Conversation with Donna Marie Cole Marlott, Ph.D Candidate in the Department of Curriculum and Instr

Donna Marie Cole-Malott, (the beautiful woman in black with the matching beautiful smile) is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Penn State University. She currently works as a consultant with the State College Area School District in their Professional Development School. Her research interest includes the literacy practices of immigrant students and their identity formation and centers on the intersection of race, class, gender, as it relates to the identities of immigrant youth in schools. She is a former secondary education English teacher, and has worked in urban communities for nearly a decade. She currently works as a consultant with the State College Area School District in their Professional Development School. And besides all of the above, is an amazing woman! It was a great pleasure meeting her at the SCI Project conference in April.

You research focuses on race, class, and gender as it relates to the identities of younger students. How does their differences affect their ability to learn?

This is a great question, and the interesting thing is that all of these intersecting themes are central to the education of all students. In terms of class, there is a great deal of research that shows that your income, your community, and your level of education all have a direct impact on the kinds of resources available to your child, the kinds of schools they attend and the quality of education their receive. Insofar as race is concerned, there is an abundant amount of scholarships out there that all deal with the disparities students of color face in schools as compared to their white counter parts. This isn't a new trend, it is historical, and the majority of research focuses on how we can either create more equitable schools, or how we can work with students in their communities to make them as competitive as their White peers.

In terms of these issues impacting student's ability to learn. I don't think it impacts their ability to learn at all. I think they learn a lot about the structures of society. I think they learn they are not as important as students in wealthier communities. They also learn that it is their community that is always at a disadvantage and that's the problem. Students know that something is wrong, and they can't always articulate the problem. The goal is to change that. My research focuses on uncovering the factors that influence academic and social identity construction through literacies. I examine the ways in which students perform in and out of school sanctioned spaced in order to understand how structural factors/issues impact their identity construction. I think we all know something isn't right about our educational system, and the question is, what can we do about it, and where do we start.

You were an English teacher early in your career, why the change in the education field?

I taught English in NYC for about seven years before moving to Pennsylvania. I don't see my pursuit of a doctorate as a change in my focus. I see it as a part of the same process. As an English teacher in a majority black school in Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn, I understood that while I could make a difference in the classroom, it's also important to place myself in a position to understand, and challenge some of the factors that are at the heart of the injustices impacting students in majority minority schools. I also made the shift in my career focus because the push for standardized/high stakes testing was disheartening and it was difficult to be so entangled in a process that I didn't fully support.

You work as a consultant in the State College school district, do you use your research findings to help develop new ways to teach children who fit in the categories of your research?

My consultant work at State College Area High School has been extremely rewarding for me. While I always love working with high school students, as a consultant I work with pre-service teachers. My role is to support and guide them as they pursue their own teacher inquiries. What has been most useful for me are the white pre-service teachers who use their time as interns to explore the tough issues of working with students of color, or educating white students about diverse issues. What my consultant work has demonstrated to me is that social justice related work is difficult and emotional, and anyone willing to engage in this kind of work needs a great deal of support. It has also demonstrated that if a teacher is in a setting where they receive support and encouragement, they are more likely to push themselves, and they don't give up very easily. I find this experience useful and important, and it allows me to consider how to further support my students in the course I teach at the university.

Do you believe that it is the responsibility of women to help other women through encouragement, support and mentoring?

YES!!! I think this is everything. I often tell people that there are two kinds of women in my opinion. There are those women who have made it to the top and they look down on other women for a variety of reasons. They are the ones who get in positions of power and they want all the power and clout for themselves. They are not comfortable sharing the stage. It's as if they are saying, "There is only room at the top for me, and if you work hard enough, you can one day get here." Then there are those women who are nurturers, supporters, sisters, and motivators. They are the ones that say, "I have made it to the top, it wasn't easy, but you can do it too, and here's how." I must say that is my life. I have mostly had male mentors (besides the women in my family), and I always longed for a mentor who was a woman. It means the world to me to have a woman, especially one who looks like me and tell me that they believe in me. It's like I can hear encouraging words from anyone, but when it comes from a woman it always moves me in a way that nothing else can. I feel that now at Penn State. Dr. Staples has been that person for me. She pushes me, and challenges me while always reminding me that I am capable. When I hear words of encouragement coming from her - a black woman. I listen more intently, feel more deeply, and I trust that she has my best interest at heart.

It is extremely important for women to support each other in all walks of life, and in all ventures. I also make sure that I am a role model for the women and girls around me. I try always, because I know how important it is to hear words of encouragement from someone who understands the challenges face by women.

Do you believe each woman had her own source of inspirations? And if so, why do you believe it?

I do believe that there is someone in each of our lives that inspire us to be better than we are at the moment. Sometimes, it's our mothers and sometimes it's our teachers, but I do think there is always someone. As a black woman, I draw inspiration from all the black women who have come before me and were able to triumph in the face of adversity.

Who are some of the women that inspire you and what characteristics do they have that may make them an inspiration to other women?

I am completely inspired by my maternal grandmother. She always had my back and I always saw her as a nurturer, protector, and matriarch of the family. She sets the standard for what it means to be a good, honest, reliable person. When I think of her, I push a little harder, and endure in any way I can. My mother also goes without saying, she, like my grandmother is my right hand. I can count on her for anything. She believes in me, and that just means the world to me. I should also say that since having my daughter, I am so inspired by her. She always wants to know everything, and I have this responsibility to be the best possible role model for her.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born in Jamaica and grew up in New York City. I am a first generation immigrant, and I feel that I have been given an opportunity of a lifetime here in the United States. I can pursue an education and take advantage of opportunities that are not readily available to women from my home country. Education has always been an important thing in my family, and I feel privileged to be able to get an education at Penn State. I just wish that the system was structured in such a way to allow opportunities for first generations like myself, and also African American women to pursue their dreams as well.

I am also a mom to two little ones. My son Logan is five and my daughter Jayne is eight. They are just everything to me.

What "things" do you believe are lacking in the community of women and how can we rally together to put those things into action?

I do believe that is is important for women to give back to their communities. I think mentorship is extremely important among women. I think we constantly need to be reassured that we are capable and smart. I think with so many negative messages reaching girls online, on TV, and in schools, having a mentor can make a big difference. Just having someone to be honest with, someone to talk to, can make a world of difference.

Where would you like your various talents and education to take you after you receive your Ph.D?

After the Ph.D, that though makes me happy. I have been so happy teaching at the university level and I think that's where I want to remain. I do know that working with students is extremely important to me, so ideally I would love to be somewhere I can teach, and still be in a 7-12 setting in some capacity. That would be ideal. That makes my happy.

eart.