Using Information Technology to Foster Cultural Knowledge and Awareness:
An Interview with Award-Winning Teacher Cheryl Cox

Larry Miller

Previous articles in the International Perspectives department of Reading Online have focused on projects and people outside of the United States; however, many educators within the United States have a deep interest in multiculturalism and in the role information technology (IT) can play in enhancing knowledge about and understanding of different cultures. In this article, I interview one such educator -- Cheryl Cox, a Grade 2 teacher who created the Web site for the Hatch Elementary School in Hatch, New Mexico.

I first learned of Cheryl's work more than a year ago through participation in RTEACHER, the listserv associated with the International Reading Association's print journal The Reading Teacher and moderated by Don Leu, a professor at the University of Connecticut. One of the unique features of RTEACHER is the Miss Rumphius Award, which list subscribers give “to educators who develop and share exceptional Internet resources for literacy and learning.”

One of the winners of a Miss Rumphius award in the elementary category is Cheryl Cox's “Cinco de Mayo,” part of the Hatch Elementary School Web site. When I visited the site I was particularly impressed by this WebQuest, which combines subject matter content with the arts and language arts. I was so enamoured with the manner in which Cheryl used IT as a conduit for learning that I shared the Web site with the preservice teachers in my courses at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada. Their positive response supported my belief that Cinco de Mayo indeed was a useful resource that transcended cultures and borders.

A few months after I discovered the Hatch Elementary School Web site, I made a cutesy comment on the RTEACHER listserv wondering why Indianapolis had been chosen as the host city for the International Reading Association's annual convention that year. Cheryl, who had lived in Indianapolis, replied through the listserv, enlightening me about what the city had to offer. When I mentioned an interest in birding, she sent me names and locations of several sites just on the outskirts of Indianapolis. These birding hotspots were nature preserves and parks I hadn't been able to find through my Internet searches. An afternoon borrowed from the conference turned out to be a birding treat, as the warblers were passing through. The whole gang was there: hooded, blue-winged, yellow-rumped, and Wilson's.

Since that time, I have noticed that Cheryl frequently responds to inquiries on RTEACHER, and the resources she makes available are excellent. Recently, Cheryl expanded the Hatch Elementary Web site to include a variety of resources on topics such as writing online, multiculturalism, and technology. After reading these additions to the site, as well as the enhanced Cinco de Mayo WebQuest, I decided that Cheryl's wisdom and innovative use of IT was worth sharing with ROL readers.

I structured the interview to reveal Cheryl's background, her literacy interests, and her use of information technology. My questions and comments appear below in mauve italics; Cheryl's answers follow in black. At points where she mentioned pages on the Hatch Elementary School site or other topics about which useful information could be found on the Web, I have included links.

Tell us about your background and how you came to be a teacher.

I was born and raised in the Midwest -- Indianapolis, Indiana, to be exact. I was the middle child of seven and the first person in my family to graduate from college. As sappy as it sounds, I had a wonderful fourth grade teacher named Miss Tremper. She was a wonderful teacher as well as a caring person. After spending a year in her classroom, I knew I wanted someday to be a teacher -- just like her. My only regret is that after becoming a teacher I was never able to find or contact her.

I graduated from Indiana University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education. My first teaching position was in a private school -- a wonderful experience. However, after teaching for 3 years, the school closed, and I reassessed my calling. I subsequently went to work for the United States government and stayed for 5 years.

Desperately missing the classroom, I left my government job and went back to school for a Master of Science degree in special education. In the early 1980s, there was a surplus of elementary teachers in the Midwest, and I was interested in special education. After graduating, I went to work for the Indianapolis Public Schools. I taught primary special education for 7 years, but felt that a break was needed, so I transferred to teaching second grade.

In 1996, I felt the “Land of Enchantment” (New Mexico) call me, and relocated to a small village about 40 miles north of Las Cruces, named Hatch, the self-proclaimed “Chile Capital of New Mexico,” I taught at Hatch Elementary School at the primary level. I have a real love for second graders since their world is perpetually filled with awe and wonder, which is why my WebQuest is directed to this level.

In addition to your interest in the language arts, you demonstrate much knowledge about computers. How did you become interested in information technology?

My original interest developed in Indianapolis where my school had an Apple II GS computer lab. After moving to New Mexico, I found that the state was more supportive of technology than Indiana had been. I lived in a rural community, so I purchased a computer and quickly realized it was indeed my lifeline to the outside world. My five brothers and sister all have e-mail as we are spread out across the United States.

I enrolled in classes at New Mexico State University and had the good fortune to be introduced to Drs. Carmen Gonzales and Karin Wiburg. As I learned more about technology, and how it could be utilized in the classroom, it was a natural progression to enroll in the Education Specialist Learning Technologies program. Next year, I will be graduating with my degree in learning technologies, with an endorsement in elementary school administration.

In the beginning of my involvement with technology, much of my experience was self-taught -- trial and error. I found something I was interested in and tried to learn more about it. I'm still that way. I'd love to learn how to write JavaScript and build my own computer. Maybe next summer.....

One of the driving forces in my education has been the Regional Educational Technology Assistance (RETA) program, for which I am a teacher trainer. Dr. Gonzales is the director of the program, and it includes about 60 teacher trainers in the state of New Mexico. The program is based on the constructivist theory of education, with the trainers facilitating six Saturday workshops across the state. I can't begin to explain the excitement and pride I feel when I see a technophobic teacher develop and present a digital portfolio at the end of the training sessions.

Another positive affiliation for me was being part of the USWest/NEA NM Teacher Network. Eighty-two teachers were selected from across the state. They came together for training, and then took this knowledge back to their respective districts. Each teacher was awarded a Dell laptop computer for classroom use because of his or her involvement.

You maintain the site for Hatch Elementary School. How much time and effort do you devote to this activity?

Actually, a great deal, and I wish I could devote more. It's truly a labor of love! However, I need to publish more student work, and I'd like to start special projects with other second grade teachers. I'm sure other teachers know the meaning of “If I just had the time....”

You have a wealth of teacher resources at your site. How do you find these resources?

Basically, two different ways. First, I do quite a bit of online research. I'm intrigued and amazed by the amount of information one can access. However, with the abundance of information, teachers must actively classify, discern, and, most important, evaluate what they find. Another great source of information is mail distribution lists or listservs. I belong to many education-related lists -- the International Reading Association Reading Teacher listserv for one. They offer great support as well as an abundance of ideas and information. By the way, I've compiled some of the ones I use (and ones that I wish I had time to subscribe to) on my “Teacher Angel” website. Point your browser to www.zianet.com/cjcox/teacherangel/listservs.html.