In the op-ed, Yoshikawa and Suarez-Orozco reflected on Martinez’ case and called upon the United States to not be in the “business of causing untold hardship by separating children from the love and care of their hard-working parents.”

In the course of six months over 2011, ICE removed 46,486 undocumented parents, who have at least one American citizen child, they wrote. In contrast, over the course of the entire 10 years from 1998 to 2007, the government had removed about 100,000 undocumented parents. The end result is often children who suffer “psychological and economic disruptions.”

Following the publication of the piece, Congresswoman Nydia Velazques took the Martinez case to John Morton, director of the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As a result of the the ICE’s reversal of the case and new guidelines, 16,000 cases will be reviewed.

“I am honored to play a small role in bringing attention to the over 4.5 million citizen children of undocumented parents. The undocumented are often viewed as victims, lawbreakers, and laborers but not as parents who are dedicated to their children’s learning and development,” Yoshikawa said. “This is a positive outcome not just for Sara Martinez but for the parents of U.S. citizens that will be reviewed nationwide.”

“It’s easy to get into the grind of academia and research,” he says, “but continuing my work in youth development helped me to stay focused on why I came to HGSE and for whom I was advocating.”

In fact, he kept inspired, he says, by staying connected to young people and communities that he cares about. This is a connection that he knows will remain after graduation, as he plans to return to teaching on the middle or high school levels, and continue his youth development work.

“David Knight is a true gem in the Prevention Science and Practice Program,” says Lecturer Mandy Savitz-Romer, director of PSP. “His classmates insist that his passion and intellectual curiosity have enhanced their learning, but also set a high bar for others in PSP, and the HGSE community. He accomplishes this not through quantity of interaction, but through the quality and sincerity with which he engages others. I am counting on the fact that David’s strong intellect, and commitment social justice and equity will create a ripple effect in whatever school community he enters. That is certainly what happened here this year.”

Upon learning that he had been honored with the Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award for SSP, Knight answered some questions about his time at the Ed School and beyond.

Favorite class?
Professor Meira Levinson’s class on civic identity and education really pushed me intellectually and professionally. Not only did the class connect many of my diverse interests, but it also challenged me to rethink the way I thought about the interplay between identity, education, and citizenship. The content ranged from political philosophy to sociology to practical educational materials, and I was encouraged to be very intentional in my analysis and use of evidence. I often reflect and draw on my learning in this class, and I made some lifelong friends there!

Are there any professors who significantly shaped your experience at the Ed School?
Professor Robert Selman always had my back while I wrestled with a range of ideas and questions, and he helped me think of how to integrate them. Professor Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot reminded me that my own life and story are crucial to my work as an educator. Professor Levinson was always willing to engage with the hard questions, the “what if” questions, and to encourage me to do my best intellectual work. [Adjunct Lecturer] Linda Nathan has expertly modeled strength with flexibility as a school leader and practitioner, and she has really supported my efforts as a teacher. And, Professor Hiro Yoshikawa has been a great mentor; he was instrumental in helping me craft my research project on adolescence in context and trusted that it would develop into something meaningful. Thank you all!

What advice do you have for next year’s students going through your program?  
You’ve got to have a “crew” while you’re here. These are the people who support, inspire and challenge you to think in new ways and to be better. These are the people who are not necessarily in your same program and who may not share your same interests. These are the people who make you laugh at appropriate and inappropriate moments. These are the people who encourage you when you’re down or who tell you about an opportunity you should seek out. These are your best friends. I would not have had the experience that I’ve had this year without them.

What is something that you learned at HGSE that you will take with you throughout your career in education?
To never, not ever, lose your sense of humor in doing this important work. Always be willing to laugh with others; it builds community.

A former college admissions officer and high school guidance counselor, Kerr says she “came to HGSE seeking the opportunity to engage with ideas about college admissions and college access in an academic setting.”

