Practical Access Podcast

S6 E6: Resilience with Dr. Martha Lue Stewart

October 26, 2021 Season 6 Episode 6
Practical Access Podcast
S6 E6: Resilience with Dr. Martha Lue Stewart
Show Notes Transcript

We must ensure that all students are not further disadvantaged in their scholastic efforts because of the inability to obtain basic materials. We must protect and raise the self-esteem of our students who are unable through no fault of their own to add the many aesthetically pleasing extras to work created outside of the classroom environment." - Dr. Martha Lue Stewart.

Today, Drs. Lisa Dieker and Rebecca Hines sit down with Dr. Martha Lue Stewart. As the first Black woman promoted to the rank of professor, Dr. Stewart has been instrumental in helping build a diverse and inclusive campus at the University of Central Florida. Her leadership, mentorship, community engagement, and continued advocacy have impacted many during her decades of service. Tune in today to hear more about her passions and how we can all continue to support resilient children from underserved communities. 

Don't forget we love to hear from our listeners! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We look forward to receiving your questions on our Google Phone (407) 900- 9305, Facebook (Practical Access), Twitter (@AccessPractical), or Instagram (@Practical_Access).

Lisa Dieker 00:00:06 

Welcome to Practical Access. I'm Lisa Decker. 

Rebecca Hines 00:00:09 

And I'm Rebecca Hines and Lisa today we're talking to one of my favorite people, so why don't you introduce today's guest. 

Lisa Dieker 00:00:17 

Yes, so we're very privileged to have Dr. Martha Lou Stewart with us today. Welcome Doctor Stewart! 

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:00:25  

Thank you very much. 

Lisa Dieker 00:00:26 

We're so excited you're with us and a long time colleague who is now spending I think what, a little more time at the beach. Would that be accurate? 

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:00:35 Speaker 1 

Yes

Lisa Dieker 00:00:36 

Yes and good for you. Well we miss you deeply and so we'll just kind of get started. We know you have so much great practical advice for our amazing teachers who work in our with our kids across beautiful communities in this country, and we're so thankful you're willing to share some of your expertise. But I'm going to start with a question about your wonderful years here at UCF and I'm just curious what would be the proudest moment that you could reflect on now that you're spending a little more time enjoying life past UCF that you might share with us. 

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:01:09  

Thank you and thank you for having me I know both of you very well, and I'm honored and privileged to know you both as friends, as scholars, and colleagues. I I thought a lot about that I've been asked that several times since last August, and so I've come to the conclusion that that is not for me to determine but I can say that I tried to bloom where I was planted and that I did my best to elevate the conversation and a number of areas and that I strived hard to lend a voice for children and families from underserved, under resourced and underfunded communities, there's a scripture now, colleagues that I often modify and it says "others before me planted, I watered, and it's my hope that countless persons could reap the benefit."

Rebecca Hines 00:02:07 

And I I think, I think, that that well encapsulates which you've brought to the profession and it's probably one of the things as a colleague, that I I could literally feel from you is this desire to truly make a difference, not not in higher education, but but for children. So, we share a real passion for those kids who, as you mentioned, are are underserved and these days when we think about kids who are coming from all kinds of backgrounds we think of the word resilience. How do we, how do we help teachers understand resilience and the need for resilience so that they can best serve kids of all backgrounds?

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:03:01  

I want to address that from the lens of lived experiences. I had in the past, two semesters that I spent at a quote "high needs school" in Central Florida I noticed something called developmental resilience, so so I had to find out what that was. I took a look at the entire school, I saw committed faculty I saw staff, I I saw team members, I saw the area support, I saw efforts to increase the level of family involvement colleagues, but, but what I also saw the need for a multidisciplinary approach for working with children and their families who have experienced, the term now is early adverse experiences. So there's so many things that that come to mind in addition to that multidisciplinary lens, it also should include health care while at the same time, but appreciating the need for self care for those that are entrusted with their care. That's such a critical need, especially in the first three years of an educator's professional journey, I saw the need for mentoring programs. I also saw the need for time for collaboration and planning during the school day. I saw the need for early childhood accredited programs and more importantly, I really saw the need for early intervention. Finally, colleagues I feel very strongly about this I believe, and I witnessed that positive school experiences coupled with a positive, safe out of school experience can make a life changing experience, it takes a village. It takes faith based organizations, it takes support groups, it takes community centers. It calls for bike paths and pedestrian paths where children and youth can play outside and they can learn through experience, such as turn taking, using their words and appropriate social skills. Neighborhood libraries sometimes have the most underused resources in some of our neighborhoods and these are just some, some of the thoughts that that come to mind. 

Lisa Dieker 00:05:56 
I, I love that and I love how practical and how meaningful that is because I couldn't agree with you more and you know, I know, all of us have had the privilege of being in in the beautiful, rich, diverse schools that that we have a passion for and you know, I think of one teacher and I know you'll really appreciate this Martha, that you know went to her community and said my second graders don't have bikes, and that's not okay, and so getting everybody a bike changed their lives and you know it wasn't a hard thing because lots of people were like, yeah, I can buy a bike. So I love that concept, and I know one of the things that you have done so well over over your beautiful years in higher ed is really help those novice, brand new teachers understand the richness and to really help prepare future faculty, doc students, to work with those teachers.  So I'm kind of curious in all your pearls of wisdom, what is some practical advice you might say to those new teachers that are out there that are just starting their careers in our beautiful, underserved communities. What's what's some advice you might share to start them off with that positive Martha Lou Stewart passion?

