1.877.812.7270
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Testimonials
Learning Community Students
"UW-L’s
Master in Education – Professional Development Learning
Community program was a great fit because the schedule allowed
me to juggle a full-time job and raise three kids. I could also
tailor the program to meet my educational interests —
specifically teaching adult learners."
“It helped make crystal clear what I was good at, focus on it
and get even better at it.”
~~Katy Smith, 2011 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, UW-L ME-PD
graduate
“I have always put off starting a specific Master's program
because I never found one that truly appealed to me; instead I
gathered over 60 credits beyond my B.S. in areas of interest to
me. Now, this Learning Community Program is allowing me to
design my own learning experience. The program itself serves as
a skeletal guide on which I can build the muscles of choice.”
~~Maurine Fritz, graduate, Viroqua Learning Community
“If the Learning Community approach were the universal
standard, imagine the ripple effect within a school district or
throughout education as we all gain this common ground from
which to grow.”
~~Lori Schaefer, graduate, La Crosse Learning Community
"The
UW-L ME-PD Learning Community program has
transformed me and so many of my UW-L classmates. It was
truly life changing and the best two years of education I have
ever experienced...I will never forget the great gift (my
facilitators) and UW-L gave me...great confidence and an awesome
teacher "tool belt" to truly be that change I wish to see in the
world."
~~Esther
Weitzel, graduate, Janesville Learning Community
School District Administrators
“The Learning Community approach to obtaining an ME-PD is one
of the most positive educational initiatives that I have seen. I
have had the opportunity of working with a number of elementary
teachers who have been in this program. From my perspective as
an elementary principal, it has been a professionally rewarding
experience for them. Certainly their knowledge base has been
expanded. But more importantly, their levels of confidence have
been raised. Their skills related to collaboration and
cooperation have been developed. The end result of this is, of
course, the benefits for the children in our school. We have
implemented program improvements related to the Learning
Community concept. The teachers who have been participants in
the Learning Community program have been the "shot in the arm"
that our school needed to move us into the 21st century.”
~~Kathleen Trusonni, Principal, Viroqua Elementary School
“I have had a number of my teachers receive their master's
degree through UW-L's Learning Community Program. Not only have
these teachers grown professionally through this experience,
they have improved our programs and instruction through their
action research. Even after the degree has been completed, these
teachers continue to use the research model to determine the
effectiveness of strategies and interventions. This has been a
great fit with our focus on quality and continuous improvement.”
~~Lisa Snyder, Principal, Viking Elementary, Holmen, WI
UW-La Crosse Administration
“The Learning Community experience has been the most
meaningful work I have done in more than 30 years of teaching.
In my traditional professional teaching role, I was largely
deciding what my students should learn and how they should learn
it. In the Learning Community, members and the facilitators plan
what and how to learn together.”
~~Hal Hiebert, Professor Emeritus, UW-La Crosse
“I have worked with many teachers in the UW-La Crosse
Learning Community program who, as a result of their work in the
program, have emerged as strong school leaders and advocates for
teachers and students in their school districts. This program
encourages teachers to take full responsibility for their own
learning and to design a professional development plan that
truly transforms them as educators! I highly recommend the ME-PD
Learning Community program to any teacher who wants to make a
difference in education.”
~~Chris Bakkum, Registrar, UW-La Crosse
Learning Community Facilitators
"What an honor it is to be part of such important work. The
members of the Waunakee Learning Community are learning how to
become master teachers as we examine our teaching practices,
apply action research in our schools, and support each other in
this transformational process. Having a role in the professional
and personal growth of our community is extremely rewarding. The
beneficiaries of our work extend well beyond our LC; they
include students, colleagues and administrators in Wisconsin's
PK-12 schools!"
~~Wendy Grace, Graduate Faculty Facilitator, UW-La Crosse
As a newcomer to the program, I just have to say that the more I experience things here, the more I thank my lucky stars for winding up as a part of it. The ME-PD program seems to be a program driven by common sense that doesn’t pretend to know all of the answers while prescribing a rigid, inflexible path to teacher mastery. There is so much that is immeasurable and unidentifiable in top-notch education and impactful teaching; the program doesn’t hide from the open-ended and inexplicable nature of education, it embraces it. A program that is truly willing to learn, change, and grow right along with its learners. ~~Jason Harelson, Graduate Faculty Facilitator, UW-La Crosse