The Higher Education Program (HEP) was perfect for her. “I felt as though I was just scratching the surface of all of the complexities associated with admissions and higher education,” she says. “I wanted to study with the HGSE faculty, and I was particularly attracted to the Higher Ed Program because I knew I would benefit from a tight-knit group of peers who would bring very different perspectives to our conversations about the field of higher education.”

But it was her perspective that many of her cohort found invaluable.

“Caroline Kerr received a large number of nominations from her fellow students for the Intellectual Tribute award…,” says Professor Judith McLaughlin, director of HEP. “My favorite student nomination summed it up simply: ‘Half of my education has come from Harvard professors, the other half from Caroline Kerr.’

“Caroline is a model of the engaged student. An active listener and a selective participant in class, her comments were always cogent and articulate…,” continues McLaughlin. “Many students spoke of the seriousness with which she approached her academic study as ‘inspiring.’ Others commented on her willingness to help them with class assignments and career considerations. Caroline’s generosity was evident in that she was always the first person to answer emails to the cohort with requests for assistance, and she regularly made herself available to help with admission recruitment events and other program activities. Caroline’s intelligence, enjoyment of learning, professionalism, and constant good spirits made her a pleasure to have as a student.”

Upon learning that she had been honored with the Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award for HEP, Kerr answered some questions about her time at the Ed School and beyond.

Favorite class?
I took Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Learning with Professor Monica Higgins in the fall and became completely enthralled with the case method of teaching. This led me to take Teaching and Learning By The Case Method with Professor Higgins this spring, and the experience changed the way I think, approach problem solving, participate in and lead discussion, and listen. I’ve benefited from great case-based discussions throughout year with Professor Higgins and other members of the HGSE faculty, including Judy McLaughlin, Jim Honan, Joe Zolner, as well as faculty members from across Harvard who participated in Teaching and Learning By The Case Method as guest instructors.

How did you stay inspired throughout the year?  
I’d do something I didn’t think I had time to do – something I thought I couldn’t possibly squeeze into my schedule – and consider it “restoration” (something I learned at The Mountain School, a semester program I participated in during high school.)  The hardest part about this year has been seizing some opportunities and having to say “no” to others – a guest lecture, extra class, or dinner with classmates. After going to an extra event, I’d inevitably take away an inspiring new idea and an invigorating jolt of energy.

Any special study spots?
I do most of my studying and writing at home in the company of our dog, Gryphon. Her clowning around reminds me to take breaks and not take myself too seriously.  I’ve also spent many group project hours on the fourth floor of Gutman in the corner conference room that has full glass windows on two sides. We lovingly call it “the penthouse.”

If you could transport one person/place/thing from HGSE to your next destination, what would it be?
My classmates and professors. That’s probably cheating because it’s more than one person, but the people here have pushed me to consider new ideas and new points of view. Luckily, I’m confident these conversations are going to continue well beyond this year.

What advice do you have for next year’s students going through your program?
Jump in with both feet. HGSE is an “all in” kind of place, and it’s worth taking advantage of the full range of opportunities presented to you – in and out of the classroom. Try to find the balance that works best for you and what you hope to get out of the year; and remind yourself that the experiences and conversations outside of the classroom can be just as valuable as what you are doing during a class session or for a paper. The greatest satisfaction for me has come from learning and making contributions on multiple fronts; the whole picture matters.

“I would be interested in making changes in the Mexican education system,” she says. “I am convinced that if people don’t have access to education, education must access people.”

To that end, Karakowsky hopes to find a position at an international organization at which she can contribute to “transgenerational changes” and which seeks, she says, “to understand the best approach to bring education that dignifies and empowers.”

“Yael Karakowsky has made deep and wide contributions to the cohort in Mind, Brain, and Education,” says Professor Kurt Fischer, director of MBE. “She has facilitated communication to a remarkable degree and is skilled at blending constructive comments with useful criticism – always with a kind and positive spirit. Thank you, Yael, for making an important contribution to the quality of dialogue in MBE this year.”

