Graduate Student Spotlight | Luisa Sieverding
"Attending the conference, for me, really underlined the feeling that, even when we do not have all the solutions yet, maintaining discussions of and dialogues on contemporary issues in education puts us on the right path."
Interdisciplinary Conference Participant
Program
- Humanities (M.A.)
Department
- Education
- Philosophy & Religious Studies
Luisa Sieverding is an international student and a current student in the Master of Humanities program at Hood College. On October 17, she attended the Conference on Interdisciplinary Dialogues in Education alongside fellow students JJ Salas and Xavier Smalls. Sieverding explains her involvement in the conference and what her takeaways from it were in the interview below.
Tell us about your career and education background?
I am an international student at Hood College. In Germany, I pursued my bachelor's and master's degrees in education to become a teacher. While my subjects, English and political science, relate to my current humanities program here at Hood, I remain very interested in their application to school teaching.
What made you decide to attend Hood College?
I came across Hood College because it has a partnership program with my home university. I decided to take this opportunity because the humanities program allows me to deepen my knowledge in my field from an interdisciplinary perspective, while the German teaching assistantship provides valuable teaching experience.
How did you find out about the Interdisciplinary Dialogues in Education Conference?
I found out about the conference through the Hood College email newsletter.
What was the conference like? Was there a particular highlight for you?
The Interdisciplinary Dialogues in Education Conference provided me, as a grad student, with an accessible and affordable opportunity to attend a conference focused on highly topical issues in my field of interest.
How does the conference tie into your career goals?
I particularly enjoyed the range of topics offered, such as "Restorative Practices to Amplify Student Voice," "Techniques for Teaching Policy Analysis During Times of Political Unrest" and "Navigating the Noise: Media Literacy as a Catalyst for Collaborative Inquiry in the Classroom." Respectively, they were presentations on pedagogical practices, teaching political studies and current social issues present in every classroom.
As a future teacher and someone who is also academically invested in these issues, the talks were highly informative. The conference gave me scholarly and practical insights I hope to apply in my future career.
What was your biggest takeaway from the conference?
Attending the conference, for me, really underlined the feeling that, even when we do not have all the solutions yet, maintaining discussions of and dialogues on contemporary issues in education puts us on the right path.
Do you have any advice you would give to prospective students who are considering a career in education?
Explore your field from as many different perspectives as possible.
Are there any fun facts about yourself that you would like to share?
I have lived on three different continents, and each has uniquely shaped my view on education.
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