Tacoma School of Education,

Decades ago, I was among a handful of students of color attending predominantly White public schools in the Midwest. My peers and I were subjected to an unbalanced curriculum that centered Eurocentric histories but did not even acknowledge the histories of government-sanctioned segregation and violence against BIPOC and other communities. It was not until I entered college and took coursework in Black Studies did I learn a key lesson about the relationship between citizenship and education: Americans of all backgrounds only become free-minded and patriotic citizens when we learn about our nation’s past as a way to inform our present actions and future decisions in the name of liberty and justice for all (and not just some). 

Fast forward—and 2025 is upon us. There are now active government-sanctioned efforts to willfully distort and erase the experiences, histories, and identities representing over 50 percent of the US population. Where do we go from here?

One book I find deeply inspirational during these extreme times is one that came out in 2021 by Dr. Jarvis R. Givens from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education titled Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching. Drawing on the life of Carter G. Woodson as a case study (Woodson was known as the father of Black history), Givens reminds us of the origin story of Black education in North America and how Black communities, families, and teachers “navigated […] deeply violent contexts and dreamed up new worlds and new ways of being” (p. vii). 

In this specific moment, I invite all of us to reflect on the power and promise of education, both in and out of school, in light of what Givens shares with us about the history of unequal citizenship in the US. What lessons from Black history can we learn about democratizing education in unequal (and inequitable) times? What should our shared future look like together? What personal and professional decisions should we make to ensure that we honor and respect everyone’s civil/constitutional rights and humanity — and not just our own? 

The School of Education at UW Tacoma remains dedicated to our founding mission of advancing equity, inclusion, and social justice in schools and society. I am incredibly proud of the alumni, faculty, staff, and students, as well as our many community and PK-12 partners, who continue to revolutionize the culture of learning and teaching to re/center the humanity of all and not just some.

In our winter 2025 E3 edition, you will get to know some of our incredible faculty, Dr. Sarah Arvey Tov (our newest tenure-track colleague who will start with us this autumn 2025 quarter) and Dr. Belinda Louie (one of our founding faculty), and MEd Alumna Melinda Goetz who candidly shares how she navigated graduate school as a working mother and the positive impact she is now making as a classroom teacher. You will also learn about some of our recent accomplishments and happenings, including some of our newest student-run clubs.

Please stay connected, grounded, and strong—together, we will. I look forward to staying in touch.

Respectfully,

Rachel Endo
Dean & Professor, School of Education

Welcome Dr. Sarah Arvey Tov

Dr. Sarah Tov

Dr. Rachel Endo, Professor & Dean of the UW Tacoma School of Education, is delighted to announce that Dr. Sarah Arvey Tov (she/her) will join us on September 16, 2025 as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Special Education.

Dr. Tov is currently a field supervisor and part-time lecturer in our graduate and undergraduate Teacher Certification Programs and has also taught courses at UW. With over 8 years of PK-12 classroom experience teaching diverse learners with special needs, along with curriculum development and leadership roles for nonprofits and WA State, Dr. Tov brings robust expertise in special education that explicitly centers equity praxis. She holds a PhD in Education from UW Seattle.

Dr. Tov's primary scholarly interest is in Critical disAbility Studies, an emerging field, where scholars seek to critically interrogate dehumanizing and deficit views of learners with varied exceptionalities.

Dr. Endo extends her gratitude to the search advisory committee for facilitating this inter/national search: Dr. Julia Aguirre and Dr. Sae saem Yoon (Co-Chairs), Dr. Chelsea Bailey, Dr. Kawena Begay, and Dr. Matthew Weinstein.

Get to know M.Ed. Alumna Melinda Goetz

Melinda Goetz (she/her) is a two-time alum of UW Tacoma. She earned her MEd from UW Tacoma School of Education and we are delighted to feature her in this edition of E3. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in teaching, and what led you to choose your program?

I found myself grappling over what to do with my biology degree. It was 2020 in the heart of the pandemic when suddenly school began taking place online for all my children. As a stay-at-home mom at that time, I was playing the role of teacher to my five children. As difficult as this time was, I felt accomplishment in every “aha!” moment I was able to give them. This was especially true when helping my middle and high schoolers with their science work, as this was the field I was passionate about. It was then that I realized I could use my knowledge and passion for science and leadership to mold young minds, be a part of creating future educated citizens, and hopefully a few future scientists, by becoming a secondary science teacher. 

I chose UW Tacoma to attain my education certificate because, having done my undergraduate at UW Seattle, I had first-hand experience that the UW provided a grand education, yet was also able to make me feel like I was part of a small community that genuinely cared about my future. I chose the Tacoma campus because it was much closer to my family as I still needed to play the role of stay-at-home mom to five kids during the day while pursuing a teaching certification at night. 