Upon learning that she had been honored with the Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award for MBE, Karakowsky answered some questions about her time at the Ed School and beyond.

Favorite class?
I would say two classes:

Howard Gardner’s Good Work in Education: When Excellence, Ethics and Engagement Meet. First, Howard’s work and mentorship have inspired my professional life for years, so having him as a professor represented both the realization of a dream and a challenge. Second, the class gave me the opportunity to dream big, to meet and to question what I call outstanding influencers. … Lastly, the class raised my awareness of social issues, provoked critical thinking, and went way beyond the classroom. Howard’s commitment and individual response to the students’ weekly memos was remarkable.

Jack Shonkoff’s, The Science of Early Behavior and Health; Implications for Early-­‐Childhood Policy. I clearly remember our first class where Jack encouraged us to think big, to share our dreams, and to pursue them. Jack is a passionate and inspiring leader, an outstanding advocate who motivates and teaches the students to use science to impact policy and practice to break the transgenerational cycle of disadvantage. As a Mexican woman, it is amazing and highly treasured to have the opportunity to meet individuals who can influence, support, and inspire us to find our own voice and to speak up in order to make generational changes. After taking this class I am extremely interested in applying and transmitting science to society in order to accomplish social change.

What is something that you learned at HGSE that you will take with you throughout your career in education?
I learned that passion is crucial in the education world. I learned what diversity, respect, and learning mean. I didn’t find the definition of education in a book, but I was educated every single second at HGSE. My experience was defined not only by my classes but also by the interactions and engaging conversations with both an outstanding body of faculty and my fellow classmates.

Is there any professor who significantly shaped your experience at the Ed School?
Besides Howard and Jack, I would say Rick Weissbourd, Todd Rose, Fernando Reimers, and Kurt Fischer. I have no doubt in saying that they not only shaped my experience at HGSE but also my life. This might be my opportunity to tell them all a big THANK YOU – not only for inspiring me, but also for trusting me, supporting my crazy ideas, listening, and sharing their valuable time with me.

What will you change in education and why?
I will change the appreciation people have for education in developing countries. Education is a tool that enables not only individual, but generational changes. I want to transmit the message that if we were born in a house with opportunities – meaning basic needs, caring environment, and education -­‐   our biggest [responsibility] is to bring that same opportunity to the people who were born without them.

What advice do you have for next year’s students going through your program?
Enjoy every single minute, dream BIG…. and talk, talk, talk. This goes for engaging in conversations, for asking questions, for finding your own voice, and for speaking up. The year goes by fast and this will be a unique and huge opportunity in your life. Live it!

For the full list of recipients, visit http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news-impact/tag/intellectual-contributionfaculty-tribute-award/.

“The cradle to prison pipeline is a national crisis that leaves a black boy born in 2001 with a one in three lifetime chance of going to prison and a Latino boy a one in six risk of the same fate,” said workshop participant Barbara Best, director of foundation relations and special projects at the Children’s Defense Fund.

For many of these youth, the pipeline starts early; their experiences in school with zero tolerance discipline policies have led to unnecessary criminalization of nonviolent behaviors and, in some cases, nearly tripled the occurrence of suspensions and expulsions. The consequences of these punitive punishments can be dire. Students that are suspended in school are three times more likely to drop out, and students that drop out are three times more likely to end up in prison in their lifetimes.

Restorative practices in schools provide an alternative to these zero tolerance policies. In fact, many school districts across the nation have been adopting these new transformative methods as a way to improve their school climates and keep kids in school. In many schools, the core restorative practice is the “peace circle” in which students and teachers engage in dialogue about a topic or issue. 

