Blooming in the Noise of the Whirlwind

Past, present and future educators convened at the Watson College of Education on March 13 for “Blooming in the Noise of the Whirlwind,” an event designed to create a network of support within the field of education.

“The goal of tonight’s event is to solidify current networks and to create new ones connecting future educators with current educators and stakeholders in the broader education community,” said Watson College Dean Tracy Linderholm in a welcome. “We aim to inspire and motivate through shared stories of individuals who will encourage you and offer insights into their journeys toward becoming impactful educators.”

The Educators of Color and Future Educators of Color Network sponsored the event, which was open to all Watson students and faculty as well as teachers, school administrators and retired educators from partner schools across several counties. The EOC and FEOC support students’ success by fostering connections and focusing on retention, empowerment and academic development. Larissa Malone, an associate professor in Watson College and faculty advisor to the FEOC, said the planning committee chose “Blooming in the Noise of the Whirlwind,” a phrase included in a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks, as the event theme to inspire students.

“The field of education has been in the spotlight for several years,” she said. “From dwindling enrollment numbers to large numbers of current teachers leaving the profession; from the complicated aftermath of the pandemic that led to 'learning loss' to heated public debates about what is taught in the classroom; from educators being underpaid and underappreciated to public school budgets shrinking. There is a whirlwind of negativity around the field of education, and we believe it is our duty to help our students, the world's future educators, to bloom even in the midst of this whirlwind.”

The event featured a panel discussion with four esteemed educators that focused on ways they have found to remain positive in their work. Panelists were:

• Darron Daniels, Director of Culture & Climate for the Academy at Middle Fork
• Kimberly Jones, 2023-24 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year
• Leslie Locklear, American Indian Education Director at NC DPI
• Wilson Okello, Assistant Professor of Education, Penn State College of Education

The panelists all followed different paths to becoming an educator, but they all agreed that a focus on students is their primary motivator.

“I tell pre-service teachers that to succeed as a teacher, they need to have a love for humanity,” Dr. Jones said. “Serving our kids pays dividends every day. Helping kids find their best personal selves is what motivates me.”

Dr. Locklear said she wanted to be a teacher her whole life. With support from a Gates Millennium Scholarship, she was able to earn a Ph.D. and now holds her dream job, providing support for 16,000 Native American students across the State.

Darron Daniels’ mom was a pre-school teacher. He said a trip to a juvenile detention center where he met a 15 year old who couldn’t read made a significant impact. “I knew I wanted to help break the school to prison pipeline,” he said. “In my current job, I stay focused on making sure students have what they need to succeed and educators have what they need to support students.”

Dr. Okello said he encourages educators to think of their deeper commitment, outside of the current precarious environment. He said that educators have an opportunity to “re-think what we do and how we might change,” and, as an example, encouraged educators to consider ways they can cultivate community engagement.

Students interested in more information about the Future Educators of Color are invited to contact Dr. Keryn Vickers at vickersk@uncw.edu or Dr. Larissa Malone at malonel@uncw.edu.