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For more information about Marilyn Moore's work, review her profile.

Marilyn Moore: An advocate for improving urban education

By Tommy Navickas

"Being a professor at Illinois State University has been a highlight of my life. I have watched Illinois State grow in all the right directions and I am proud to be a part of that growth." — Marilyn Moore, professor of Curriculum & Instruction, coordinator of the Early Childhood Education Program

(August 7, 2009) There are few people who have been able to participate in and understand the last twenty years of growth within the College of Education more thoroughly than Marilyn Moore. She has occupied faculty and administrative positions within the College since 1989, and has guided several projects and programs for the Department of Curriculum & Instruction as well as the Dean's Office.

Moore has served primarily as an administrator—first as assistant chair of Curriculum & Instruction and then as associate dean of the College of Education—for most of the past fourteen years at Illinois State. All the while, she has stayed involved with and interested in improving the direct relationships between 'teacher' and 'student.' Moore says this interest stems from her time as an undergraduate teaching assistant while earning her Ed.D. from Northern Illinois University. In that position, Moore worked on a Special Education grant program as a child development specialist and made home visits to children with developmental delays.

"Working closely with children made me realize how well prepared teachers can truly impact the development of children," said Moore. "I realized that if I taught at the university level it would give me an opportunity to help children develop appropriately by preparing teachers who could make a difference for years to come." The goal was far-reaching, but Moore set out to find the place that she could make it happen.

Moore's desire became reality when she joined the College of Education at Illinois State University as faculty in 1989. But, before ISU and before her receiving her doctorate, Moore's instincts as a teacher drew her to teach in ways that met needs and promoted marginalized urban schools in order to more effectively teach students, who were mostly minority students, in urban schools. Her efforts did not go unnoticed; she received the Illinois State Teacher of the Year Award in 1995.

"First and foremost, I have always had a strong desire to work with minority children from Chicago," said Moore. "When I first started teaching at the University, it was not a major priority. I would have to say I was one of the pioneers in exposing our college students to diversity in urban and local areas back in the early 1990s. I have continued to do this work my entire career at Illinois State and I am pleased that the College of Education has given me the resources and support to do so."

One such effort Moore has made to improve the quality of education in urban areas is through the Multicultural Mentorship Project (MMP), which she founded with Dr. Norvella Carter in 1992. MMP pairs an Illinois State teacher candidate with a middle-level Chicago Public Schools student. The pair meets twice a semester and the goals of the relationship is to help the teacher candidate develop an understanding of educational and social justice within the system of public schools and to broaden his or her perspectives about the power of mentorship and support systems. The project has resulted in over 1,500 pairs of mentors and mentees over its 18-year in existence.

While the collaboration usually draws to a close at the end of the school year, occasionally a mentor takes the initiative to stay connected with his or her mentee past the required project time.

In 2007, a MMP mentor standout, Jessica Rivera, was invited to attend and celebrate the college graduation of her former mentee. This was over 15 years after Rivera had been involved with him while a student at ISU. Rivera's dedication to provide years of support to her mentee goes above and beyond Moore's expectations, but she says she was proud to hear of the development.

"Jessica Rivera was a student who was so dedicated to helping children succeed that she turned out to be an exceptional mentor. I was shocked to hear that she followed her student all the way through to his college graduation over a period of fifteen years. She made me very proud and made me realize that my efforts toward MMP were unfolding in the way I hoped."

Rivera was inducted into the College of Education Hall of Fame in October of 2008.

Moore also coordinated the Chicago Urban Bus Trip where Illinois State students travel from campus to Chicago and engage with several public schools in the City of Chicago. Students gain a snapshot of the rich culture of the urban communities as well as understand the education needs facing Chicago Public Schools.

"Approximately 3,000 students have participated in the project to date, and many of these students were visiting Chicago for the first time," said Moore.

An important goal of the trip is to encourage education students to consider teaching in this urban area regardless of where they themselves attended K-12 schooling.

Moore's effort to create broadening experiences for students extends beyond Illinois, and even the United States. Moore has been involved with international projects in Lancaster England, Brighton England, and London for the past 20 years.

Throughout her time at Illinois State, Moore has been reminded why she chose Illinois State to continue her work in the education field—to prepare teachers for the challenges of working in urban schools.

"Being the assistant chair in C&I and the associate dean has fulfilled my desire take part in the work of university administration," said Moore.

But I am pleased to return to the faculty and work directly with students over the next few years before retirement. That is how I started at Illinois State and it gives me great pleasure to do this until I retire."