How has your experience at UW Tacoma prepared you for your role in the classroom?

UW Tacoma gave me a wide variety of skills to use in practice. This included everything from the history of schooling, studying how people learn, classroom management, teaching literacy, learning ways to best accommodate students with disabilities, and how to incorporate equity and social justice in lesson plans, to name a few. My favorite aspect, however, was the courses UW Tacoma designed that were specific to my field as a secondary biology teacher. I was taught applicable science methods to use in teaching my future biology courses which I found very beneficial. UW Tacoma provided me with a wealth of knowledge and taught me a wide range of skills that were all equally valuable and that I still carry with me. 

What challenges have you faced in your education or teaching career, and how have you overcome them?

As a mother, it was extremely difficult for me to complete this program. My husband’s job single-handedly provided for our family of seven and was so important to maintain, that nothing that I did could interfere with his work. This became increasingly hard when it was time to student-teach. Balancing a full-time, unpaid teaching position while asking my husband to take on my usual tasks, all on top of his normal work schedule, was overwhelming. Additionally, hiring a sitter for our then 2-year-old added to the strain, pushing us to our mental and physical limits. I could not have done it without the support of my spouse. Parenthood often adds additional responsibilities on women, and I would not have succeeded without such a supportive partner by my side. 

I also attribute my success to the incredible faculty and staff at UW Tacoma who worked with me and created a path specific to me to be able to attain all my required teaching hours that were different than the path of my classmates. I fulfilled the same requirements but in a slightly different timeline and manner as UW Tacoma demonstrated exceptional care in facilitating my success. 

If you could give one piece of advice for aspiring educators, what would it be? 

Start working now on the answer to the question “Why do I need to learn this?” for everything you teach. Make the answer an amazing and relatable one. Even if they do not directly ask, students will feel more invested in the content if they see a connection to its future use in real-life scenarios. It’s easy for students to mentally check out and not care if we do not tell them why they should care or why we are teaching them the things that we are.

Get to Know Dr. Belinda Louie  

Dr. Belinda Louie

Dr. Belinda Yun-Ying Louie (she/her) is a Professor of Education at UW Tacoma. She is a Chinese American immigrant who began her career as a multilingual teacher in public elementary schools before becoming a professor. Dr. Louie holds a bachelor’s degree in bilingual and bicultural education, a master's degree in teaching English as a Second Language, and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from UW.

Dr. Louie and her husband, Dr. Douglas Louie, established the Douglas and Belinda Louie Scholarship at the UW Tacoma in the School of Education. They also established the Professor Belinda Y. Louie Endowed Collection of Children's Literature at the UW Tacoma Library. Both received the Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation for their tenacity, passion, and generosity over three decades, making the Asian American community stronger, bolder, and more compassionate with a vibrant force.

How did you become interested in your field of study?

I have been reading books since I was very young. My parents were always busy running the family brewery. I was allowed to go anywhere but, in the area next to my mother. There was no library in our town. My father bought me a children’s magazine every week. I lost myself in the stories and escaped to places in the fantasy land.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your academic career so far?

I appreciate the time and the space to tinker and to think, imagine, and reimagine ways to improve language instruction for children.

What inspired you to teach at UW Tacoma specifically?

I love the mission of serving the community. The university is a place to generate knowledge and to use the knowledge to better the lives of people in the community.

How did you first get started in your area of research?

I was so lonely when I came to college in Seattle. I spent most of my time in the libraries reading stories and textbooks for young people to prepare myself to become a teacher. Because I grew up in Macau and Hong Kong, I was so determined to understand the instructional materials for K-12 children in the US.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at UW Tacoma?

I enjoy the mission of being responsive to the teachers’ evolving professional development needs. I have designed and taught 42 new courses since I joined UW Tacoma over three decades ago.

How do you balance your professional life with your personal life?

I seldom work at home. I am committed not to be preoccupied with my work when I spend time with my family. This commitment helps me focus when I come to my office every day. I appreciate the space that my husband of 44 years, my two children, and my two grandchildren give me to indulge in my academic work.

HeARTful Literacy

Dr. Sae saem Yoon’s Class Presents HeARTful Literacy: A Multilingual Learner Magazine Resource for Educators

Dr. Sae saem Yoon (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at UW Tacoma. She specializes in critical literacies and teaching multilingual learners. 