Radhika Khandelwal, student in the Human Development and Psychology Program, used circles regularly in her teaching practice as a manifestation of her teaching philosophy. “Everyone working in urban education — teachers, administrators, counselors — feel the pressure to ‘close the achievement gap,’ or ‘show results’ via hard metrics,” she said. “It’s important to place the dignity of the child at the center of this work. For me, the way to do this is to embed restorative philosophies in my practice. It’s so obvious: treat children with respect, empower their voice, see them rise. Yet, unfortunately, it’s rare. It requires an ego shift and a mind shift, but those who have made it work have proven that ultimately, restorative practices sustain and keep all of us in the system as healthier and more productive students and educators.”

Participants in the workshop engaged with keynote speaker Janet Connors, a longtime community activist and restorative justice practitioner, who shared her personal story about her son Joel, whom she lost to street violence when he was only a teenager. For Janet, who engaged in restorative dialogue with her son’s killers and currently facilitates circles across the Boston area, restorative practices are critical to ending the pipeline. “Huge as the horrific taking of my son’s life is…the maintenance of a society where young people are flushed down the school to prison pipeline is just as sad and just as wrong,” Connors said.

The panel that followed Connors’ speech comprised four students that hailed from Diploma Plus, an alternative learning community that uses restorative justice practices as part of their discipline model. The students articulately and expressively shared their views on Diploma Plus’ transformational impact on their lives.  “I hadn’t been attending school for a long time…Diploma Plus gave me a second chance,” one student said. Others commented on restorative practices: “Circles give an opportunity for students to share their voice and you realize that people do want to listen to what you have to say.”

Afterwards, attendees participated in breakout sessions led by nine trained, experienced circle facilitators including Kendra Hoyt, president and CEO of JUST Circles; master’s student and youth advocate Natalie Orozco; Cathy Hoffman, peace and justice activist; and Sunny Pai, administrator at Diploma Plus. Conversations explored a diverse range of topics including “Discussing Elephants in the Room: Diversity Issues at Harvard” and “Transforming Discipline Policies: How to be an Advocate at the System Level.” Participants passed around a “talking piece,” an object such as a rock, stick, or feather to facilitate respectful and thoughtful dialogue.

The workshop, envisioned and planned entirely by a team of master’s students, was extremely valuable for all that participated. “The vision, planning and hard work that [went into] this event … brought important and critical conversations and dialogue to the forefront,” said Liz Thurston, director of student affairs, “and we sincerely hope it can become an annual tradition within the HGSE community.”

To learn more, visit Coalition for Restorative Justice at Harvard at restorativejusticeatharvard.org.

“I will be a forceful defender of the idea that knowledge about teaching comes first and foremost from being a teacher,” Tritter says. “Anyone who thinks otherwise is selling something.”

And he hopes that others entering Learning and Teaching are willing to do the same. “Be ready to be a voice for teachers,” he advises L&T’s incoming class. “We need more of those.”

Tritter plans to go back to classroom teaching, but he also hopes, he says, to facilitate “collaborative inquiry” with his colleagues.

“Paul Tritter is a thoughtful, reflective practitioner who has mixed the seasoning of his several years of classroom teaching experience with the curious and open-minded nature found in the best students,” says Senior Lecturer Kitty Boles. “He is a serious intellectual who combines enthusiasm and thoughtfulness with deep insight into educational issues. Paul is a student, a scholar, and a practitioner. His peers admire his belief in the students he has taught in the past and the belief he has in the students he will teach in the future…. Paul doesn’t accept many ideas at face value without asking many questions, and so brings other students along on his quest for broader thinking.”

Upon learning that he had been honored with the Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award for L&T, Tritter answered some questions about his time at the Ed School and beyond.

What was your goal upon entering the Ed School?
I decided to come to HGSE to learn about teacher learning. I believed, and believe even more strongly now (with a little more nuance, knowledge, and skill behind my believing), that the best way to sustainably impact student learning is to engage teachers in supportive collaborative investigation and improvement of their practice. Teaching and learning is about way more than just telling people what you know and what to do. That applies to teachers and other professionals just as much as it does to children.