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:07:10
I am so glad you asked that question, wow, what great questions I would say to them, and I have said to them, those who have been privileged to teach. In all likelihood your first job is not your last one. It may not be your top choice, but every day that you walk into a school room be the best prepared that you're capable of being. I would say to them, you are the model, I need you to own it. I would say to them to show genuine care and concern for all people. Basic things such as learning how to pronounce the child's name, learning something about that child's culture and community. I am big on community asset mapping. Do your own community asset mapping and don't be afraid to fail. Build up on a child's interest and find that interest, as crazy as it could be in and outside of the classroom. You would be amazed when a child comes in back into your classroom after a weekend and you tell them how great they did on a spelling bee. Oh I, I saw you involved in, in the food truck I saw you volunteering, I was there to you, did you see me? And I, I saw you man, you really made a nice play when you played that other team, so find something about that child and build upon it, It works every time. It works every time. 

Rebecca Hines 00:08:56  

Yeah, that's that's great advice. 

Lisa Dieker 00:08:57 

I have to say that gave me goosebumps. I'm just going to tell you it was great advice. 

Rebecca Hines 00:09:01 

It's great advice, and definitely something that that we can all do. It's actionable and we appreciate that. My final question, Martha, you are an impact player. You're someone who who made a career out of turning more passion into your career so where where does one, where does one go to figure that out? How does somebody take what they're passionate about in terms of serving these kids? And does it even matter? Does it matter from a faculty member or a teacher like Lisa said. How do I take my strengths and my passions into underserved communities as my first step, let's say I'm building a career, I share your passion, what's my very first step? 

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:09:57  
Knowing yourself, finding out who you are, including your strengths, including your biases. I mean, bias is supposed to be a bad word, it really isn't we all have them. Acknowledge who you are and build upon your own strength. I would also say go outside of your own comfort zone. It just it just appears that people would believe because I'm a person of color that I can work with all children of color, no way, I had to learn how to do this. Start with basic things within your own venue, for example, can you volunteer without it being considered for credit, can you volunteer in your, your local church or local synagogue? Can you volunteer and local head start, can you just volunteer? There's so many venues that you can volunteer at at our university, I still claim it as my own. There's so many opportunities in our ed department, our issues, our interests are so diverse. Just talk to somebody and just don't be afraid to get up and meet people and tell them, find a mentor, find a mentor that you would not even think that could be your mentor and just ask them. I want to do this. How do I go about doing it? Ask them the same question that you've asked me. I continue to learn colleagues, I continue to evolve. I'm now in a very rural area in Polk County, the needs are different from quote urban needs, but wow, just on my street I see beautiful children. I've got all kinds of books that I want to share with them that's still in my truck so here again, bloom where you're planted, find an opportunity to do good and just get out there and do it. 

Lisa Dieker 00:12:18 
Well, beautiful advice and we we could keep you all day because your pearls of wisdom are are definitely beautiful to share, but will this will be the my final question and I just know that you have been at a national level, a local level, a state level of thinking about how to impact our underserved communities, and I'm just curious your vision for the future what do you see, what would you like to see occur in the future aligned with both your personal work but also just in your area of passion what what what should we be looking at in the next 5 to 10 years if the world happens the way you hope? 

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:12:57 
If I am hearing you correctly or let me let me change that to do something that I I think that I'd like to see happen. Those, those communities that I described previously that that holds the  key to my heart. I think they would continue or could continue to benefit from the university expansions in the downtown area so much that when we look at the major milestones at our university, the downtown campus would rise to that top. So, I'm not done yet colleagues give me a moment. That area would be a hub for transformation, that area, the downtown area, could be an area where revitalization would not be a code name for re-gentrification. That area could be a model for affordable housing, for top ranked schools in the neighborhood, for clean air, clean water, a child's understanding of voting rights, and that their parents and their grandparents would have equitable wages for all citizens, and that, that is a dream deferred, that is my dream deferred. 

Lisa Dieker 00:14:32 
And I pause because I, I know when that campus opened at UCF downtown, it was a pinnacle moment in your life and then we we saw the world change from the pandemic, so I know that that that dream didn't quite get to where it could, but I do hope that your vision comes true because I know you did plant that seed and water it over your life career here at UCF. 

Rebecca Hines 00:14:57 
And there's plenty of communities and urban areas that could learn from your wisdom and we we look forward to hearing more from you. 

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:15:06  
Thank you very much. It's been a pleasure. 

Lisa Dieker 00:15:08
Vice versa, thank you and if you have questions, you can post them on our Facebook page or you can tweet us @accesspractical thank you again, Doctor Martha Lou Stewart, for the privilege of talking with you today. Thank you. 

Dr. Martha Lou Stewart 00:15:19
Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your day colleagues.