Dr. Yoon shares the following about a digital magazine she and her students created this past autumn 2024 quarter:

In our TEDUC 564 class (Methods and Curricula in Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners), we created a magazine titled HeARTful Literacy, born from our creative final assignments. This magazine is a celebration of art-based pedagogy for English Language Learners, merging creative design with practical strategies to enhance literacy instruction for multilingual learners. By blending “heart” and “art,” this edition not only showcases the transformative power of art in education but also serves to inspire educators dedicated to creating inclusive, engaging, and culturally responsive learning environments. 

Please note: only articles from students who consented to sharing have been presented in this special edition.

School of Education Sponsors MLK Unity Breakfast

MLK Unity Breakfast 2025

The UW Tacoma School of Education was honored to be a Peace Sponsor for the annual MLK Unity Breakfast on January 18, 2025. The breakfast is a special community event hosted each year by the UW Tacoma Black Student Union. 

In attendance were School of Education Advisory Board members Dr. Amy Maharaj Madeo and Ms. Alicia Porter; faculty and staff members Dr. Rachel Endo, Dr. Dawn Hardison-Stevens, Dr. Stephanie Knipp, Dr. M. Billye Sankofa Waters, and Ms. Ashley Walker; and special student guest Elena Mendoza.

Photos courtesy: UW Tacoma Office of Student Affairs

New EdS School Psychology Student Group (EdS SPSG)

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the EdS School Psychology Student Group (EdS SPSG) at UW Tacoma! Created by students for students, this registered student organization was established to support graduate students in the EdS School Psychology program by providing a space to connect, collaborate, and grow together. 

Our mission is to enhance the graduate experience through professional development, peer support, and meaningful engagement within the school psychology community. Currently, enrolled graduate students in the program are encouraged to join and get involved as we build a supportive network and create opportunities for learning and advocacy. 

Graduate students in the EdS School Psychology program can join our group through this link: https://dubnet.tacoma.uw.edu/SPSG/club_signup

School of Education Accomplishments

We are proud to spotlight the accomplishments of some of our amazing alumni/current students, faculty, and staff. These are not exhaustive.

Julie Aguirre, Professor & Director of Teacher Certification Programs

PUBLICATIONS

  • Aguirre, J.M., Turner, E.E., McVicar, Z., Roth McDuffie, A., Foote, M.Q., & Carll, E. (2024) Mathematizing the world: A routine to advance mathematizing in the elementary classroom. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 76, 1-16.
  • Dr. Aguirre contributed to a set of white papers on Culturally Sustaining and Relevant/Responsive Education with the Spencer Foundation. Please see the executive summary here These papers are especially timely and may help us think about our work together and in future across curricular spaces, education/school leadership, and measurement. Dr. Aguirre collaborated with Dr. Carrie Tzou (UW Bothell), Dr. Symone Gyles (UC Irvine), and Maria Zavala (SFSU) to write the paper focused on culturally responsive and sustaining science and mathematics education.

CONFERENCES

  • Aguirre, J.M. (2025). No more long game: Replacing academic apartheid with math joy and justice now! Karen D. King Advocacy Award Presentation. Annual Conference of Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE). Reno, NV (February 2025).
  • Aguirre, J.M., McVicar, E., Suh, J. Carlson, M.A., & Turner, E. (2025).  Navigating equity dilemmas as a culturally responsive mathematics teacher educator: A critical conversation. Research session. Annual Conference of Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE). Reno, NV (February 2025).

AWARDS

  • Dr. Aguirre is the recipient of the 2025 Karen D. King Excellence in Advocacy Award, presented by the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE). This prestigious award is given every three years to honor exceptional advocacy in mathematics education. 

K. Kawena Begay, Assistant Professor

PUBLICATION

  • Kucera, M. & Begay, K. K. (2025). Promoting equity through nonstandardized assessment: A framework for practice, Part 1. NASP Communiqué, 53(5), 20-23.

CONFERENCE

  • Begay K. K., Beaudoin, K., Tyre, A., Feuerborn, L.L., Wallace, C., Madrigal-Hill, A., & Troisi, M. (2025, February). Centering Student Voices to Improve Cultural Relevance of PBIS Systems. Paper presented at the National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Seattle, WA.

Kathleen Beaudoin, Associate Professor

PUBLICATION

  • Vlah, N., Beaudoin, K., & Župančić, M. (2024). Samoefikasnost odgojitelja kod djetetovih emocionalnih problemima i problema u ponašanju: rani pokazatelji za pomoć odgojiteljima [Preschool teachers’ self-efficacy in relation to a child’s emotional and behavioral problems: Early indicators for assistance for teachers]. Kriminologija & Socijalna Integracija, 32(2), 135-153.

