Kristen Brooks is completing her M.A. in English Education at Colorado State University and received her Bachelor's Degree in History Secondary Education from Longwood University. Throughout her experiences teaching ninth grade History, English as a second language in Spain, and college composition, one thing has stayed consistent; that is the necessity of mutuality in the classroom.

David Wallace and Helen Ewald observed, “Mutuality is invoked in that knowledge is not a prepackaged commodity to be delivered by the teacher but is an ‘outcome’ constituted in the classroom through the dialogic interaction among teachers and students alike.” Grounded in mutuality and empowerment, her philosophy aims to listen to student input and embolden them as authors of their own lives.

Kelly Peterson is finishing her English Education Undergraduate degree at Colorado State University this year. She believes in engaging students by pulling in their interests, encouraging strengths, and amplifying their voices. She wants their brain activated and their learning relevant. And since community has always been important to her, she strives to develop her students' sense of belongingness in the classroom.

Writing is where Kelly feels the most empowered which is why she intends to embolden students to use their voices and skills to their full extent. Her rambling thoughts about her passions in education, social justice, and art can be found at her personal blog.