Is that goal any different now?
I am more committed to it than I was when I got here. I have learned just how much the current trends in education reform devalue the professionalism of teaching and the potential of teachers to impact students’ lives.

What is something that you learned at HGSE that you will take with you throughout your career in education?
I learned that the only thing that needs to be brought to scale is the idea that the people who work and learn in schools can learn to solve their own problems.

Is there any professor who significantly shaped your experience at the Ed School?
I had Vicki Jacobs for Advancing the Learning and Teaching of English, and she supervised my work as an advisor in the Teacher Education Program. She taught me the importance of always beginning by identifying my purposes, of continuously asking and honing questions, and of making metacognition a critical component of learning at all stages.

How did you stay inspired throughout the year?
My classmates Zac Chase, Heidi Fessenden, Tom Neville,  Andrea Palmer, Rosie Allen Sarah Sprague, and the gang. They presented a neverending supply of thought-provoking conversation and seemingly unconditional support.

If you could transport one person/place/thing from HGSE to your next
destination, what would it be?
A personal coach created by a mind-meld between Tina Blythe and Bob Kegan.

For the full list of recipients, visit http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news-impact/tag/intellectual-contributionfaculty-tribute-award/.

Nanette Reynolds

Nanette Lee Reynolds, Ed.D.’78, will receive the 2012 Alumni Council Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education. A Civil Rights activist, Reynolds has spent her career creating a dialogue around issues of race and social justice. She will receive the award during HGSE’s 2012 convocation ceremony on Wednesday, May 23.

“There is no way I imagined the Alumni Council selecting me. I am humbled and honored,” Reynolds says. “I think being at Harvard gave me a sense that I was capable of doing what I put my mind to. I can remember feeling overwhelmed at the end of my studies. On a flight, I remember looking down in the evening and seeing a gazillion homes. I thought as one of 33 accepted in my class, ‘You can do this kid.’ It’s surreal to me that I graduated and secondly that my life’s work would receive an acknowledgment of this magnitude. This is not expected or anticipated. I didn’t work for this acknowledgment other than just doing the right thing, which is trying to provide access and opportunity for everyone.”

In the 1970s, Reynolds began her career working in higher education at prestigious universities like Brown and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In her positions of counselor and assistant dean of student affairs and academic affairs, she focused her efforts on developing resources for minority students and women to ensure college success. By the early 1980s, she took her passion and work to the public sector. For 10 years, Reynolds was the first black woman to direct the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. As the longest serving director of the governmental organization, she played important roles in creating high caliber career development programs for civil rights professionals to better serve the state’s increasingly diverse population, and balanced aggressive enforcement of civil rights laws with the need to advance civil rights social collaboration. Her work with the department caught the attention of then-U.S. State Department Secretary Colin Powell, who invited her to join the five-person U.S. delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation’s conference on racism, xenophobia, and discrimination.

In response to Proposal 2, the 2006 ballot initiative that banned affirmative action in the public sector in Michigan, she cofounded The Imagine Fund, a nonprofit providing scholarship for academically qualified and economically challenged students of color to attend Michigan colleges and universities.

After nearly 20 years of public service, Reynolds formally retired in 2003, but continues to work as a consultant in areas related to her expertise and experience, particularly helping to assist leaders to achieve the benefits of diversity.  Self-described as an “affirmative action baby,” Reynolds has earned many accolades for her public service.

“The Alumni Council selected Nanette Reynolds to receive the 2012 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education because she exemplifies values, aspirations, and habits of mind encouraged at HGSE.  She wrestled with personal tragedy, raised two admirable children, and devoted 20 years of her professional career in Michigan to assuring the civil rights of others,” said Alumni Council member Mieko Kamii, Ed.M.’73, Ed.D.’82. “In response to Proposal 2 that banned affirmative action in the public sector in that state, she laid the cornerstone for a foundation that provides scholarships for black and Hispanic students to attend colleges and universities in Michigan. In retirement, she continues to help those with struggling and silenced voices to be heard.”