PRESENTATION

  • Beaudoin, K., Feuerborn, L., Wittman, K., Madrigal-Hill, A., Jackson, J., Bruen, C., & Evans, J. (02/2025). School psychologists leading student and family voice focus groups. Paper presented at the National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Seattle, WA.

Rachel Endo, Professor & Dean

PUBLICATIONS

CONFERENCES

  • Au, W., Endo, R., Hartlep, N., Kumashiro, K., Roxas, K., & Tran, Y. (02/2025). Insights from Asian/American education leader-scholars on what it means (and takes) to lead for justice Learning Lab. American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education Annual Meeting. Long Beach, CA.
  • Endo, R., Gildersleeve, R., & Larsen, A. (02/2025). Caught between the push & pull: How to navigate competing priorities. American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education Annual Meeting. Long Beach, CA.
  • Dr. Endo and her colleagues were also invited as guest panelists for AACTE’s President/CEO, Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy’s listening session for deans, where they offered insights on leading in educator preparation programs during highly disruptive and unsettling times. 

WORKSHOP- COMING SOON- RACHEL WILL NOTIFY WHEN READY 

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APPOINTMENT

  • Dr. Endo was appointed as a Steering Committee Member of the Education Deans for Justice in Education.” EJDE is a nationwide alliance of education deans and other leaders in colleges and schools of education that advances equity and justice in education by speaking and acting collectively and in solidarity with communities regarding policies, reform proposals, and public debates.” She is also co-facilitating a new Deans of Color Affinity Group with Dr. Luchara Wallace, Dean of the Merze Tate College and Professor of Special Education at Western Michigan University.

Dawn Hardison-Stevens, Assistant Professor

CONFERENCE

  • Hardison-Stevens, D. (11/2024) Ancestors in Training: Conceptualizing Our Legacy as Indigenous Leaders. Tribute of Culture and Place Presentation at the annual Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) 2024. Minneapolis, MN. 

PRESENTATION

  • Hardison-Stevens, D. (03/2025). John (lulilaš) McCoy Since Time Immemorial: Walking Lands through Story. Clover Park School District, Lakewood, WA 

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

  • Hardison-Stevens, D., Ho’okano, S., & Makoyiisaaminaa, W.N. (2024). University educational partnerships: Promoting Native knowledge in teaching and learning together. Professional Educator Standards Board. PESB STI Newsletter, Dec. 2024 Edition
  • Hardison-Stevens, & D., Ho’okano, S. (2024). National Indian Education Association (NIEA) Conference Overview. “Education Sovereignty: A Declaration of Change. Professional Educator Standards Board. PESB STI Newsletter, Dec. 2024 Edition

PERFORMANCE

Covernor's Awards

  • Dr. Hardison-Stevens and the UW č́awaýaltxʷ ʔiišəd Canoe Family, consisting of Indigenous students, faculty, and staff, presented their honoring songs in the Lushootseed language at the black-tie Washington Governor’s Arts and Heritage Awards Ceremony on February 3, 2025. The event recognized several recipients, including Philip Red Eagle (Steilacoom/Fort Peck), a cousin and Elder-in-Residence at UW, and the first recipient of the Tribal Arts and Heritage Award from the Washington State Arts Commission. The ceremony took place at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, WA. Photo courtesy of Sean Schmidt, UW Tacoma Executive Administrator, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.

Christopher Knaus, Professor & Director of EdD Program

PUBLICATION

Miranda Kucera, Assistant Teaching Professor

PUBLICATION

  • Kucera, M., & Begay, K. K. (2025). Promoting equity through nonstandardized assessment: A framework for practice, Part 1. NASP Communiqué, 53(5), 20-23.

CONFERENCE

  • Blazen, J., Kucera, M., & Beam, TK. (2025, February 18-21). Leveraging allyship to support queer school-based practitioners. Practitioner conversation presented at the National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Seattle, WA.

GRANT

  • Co-Principal Investigator (Principal Investigator: Dr. Julia Dancis, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences). Including everybody: An Educators’ summit to elevate comprehensive sexual health, $10,000 over 1 year. Faculty Fellows in the Office of Community Partnerships at UW Tacoma.

José Rios, Associate Professor

PRESENTATION

  • Rios, J. (2025, January). Guiding the work: Examining diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM teacher education programs. Presentation at the annual international meeting of the Association for Science Teacher Education, Long Beach, CA.

APPOINTMENT

  • Dr. Rios was appointed to the Teaching@UW Advisory Council due to his strong track record in teaching excellence and innovation. To learn more, visit https://teaching.washington.edu/

 

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