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Educational Context
Educational Context
My name is Alice Asleson and I am a high school teacher librarian in Billings, Montana. Prior to becoming a librarian, I student-taught middle school language arts and German. I then spent some time as a substitute teacher and an English teaching assistant in Germany. Though I loved working with students in those settings, I decided my true calling was in librarianship, where I can promote literacy and reading for fun full-time. I earned my Master of Library and Information Science degree from Dominican University in the spring of 2016 and began my career as a high school librarian that fall. I recently completed my fifth year in this position and I have loved every minute so far!
I work at Billings Senior High School, one of four public high schools in our community. With a population of about 110,000, Billings is the largest city in Montana, and with approximately 1,900 students, Senior High is one of the largest high schools in the state. The majority of the students at Senior are white, with only 27% non-white students. However, this reflects more diversity than most other schools in Montana, which is very homogenous overall. The 27% non-white students at Senior are primarily Native American and Latino. Close to 50% of Senior High students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
In my time as a teacher librarian in Billings, I have also become quite active with my local teacher's union, the Billings Education Association (BEA). I became a building representative during my second year, and then became secretary of the BEA a year a half later, in January of 2019. In my time as secretary, I have had the chance to attend the NEA Representative Assembly three times, first in Houston, and then online, as a Montana delegate. I believe strongly in the importance of the union in advocating for safe and fair working conditions for teachers, as well as advocating for educational equity and excellence for students.
Connecting Self-Assessment to Context
Connecting Self-Assessment to Context
It is crucial to recognize my own biases, experiences of privilege, and personal values in order to successfully develop a capstone project that will help not only people whose experiences are similar to mine, but also those whose experiences are different from mine. As a white, cisgender woman, there are many ways I have been privileged throughout my life, and I recognize the importance of listening to those who have not had these same privileges. And as a younger teacher somewhat early in my career, it is important that I seek the wisdom and guidance of teachers who are older than me and have more experience. By understanding the ways in which my privileges and experiences shape who I am, I can become a better teacher leader.
The first overarching competency I have chosen to focus on for my TLI project is Communication. At the start of my project, I would rate myself as “emerging” in this leadership competency. At this point in my career, I understand the issues facing my profession and have worked to craft messages that inspire others to become more involved with the union. However, I would like to take my communication skills to the next level and work on communicating a shared vision of the union even further.
The second overarching competency I have chosen to focus on for my TLI project is Technological Facility. At the start of my project, I would rate myself as “emerging” in this leadership competency as well. I am experienced with using many different kinds of technology myself, but have not had the chance to use technology as a teacher leader.
The foundational competency I have chosen is Explore and Challenge Inequity. At the start of my project, I would rate myself as “developing” in this area. I have read quite a few books and taken several classes on social justice topics, and I feel I have a strong foundational knowledge of the ways in which systemic inequities and oppression have shaped and continue to shape education in the USA. However, I would like to become a stronger, more active activist who takes more tangible steps to move from “exploring” to actually “challenging” inequity.
Finally, for my leadership pathway, I have chosen the Association pathway, specifically focusing on Organizational Effectiveness: Leading with Skill. In this area, I would also rate myself as “developing” at the start of my project. As BEA secretary I have already taken an active role in helping conduct association business. I would like to take this to the next level by expanding BEA resources and reaching more members.
Connecting Assessment of Diverse Stakeholders to Context
Connecting Assessment of Diverse Stakeholders to Context
Because I chose the Association pathway, the main stakeholders affected by my project are all the members of the Billings Education Association (BEA). With over 1,100 members, the BEA is quite diverse, representing professional educators of all grade levels and career stages. For my project, I am planning to re-design the BEA’s website. In order to successfully design a website that will be useful and usable to all our members, I will need to hold these diverse stakeholders at the forefront of my mind. For example, as a younger person who has grown up with technology, I need to be conscious that others may view and use technology in different ways. My number one goal is to create a website that reflects the mission of the BEA, welcoming all Billings Public Schools’ educators and encouraging active membership in the Association.
Alice Asleson Approval Letter.pdfPage updated
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