Instilling community in those she supports
Now the multiple subject coordinator for the MAT program, former MBA and elementary school teacher Myuriel von Aspen believes the student teachers she works with will continue positioning themselves as learners for the benefit of their students.
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By Carol Jean Tomoguchi-Perez
January 23, 2023 Myuriel von Aspen was a forward-thinking trailblazer long before becoming the multiple subject coordinator of the Master of Arts in Teaching + Credential Program (MAT) at the School of Education. As a high school student, von Aspen took a Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code programming course and was hooked. She went on to earn her B.S. in Computer Science from Florida International University. In her career as a fourth grade teacher, von Aspen was the first teacher at her school to teach coding. “My classroom provided me with a platform to introduce my students, particularly girls, to computer science,” she said. “My hope was that one day in the future my students could think of computer science as a possible field of study.” “It was exciting to me that they could learn programming from their Hispanic female teacher and I hoped that they could see themselves as capable of doing the same.” Her road to a career in education came with its own set of challenges. As a preteen, von Aspen and her family left her native country of Nicaragua as political refugees and settled in Florida. Faced with the obstacles and hardships immigrants endure, von Aspen credits her new community and teachers in part with her family’s ability to find their footing in a new country. |
Myuriel von Aspen
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“We left so much in our native country, but brought with us so much of ourselves – our culture, our language, our education, and our love for each other,” she explained. “That, along with the support of caring teachers and community members helped us succeed.”
In time, von Aspen enrolled in UCI’s MBA program, graduating in 1996 and securing a position with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC).
She reflected, “In my positions in consulting and management, I developed relationships and interacted with many clients, managed projects and consultants, and focused on process improvement – all of which are skills that are transferable to the work I do as a coordinator for the MAT program.”
von Aspen’s MAT journey began when she received her credential in July 2011, and her MAT in September 2012.
“Attending the MAT program at UCI was the best choice for me since I wanted to teach in Orange County in a dual-immersion setting, and I had already had a great experience at UCI with the MBA program,” she said. “I wanted to make a direct impact on the life of children; in particular, children from diverse backgrounds and underserved communities.”
“As a student teacher, and then as a teacher, I taught at a Title I Two-Way Dual-Immersion school. Knowing that the majority of children of color do not have teachers that look like them or understand their culture, I wanted to be that teacher. I was determined to connect with my students and their families and be the best educator that I could possibly be for them.”
In time, von Aspen enrolled in UCI’s MBA program, graduating in 1996 and securing a position with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC).
She reflected, “In my positions in consulting and management, I developed relationships and interacted with many clients, managed projects and consultants, and focused on process improvement – all of which are skills that are transferable to the work I do as a coordinator for the MAT program.”
von Aspen’s MAT journey began when she received her credential in July 2011, and her MAT in September 2012.
“Attending the MAT program at UCI was the best choice for me since I wanted to teach in Orange County in a dual-immersion setting, and I had already had a great experience at UCI with the MBA program,” she said. “I wanted to make a direct impact on the life of children; in particular, children from diverse backgrounds and underserved communities.”
“As a student teacher, and then as a teacher, I taught at a Title I Two-Way Dual-Immersion school. Knowing that the majority of children of color do not have teachers that look like them or understand their culture, I wanted to be that teacher. I was determined to connect with my students and their families and be the best educator that I could possibly be for them.”
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“My favorite part (of my work) is seeing the excitement and hearing the accounts of students who are at student teaching placements where they can experience teaching and learning that is aligned with our commitments and vision." – MAT Multiple Subject Coordinator Myuriel von Aspen |
While in the program, von Aspen took note of some differences. “One of the things that struck me while attending the program was how different the pedagogical practices that I was learning were from those used when I went to school, but even more surprising, they were very different even from those used in my own children’s classrooms, particularly in math.”
