Uzziel Pecina, Ed.D.
Assistant Teaching Professor
I chose to focus on learning and teaching in urban environments because I felt that I needed to give back to my community.
How does the UMKC/SOE student experience prepare its students to be ‘reflective practitioners’?
I believe that instructors and professors in the SOE have meaningful rigorous relevant research based methods of instruction that give our teacher candidates a wide variety of classroom and field experiences that allow for meaningful dialogue and personal reflection that guides their growth within our program.
How do you build rapport with your students?
We listen and engage each other in meaningful discussions and conversations about their real lived experiences both on and off campus that also relate to our classroom assignments and readings.
Why did you choose to focus on learning and teaching in urban environments?
I grew up on the Westside of Kansas City, Missouri, and felt that I needed to give back to my community as a neighborhood teacher.