Featured Student: Summer 2007

Kate Robertson

Kate Robertson is a first-year doctoral student in the School of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction. She taught high school band and orchestra for six years before deciding to return to school to pursue her Ph.D. this past fall. Kate is a published author; her book Confessions of a First-Year Maestro: A Guide to Your First Year of Teaching (GIA Publications) is a journal of experiences designed to aid young music teachers. In her graduate assistantship at UWM, Kate works as a freshman academic advisor, helping students prepare class schedules and identify tutoring and other campus resources. She also counsels struggling students, and this summer Kate is presenting orientation sessions and helping freshmen register for their first semester of classes this fall.

Kate is originally from La Crosse and earned her bachelor's degree from UW-La Crosse and her master's degree from Viterbo University. Kate has been married to her husband Cal for 5 years and they have 2 sons: Spencer, 3½ and Liam, 1, and a dog, Jake.

1) How would you describe your field of study/research to a friend who is not in your graduate program?

Curriculum and Instruction, I believe, is the study of how to cultivate more successful teaching and learning experiences for educators and students alike. In the classes I have taken so far, we have explored topics from a curriculum planning standpoint, as well as looking at many different models of teaching and learning in varied classroom environments.

2) What brought you to UWM for your graduate studies?

Honestly, it is the closest university to offer a Ph.D. to where I live! But also the program is great, and I am fortunate to have been offered the assistantship to both help pay for my studies and gain experience working at the university level.

3) What's been your best experience so far?

From a work perspective, I love talking with my freshman advisees one-on-one. I get to know them as people and help guide them through the maze of their freshman year of college. Freshman year is such a stressful, confusing time for so many students, so I'm glad I can be a part of the more focused attention and new initiatives that our department is trying to show to first-year students. It is very rewarding. As far as my coursework, I really enjoyed my adult learning course, and it was exciting to begin doing my own research on a topic that interested me—the freshman seminar—in my curriculum design course.

4) If you were able to merge another discipline with yours, what would that be and why?

Teachers are often expected to be so many things to students: nurse, parent, friend, chaperone, counselor, etc. But the counseling discipline aspect interests me because I have enjoyed helping students on a personal level in my current advising position. It is difficult to give each student that kind of in-depth attention in many typical classroom situations, though. I think oftentimes it's just a matter of letting students know that someone cares.

5) What is your favorite stress-reduction activity?

This time of year, gardening. I have lots of flowering plants on the deck at home and a veggie garden in the yard. Playing with my sons and reading bedtime stories to them is pretty wonderful, too.

6) What do you most enjoy about Milwaukee?

Even though I've lived in the Milwaukee area for almost 8 years, I still enjoy discovering new things to do, new shops, or new restaurants to try. My husband and I own a speedboat, so we love going out on the many lakes around the area as well.

7) Is there anything that you've had to "give up" as a graduate student?

I really try to squeeze in everything, thus leading to a pretty full schedule. The one thing I am noticing is that I don't get to cook very often! I enjoy making new meals and complex recipes. . . and currently I think I'm about 3 months behind in reading my Cooking Light magazines!

8) What are your plans for after graduate school?

When I finish my Ph.D., my goal is to teach education courses at the university level and supervise student teachers. I am finding that I am very passionate about young, pre-service teachers and I want to be a positive, guiding resource for them. My first year teaching out of college, like most, was very turbulent. If I can help prepare those new educators for that a bit better. . . imagine the possibilities!

9) What trait do you find most necessary to succeed in graduate school?

Multi-tasking and organization. As a mom, wife, daughter, student and advisor, I wear a lot of hats. I try to keep an organized schedule of activities, homework, etc., and give everything its fair share of time. . . easier said than done, but it's a work in progress! I guess I just know that after the kids are in bed, it's homework time!

10) Do you have any advice that you would give to a new graduate student in your program?

Do a little class work every day—read a chapter, write a page or two on a paper—don't save it for all one day! That's how I get it all done.