HGSE first established the Alumni Council Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education in 1985 in order to recognize the significance of service to education by alumni. Each year, the Alumni Relations Office solicits nominations for the award from the alumni body. Candidates must be graduates of HGSE and have made a noteworthy contribution to education during their professional careers.

“I have met so many remarkable individuals who have already done and will continue to do amazing things,” says Patterson. “Their intellect, passion, generosity, and drive have inspired and challenged me in ways I never expected.”

Patterson’s talents were also recognized by the SLP faculty who consider her integral in helping push the thinking of her classmates on difficult topics of race, social class, and sexuality as they apply to learning.

“Natasha Patterson’s contributions to the School Leadership Program have been quiet, steadily growing and increasingly impactful,” says Lecturer Lee Teitel, director of SLP.  “As she has gained confidence and found her own voice, she has been a strong presence in the SLP community…. A key part of being a student in the SLP has been to contribute to the learning of classmates — a concept we call ‘stewardship.’ Natasha Patterson exemplifies that spirit and we — classmates and teaching staff that nominated her — are proud to give her this award.”

Upon learning that she had been honored with the Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award for SLP, Patterson answered some questions about her time at the Ed School and beyond.

What was your goal upon entering the Ed School?
I wanted to gain the confidence, capacity, and connections to challenge the status quo and transform schools into learning organizations that truly change the odds for students in urban districts.

What are your post-HGSE plans?
I am going to Chicago as a part of a principal leadership program which is a collaboration between the Ed School, Teach For America, and the Chicago Public Schools. The first year I will be working as a resident principal, and the following year I plan to lead a school. Chicago Public Schools is making a lot of changes right now and I am excited to be a part of the effort. As a school leader, I hope to bring my advocacy, analytical, and problem-solving skills to assist the district in developing innovative solutions to Chicago’s most pressing education problems.

Is there any professor who significantly shaped your experience at the Ed School?
It’s really difficult to choose just one because they all profoundly shaped my experience here in different ways. However, Richard Elmore really challenged me to think outside the box. He painted a picture of what’s truly possible for schools when you “tear down the walls” both literally and figuratively. Lee Teitel pushed me to move beyond my comfort zone and take agency. I’ll never forget a conversation I had with him during office hours. I asked, “Do you think I’m ready to lead a school?” And he said, “I don’t have any concerns about you being a great instructional leader. That’s the technical part and you’ve got that. However, I do wonder whether or not you’ll be able to handle the more difficult adaptive challenges which is the real work.” I realized the gravity of the moment and my year here at HGSE. And I knew his concerns were legitimate.

My presence here at Harvard wasn’t just about me. I represented my hometown friends, my students, and my family — most of whom could never imagine being here. I came to HGSE to acquire tools and skills to transform schools so that one day my nephew Elijah and all students will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education. If I left here without these tools, then on some level I would have failed all those I represented. When I left his office, my focus turned to seizing my moment here. For the next few months, I worked on becoming the leader that I envisioned I could be. Although I still have a lot to learn, thanks to the encouragement and support from my cohort members, professors, and TFs I’m on the path to realizing my vision of equity for all students.

What advice do you have for next year’s students going through your program?
Meet and make as many friends as possible. Their support will be invaluable during the challenging moments. Attend Askwith lectures, they will be some of your best one and two hour “classes” at HGSE. Organize study groups. Get actively involved in at least one organization and if there isn’t one that fits your interests, start your own. Cross-register for at least one class at another school. Visit professors during their office hours.  And finally, maximize your year on Appian Way. Don’t worry about sleeping…you can do that next year!

For the full list of recipients, visit http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news-impact/tag/intellectual-contributionfaculty-tribute-award/.