Graduate Assistant Spotlight: Aleks Waledziak
Hello! My name is Aleksandra “Aleks” Waledziak and I am a graduate assistant for the Teaching, Learning, and Education Program (TLEP) at Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy. I am also part of the Master of Science in Education & Social Policy Program with a concentration in Elementary Teaching and plan to pursue a bilingual endorsement in Polish to work with multilingual learners as well. In addition to these roles, I substitute teach in my home district and virtually tutor those who want to learn Polish.
Prior to the MSEd program, I completed my undergraduate degree at Cornell University, majoring in government with a minor in European studies. Despite my heavy focus on political science and history, I have always been drawn to teaching and learning. I grew up on the Northwest side of Chicago and, through my experience in the Chicago Public Schools system, I often questioned the challenges facing educators, students, and families in urban schools. Being the first in my family to attend college also informed my understanding of the education system, prompting me to consider questions like: “what is education for?”
Going into elementary education, I want to build foundations demonstrating that, no matter what existing institutions might purport, my students are whole and complex individuals with a tenacity for learning that cannot—and will not—be stifled. I strongly believe in everyone’s right to explore interdisciplinary learning and, because I will be teaching a variety of subjects, I hope to inspire my students to think beyond and across disciplinary boundaries. Going forward, I am feeling grateful, inspired, and tremendously eager to grow!