Degree/graduating year: EdD, Graduate School of Education, 2014
Location: Boston MA
Current job: Speech pathologist, Harvard lecturer, World Bank consultant
3 fun facts
*I’m raising my kids in a bilingual French-English household, as my husband is French.
*In addition to nonfiction on parenting and education, I also write fiction and poetry.
*I played piano seriously through high school, and I’m just now getting back into it.
Why did you join HAEd? I was interested in giving back to the community from which I have benefitted so much, as well as connecting and supporting others doing exciting work across the fields of education.
How did you get involved in education? I was teaching abroad in Greece after my first grad program and realized how much I didn’t know about educating those with learning differences. This led to an interest in exploring the day-to-day educational “moves” we can make to support learning and motivation, and to support kids in understanding learning differences and combating bias.
What is something that inspires you? Watching my kids learn and develop each day and surprise me with their thinking and ideas.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life? 1) Pema Chödrön’s book When Things Fall Apart, which is a wonderful meditation and guide on how to navigate challenging times, merging Buddhist wisdom and an accessible tone 2) From Where You Dream by Robert Olen Butler, a wonderful book on “intuitive” writing to support creativity; and 3) W.S. Merwin’s Collected Poems, which offer powerful reflections on nature, mourning, celebration, and the passage of time.
What is the most memorable experience you remember from your time at Harvard? Sitting with the cellist Yo-Yo Ma at a roundtable on education and the arts was one of the most memorable times. Even more than the specifics of the discussion, I was blown away by the passion he brought to the conversation and his generosity in bringing his vast experience and expertise.
What advice would you give someone wanting to enter into the field of children's education? I would encourage them to open their minds to many different areas of education to see where their passions and the needs of the field match best. There are so many ways of reaching children now, whether directly, in the classroom, or indirectly, through creating curricula, designing apps, working in assessment, or otherwise.
What are some of the things you’re researching the most right now?
Right now, I’m most interested in the ways we can have conversations with kids to support their empathy and resilience, especially in our challenging times. I’m also thinking deeply about the role of technology in supporting deeper conversations, motivation, and learning; how we can use what we have learned from pandemic times to enhance education overall.
To contact Rebeca and learn more about her newly published book, you can visit her personal website. Click on the link below:
https://rebeccarolland.com/
