Monique Chism: Activating change by addressing difficult topics in new ways
The moment Monique M. Chism stumbled across the online posting for the Smithsonian job she would eventually accept, “it felt like the sun was shining on me,” as she puts it. “The position sounded like the absolute right mix of my passion and my professional experience balled up into one opportunity.”
Under Secretary for Education since June, Dr. Chism – who attained her doctorate in American Studies from Michigan State University – is no stranger to D.C. She worked for the Department of Education for five years under then-Secretaries Arne Duncan, John King and Betsy Devos. She spoke recently with Torch contributor Amy Rogers Nazarov about her new-ish role and some of the things she’s learned so far.
Where did you work prior to coming to the Smithsonian?
I was at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a non-profit organization that focuses on translating research into practice. I served as vice president for education policy and strategic initiatives. In this role I had the opportunity to work with State Education Agencies, districts, and schools across the nation to focus on improving education systems to ensure access and equity to high quality education for all students and low-income and racial/ethnic minority students in particular.
And had you been teaching in the classroom before that?
Yes, at the beginning of my career I taught for eight years at the postsecondary level while working on my master’s and doctorate degree.
I fell in love with teaching, but I noticed that many of my students of colors were coming into my college-level courses not prepared to fully engage in the course work. I thought to myself, what is going on here? What is the problem? And it led me on an exploration to understand why I was seeing such disparities and gaps. My entire career has focused on addressing inequality in education systems. As I considered applying for this position, I wanted to make sure I would have the opportunity to continue this work. I began researching the Smithsonian to understand more about SI’s values, beliefs, and public positioning on key issues. I came across the Our Shared Future: Reckoning with our Racial Past website, and took an in-depth look at some of the exhibits at the National Museum of the American Indian and other museums. After a lot of review, I felt confident that SI addresses difficult topics and conversations in a way that helps activate change. I then came across the video of Secretary Bunch’s inauguration address, in which he talked about bringing Smithsonian content to every classroom in the nation. I found example after example of ways that the Smithsonian was looking honestly at our history and tackling issues that have been at the core of my personal and professional pursuits.
How can the Smithsonian help close achievement gaps among students of different races, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds?
There are two things I would say.
One, teachers are our most valuable resource in our classrooms. When teachers feel empowered to teach rigorous content, utilize different instructional strategies, and are also able to understand and value student difference, teachers become our best tool for improving educational outcomes. Therefore, when Smithsonian educators and subject matter experts are working with teachers and learning from and with them, that is a really powerful way to help support systemic change in our educational systems.
The second thing I would say, is that the shift toward teacher accountability and student assessment is needed because it helps us understand where the achievement gaps are and sometimes helps flag where there might be teacher performance issues, assessment are a necessary tool for equity. However, the emphasis on high-stakes accountability testing has also led to a narrowing of the curriculum with a disproportionate focus on Math and English language arts. The subjects that support a well-rounded education often get pushed to the side or completely cut.
The good news is that Smithsonian education content is rich and dynamic, and can easily be incorporated into all education settings. Across the Smithsonian, educators and curators are working to make sure our content is interactive, engaging, and sparks curiosity for students. For example, the Hirshhorn last summer undertook a virtual project with D.C. students called “Rep My City”, in which students created original music, poetry, paintings and artwork and then curated exhibits for a virtual museum that they designed. Through this project the Hirshhorn educators helped cultivate several skills sets and competencies including : project management, leadership, coding, design, creativity, teamwork, communications. This is what engaged learning looks like.
It must be challenging to have moved into this new role mid-pandemic.
I have certainly been doing a lot of virtual meetings! Every month I meet with our education community [across the SI], and to the extent that I can [given pandemic restrictions] I am connecting with other SI staff. I try to get to as many different museums and units as I can, because spending time in the exhibits and with the educators and curators allows me to better understand their goals. I had always known about the Smithsonian, of course, but I didn’t know about SAO or that we have a marine center or how much robust research we do in the sciences. Until I got here, I didn’t have a full appreciation of the Smithsonian’s breadth and depth.
You attended a performing arts high school in Cincinnati, Ohio. What did being a student there teach you about using the arts to deepen and expand learning?
One thing I know for sure is that going to a performing arts high school provided me access to an excellent high quality public education that prepared me for college. I was a theater and dance major, so I learned early in my life the importance of practice, persistence, and working hard to continually improve my craft. I also came to understand that the show does not go on without a huge team working together. No production ever would have occurred without the technical and lighting team, set builders, custom designers, directors and chronophers, fellow cast mates – ultimately this gave me an appreciation that there is no job too small and I had an awareness early in my life about the inter-dependent nature of group and individual success. Teamwork really does make the dream work.
Explore more ways that Smithsonian Education is working for change
Education to Create a Sustainable Future
When thinking about the ultimate goal of learning, a Smithsonian educator and researcher suggests that at the core of education, is a goal to create a better future for learners and for us all. Through her work, she maps the journey to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to become active participants in creating a more sustainable world.
Stories of Women of Color in STEM
Have you ever used a GPS for directions or taken medicine for an illness? For too long, women of color’s contributions to science have widely gone untold. The Smithsonian Science Education Center created Stories of Women of Color in STEM to champion the ingenuity that has transformed America and beyond. Stories of Women of Color in STEM features biographies of trailblazing women who made history through their scientific discoveries and innovation. From pharmacologist and Nobel Prize winner Tu Youyou to mathematician Gladys West, learn how women have defied gender and racial stereotypes and overcome structural barriers to advance the science, technology, engineering, and math industry.
Celebrate #WomensFuturesMonth
What does an astrophysicist look like? How would you describe a mechanical engineer? And how many women scientists can you name?
Sensing a theme? In the U.S., women make up less than 30% of today’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce. We envision a more inclusive future for these innovative fields.
From March 5 to 27, we’re partnering with the National Museum of Natural History and Smithsonian Gardens to host the Smithsonian debut of “#IfThenSheCan—The Exhibit,” the largest collection of statues of women ever assembled in one location at one time, to be installed around the National Mall. The more than 120 life-size 3D-printed statues are of a diverse coalition of contemporary women STEM innovators and role models leading a variety of fields, from protecting wildlife, discovering galaxies, building YouTube’s platform, to trying to cure cancer.
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Posted: 1 March 2022
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Categories:
Collaboration , Education, Access & Outreach , Feature Stories
