Dawn Mollenkopf, PhD
Averyle Westphal Ehrle Professor of Early Childhood Education
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Dawn Mollenkopf, PhD
Averyle Westphal Ehrle Professor of Early Childhood Education
I was presenting at a Nebraska state conference and a childcare teacher came up to me. She was finishing her AAS in early childhood education at the local community college through TEACH early childhood scholarship funds and was contemplating whether she should go on to complete her bachelor's degree in early childhood education. She was skeptical about its benefits and whether it was even possible. I told her first that her current scholarship would cover her BA degree. Then I had her pull up her transcripts and I wrote out a full program review of what courses would transfer. She was pleased to see that a 2+2 was easily met. She wanted to take only 6 credits hours a semester so I wrote out a plan through student teaching, carefully working around her childcare and family responsibilities. She was elated and said, "I can do this. I can graduate before my daughter finishes high school. I am going to finish college and show her she can go to college, too." She's enrolled. She's starting classes. Yes, this is what gets me up in the morning.
I initially started out in elementary education and special education K-12, but in my first teaching job I became impressed that we needed to get to children earlier, before they were behind in school. I also believed we weren't doing enough to support teachers, so I wanted figure out to best help teachers teach young children, particularly children that fell through the cracks. I decided to get my doctorate on special education policy systems in the area of early childhood and I studied program innovations and how students and teachers fared in these programs. When I was hired at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, they wanted me to start and grow their new early childhood Inclusive endorsement. In one of my evening classes my first year, I had a student who was a kindergarten teacher. She was commuting to my night class over an hour each way, getting home at midnight, and teaching kindergarteners the next day. I thought to myself that we had to have a better plan. So I created a remote education option that transitioned to a fully asynchronous online BA program by 2010. That program is still going strong and the experience has shaped my focus in early childhood teacher education.
What is your teaching philosophy?
First and foremost, I believe there is no higher calling than to teach, for without teaching, no occupation exists. Consequently, to teach others to teach is to empower others to engage in this highest of callings so they, in turn, can prepare future generations that positively impact their communities and beyond.
As I carry out my teaching responsibilities, I am driven by my commitment to constantly improve what and how I teach, and to better understand what all students need to become competent teachers. This passion drives me to not only teach well at the classroom level, but to constantly seek to improve course delivery, program design, and program supports that help me be a better teacher and help my students be successful learners and teachers. High quality curriculum, programming, and academic supports are built upon the foundation of effective classroom teaching, where all students learn. Consequently, I use the following principles to guide me as I teach:
- Instruction should actively engage students in the learning process, provide opportunities for reflection, and build critical thinking skills.
- Learning should be relevant, meaningful, and incorporate real-world learning.
- All students are unique individuals who are becoming adult learners, and therefore, benefit from having a voice in their learning.
- Pedagogy of care is just as important, or more so, than pedagogy of content.
What do you hope your students learn from you?
First, I want my students to be comfortable with who they are educators, and that they will take their life experiences into their own classrooms, and be role models for their students. If they believe in themselves, they will be able to believe in their students. Second, I want them to remember that all children can learn, and they need to do what it takes to reach every child in their class. Third, I want them to internalize a variety of teaching strategies and related critical thinking and problem solving skills, so they can match what and how they teach to each child they work with. Finally, I want them to remember that teaching is the highest calling, one where they can make a profound long-term difference in others. They should always be proud to say, "I am a teacher."
BA, Elementary Education, English, Andrews University
MS, Special Education, Cross-Categorial Disabilities--K-12, University of Oregon
PhD, Special Education Policy Integration; Emphasis, Early Childhood Education; Minor: Social Work; University of Kansas
Early Childhood Teacher Education
Education Policy
Course Delivery/Online Methodologies
Post-Secondary Education
Most of my research has followed the early childhood teacher college experience, first addressing course/student level variables and then addressing systemic variables, to help future and current teachers meet competencies and complete their postsecondary degrees. I am currently most interested in the systemic barriers and support factors in degree completion for early childhood teachers, many who are non-traditional and are balancing multiple work and family responsibilities.
Lewis Professorship of Early Childhood Education; Assistant Chair and Co-Assistant Chair, Teacher Education Department; University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK)
UNK Circle of Distinction, 2023
UNK Pratt-Heins Award for Teaching, 2023