“When I left the program, I was determined to provide opportunities for my students to make sense of their learning, co-construct knowledge with their peers, and – most importantly – support them in developing their identities as competent learners. I knew that all my students could learn at grade-level, regardless of any circumstance, so I embarked on my journey to make that happen.” |
Remembering the importance of community support, von Aspen maintained her connection to UCI after graduating from the program, mentoring many bilingual teacher candidates and mentors, visiting to speak with bilingual teacher candidates, and attending School of Education events. A few years after graduating, she reconnected with two of her professors, and cites them as being an integral part of her growth as an educator.
“Dr. Valerie Henry, from whom I learned a great deal about how students learn their math facts, visited my classroom many times to record lessons I taught based on what I learned from her. Dr. Jody Guarino, from whom I learned to learn from my teaching, supported me in expanding my network and growing as an educator and an educator of educators.”
Now, in her role as the multiple subject coordinator of the MAT program, von Aspen enjoys many aspects of her work.
“My favorite part is seeing the excitement and hearing the accounts of students who are at student teaching placements where they can experience teaching and learning that is aligned with our commitments and vision,” she said. “When this is happening, our candidates share stories of seeing their students have agency; have discussions with their peers to make sense and extend their learning; and whose ideas and all that they bring into the classroom are valued. This gives me confidence that those candidates will be better prepared to take what they have experienced at their placements and learned in the MAT program, and implement it successfully in their own classrooms.”
“Most importantly, I believe that they will continue positioning themselves as learners for the benefit of their students. That’s why I believe that the most important part of my job as a coordinator is to build relationships and continue seeking out the best mentor teachers for our candidates.“
In September 2022, von Aspen was invited by the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics to give the welcoming speech to math leaders from across the nation at the NCSM National Conference, mentioning the MAT program and student equity in her speech.
In the future, von Aspen envisions the MAT program expanding to include more collaboration with partner districts, ensuring that graduates of the program become mentors to teacher candidates, and creating a library of high-quality videos of mentor teachers and teacher candidates illustrating effective mentoring and equitable teaching practices.
Outside of work, von Aspen enjoys the outdoors and family time.
“I love running, especially at Crystal Cove State Park, and hiking – the redwood forest is my favorite place,” she said. “I also love cooking with my husband, reading, and traveling with my family.”
“Dr. Valerie Henry, from whom I learned a great deal about how students learn their math facts, visited my classroom many times to record lessons I taught based on what I learned from her. Dr. Jody Guarino, from whom I learned to learn from my teaching, supported me in expanding my network and growing as an educator and an educator of educators.”
Now, in her role as the multiple subject coordinator of the MAT program, von Aspen enjoys many aspects of her work.
“My favorite part is seeing the excitement and hearing the accounts of students who are at student teaching placements where they can experience teaching and learning that is aligned with our commitments and vision,” she said. “When this is happening, our candidates share stories of seeing their students have agency; have discussions with their peers to make sense and extend their learning; and whose ideas and all that they bring into the classroom are valued. This gives me confidence that those candidates will be better prepared to take what they have experienced at their placements and learned in the MAT program, and implement it successfully in their own classrooms.”
“Most importantly, I believe that they will continue positioning themselves as learners for the benefit of their students. That’s why I believe that the most important part of my job as a coordinator is to build relationships and continue seeking out the best mentor teachers for our candidates.“
In September 2022, von Aspen was invited by the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics to give the welcoming speech to math leaders from across the nation at the NCSM National Conference, mentioning the MAT program and student equity in her speech.
In the future, von Aspen envisions the MAT program expanding to include more collaboration with partner districts, ensuring that graduates of the program become mentors to teacher candidates, and creating a library of high-quality videos of mentor teachers and teacher candidates illustrating effective mentoring and equitable teaching practices.
Outside of work, von Aspen enjoys the outdoors and family time.
“I love running, especially at Crystal Cove State Park, and hiking – the redwood forest is my favorite place,” she said. “I also love cooking with my husband, reading, and traveling with my family.”
