Rice Award Winner Dana Schumacher-Schmidt Brings Creativity and Fun Into the Classroom

She is affectionately known by many of her students as “Dr. Schu.”

From her detail-oriented course prep-
aration to her extraordinary efforts in making the classroom a fun place to be, Dana Schumacher-Schmidt was recog-
nized as the 2019-20 Eileen K. Rice Award Winner for Outstanding Teacher. The associate professor of English who finished her sixth year at Siena Heights University said her goal is to “spark students’ interest.”

Reflections recently interviewed this year’s Rice Award winner:

Why did you want to teach in higher education, specifically English?

I’ve been fortunate to have excellent teachers throughout my education who inspired me to pursue teaching. In particular, one of my high school English teachers, Dr. Claudia Trew, was the first person to say to me that she could see me going all the way through graduate school to get my PhD in English and then becoming a professor. Dr. Trew helped me find this path, and once I started taking literature classes in college, I knew it was the right one for me. I’ve always loved school, and as a professor I get to keep learning every day.

What attracted you to Siena Heights?

I got my undergrad degree from small liberal arts college (Stetson University, in DeLand, FL) and I really hoped to teach at a similar institution because of the sense of community I had experienced there. What really made Siena Heights stand out to me initially was its connection to the Adrian Dominican Sisters. When I read the congregation’s mission and vision statement and learned more about their commitment to social justice, Siena jumped to the top of my list. I’m about to start my seventh year teaching at Siena. When I say that, it sounds like such a long time, but it feels like it’s gone by so quickly!

How would you describe your students? What are some qualities of the Siena Heights student?

Our students balance a lot of responsibilities. I admire how hard they work to achieve their goals. Because students have so many demands on their time, I always try to communicate the purpose behind everything I ask them to do for class. I also think our students are very caring and have a sense of social responsibility. They look for ways to apply what they’re learning to help others around them.

Explain the genesis of the “Un-Essay” and how you apply it to the classroom.

First, it’s definitely not my invention. I learned about it from fellow educators sharing their assignments and their students’ creations at conferences, in blogs, and on Twitter, and then adapted what I saw for my classes. In my time at Siena, I’ve realized how much more invested students become in their learning when they have agency. The Un-Essay allows students to choose both the subject they want to learn more about and the format in which they’ll demonstrate what they’ve learned. In my Shakespeare class, for example, students have devised lesson plans and assignments for their own future classrooms, built miniature sets, designed costumes, rewritten scenes, and translated elements of the plays into paintings, comics, and songs.  Last semester, a student researched beliefs about magic in early modern England and then compiled her own book of spells, charms, and other “magical” recipes she found in manuscripts from the period. At the end of the semester, when students present what they’ve made, they talk us through their process, including ways in which their research informed their choices. English majors get very good at writing essays, but, in my experience, they like how this assignment gives them the opportunity to try something new, even if it’s a little scary at first.

Your students describe you as someone who makes it fun to come to class and explains coursework in great detail. How would you describe your teaching style, and how did you develop it? 

When I’m planning a course or prepping for a lesson, I deliberately think about how to make it fun. I try to choose topics and texts that I think will spark students’ interest and then provide a variety of ways for them to engage and interact with the material. When students realize that they can have fun in a writing class or a literature class, it motivates them to keep showing up and keep learning. Having fun in class helps build community, too, because it puts everyone at ease so that we can just talk to each other. My efforts to make things fun come from thinking about what a student’s experience of my class will be. That’s also where my detailed explanations come from. I try to put myself in a student’s place and explain things as clearly and fully as possible, in a friendly, engaging way. I want students to feel comfortable and supported in class, and like they can always ask a question or talk with me about anything that comes up.

What is your favorite period of literature? And who is your favorite author, and why?

My favorite periods of literature to teach are medieval and early modern literature. Students often assume literature from these periods will be really boring or really difficult, because it’s so old. Then they discover how awesomely weird so much of it is, but also how relevant it is to so many personal and social issues that we’re still facing today. The moments of discovery, when students find ways to engage with these older texts, and realize that they do have things to say about them, are the best. Even though I teach literature from centuries ago, I read a lot of contemporary fiction for fun. My favorite author is probably N.K. Jemisin, who writes speculative fiction novels and short stories. Her most recent novel, The City We Became, came out in March and it’s amazing: it’s about systemic racism, police brutality, gentrification, and what makes cities and communities live or die, but also interdimensional tentacle monsters.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about becoming an English major? 

I would tell them to go for it! They’ll get to spend four years reading, which I assume they love since they want to be an English major, while also developing their abilities to think critically, communicate their ideas, and collaborate with peers. Those skills will serve them well in whatever they decide to do post-graduation.

What was your favorite moment in your classroom during your time at Siena Heights?

I can’t pinpoint a single favorite moment, but I love when students take over a class. I’m still a planner, but I’ve become a lot more comfortable with providing just as much framework as is necessary and then letting students determine the direction of a class period, an assignment, or part of a course. When students maintain a lively discussion with minimal input from me, they show that they’re engaged and taking responsibility for their learning, but also their classmates’ learning. My students always tell me that they appreciate how my classes give them lots of opportunities to learn from each other.

What do you like to do outside of the classroom? (We know you have some culinary skills!)

If I’m not in the classroom, you’ll find me out on a walk, in my kitchen, in my garden, or with a book in my hands. I even “read” while I’m walking, since I love to listen to audiobooks while roaming the sidewalks of Tecumseh and the many trails around Lenawee County.